What did Napoleon see/experience in the Giza piramid that scared him so much?

I guess the moral is never spend the night in ancient places

Napoleon never told what happened in the Pyramid, when he was dying in exile on Elba island he was going to tell his friend but didn't, saying that he wouldn't believe it anyway.

Napoleon was unstoppable until he reached Egypt, after a night in the Pyramid he lost all his power. Perhaps something was 'removed' from him.

Napoleon went down hill after his visit to the pyramids, that's fact. Why he came scared out the chamber it's a matter of speculation, but in my opinion being the leader of the most powerful army in the world at the time, knowing the horrors of war all too well, and with the ego and pride that he must have carried with him, it must have taken something more than the "usual ghost" to scare him off.

Allow me to "bump" this thread, in the hope that somebody notices it.

I've been reading about this story for quite a few years now, but I still haven't unearthed its origins.

So: does anyone know where exactly this story originated?
Where and when - meaning in which document, whose report etc. - did it make its first appearance?
Who exactly is the one that all other writers seem to be quoting when describing Napoleon's alleged reaction?

It's not about the veracity of any experiences inside the pyramid, including Bonaparte's.

I just want to know the original source of it.


Thanks.

Originally posted by SOTERION 5
Napoleon never told what happened in the Pyramid, when he was dying in exile on Elba island he was going to tell his friend but didn't, saying that he wouldn't believe it anyway.

See, this is exactly what I meant in my recent post...

WHO was the "friend"?
Where did this "friend" retell the story, so that we know about it today?

And how do we know that Bonaparte came out "pale" etc., as the story usually goes?

Originally posted by FlyersFan
(hint- not a happy place because of all the evil he brought upon mankind due to his own ego).

Actually, he - unlike most other statesmen (and not just back then) - brought on many very good things around Europe: a durable shift in mentality regarding human rights & civic liberties and actively fostering local cultures by introducing schooling in the local languages - to name just two.

And besides... isn't "evil" defined by intention?
As a historian (among other things), I can discern no intention of causing harm for its own sake in Bonaparte's actions.

Let's not be childish, OK? ;-)

I've never heard of this before but it sounds interesting. Yeah it sounds like something major happened after the night in the pyramid. It could be many things he saw that night.

reply to post by sandman441


I am telling you, Sandman, it wasn't just Napoleon - apparently all the people from this thread were scared silly, too...

Seriously, though: I understand it's been a very long time since the thread was started. But I still hope somebody can shed a little light on this.

Pretty please...?




P.S. Incidentally, there is a cool recording of sound reverberations inside the Great Pyramid (nothing paranormal, just very interesting, an imposing sound). I don't remember the name of the site, but it should be easy enough to find something by googling "sound + pyramid" etc.
(As you can probably gather, I am in a pretty lazy mood right now...)

Originally posted by Vanitas
I am telling you, Sandman, it wasn't just Napoleon - apparently all the people from this thread were scared silly, too...

Seriously, though: I understand it's been a very long time since the thread was started. But I still hope somebody can shed a little light on this.

Pretty please...?

P.S. Incidentally, there is a cool recording of sound reverberations inside the Great Pyramid (nothing paranormal, just very interesting, an imposing sound). I don't remember the name of the site, but it should be easy enough to find something by googling "sound + pyramid" etc.
(As you can probably gather, I am in a pretty lazy mood right now...

)

I would be interested in reading where the story came from too. I was thinking maybe somebody in his army or something. I might have to search for that sound too. I think I might have heard it before but I can't remember.

[edit on 10-11-2007 by sandman441]

I can't find any sound files, but I ran across this neat webcam.

Looking forward to more information on this topic in general. This is the first time I've heard such a thing about Napoleon.

I did come across this even older link to the story with a link to an outside site:

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.gizapyramid.com...

It looks to me like maybe this story is in the original texts written by the explorers who went on the expidition with Napoleaon.
As an interesting side note, isnt that also where Alstery Crawley supposedly met up with that little gray demon fellow at? Its name elludes me write at the moment, but I think it might have been called lam or something.


[edit on 11/10/2007 by defcon5]

Napolean build a pyramid himself.
www.bk.tudelft.nl...

Select on above page the first entry.
1- Austerlitz Pyramid

Reading up on Alstery Crawley and found this

www.themystica.com...

The essence of Crowley's magical work in the Sahara, in so far as he understood it, is that he was at least initiated into the Grade of the Master of the Temple. Briefly this entails the "Crossing of the Abyss" whereby the ego is annihilated. The Adept gives up all that he is, and all that he was, even his Holy Guardian Angel, and is reborn "a Babe of the Abyss" who grows into a Master. This work The Vision and The Voice confirmed that The Book of the Law was the Truth of the Gods for humanity; and the duty of furthering this Truth was laid upon the new Master.



that's interesing and I wonder if Napoleon tried that.

Originally posted by PrplHrt
I can't find any sound files, but I ran across this neat webcam.

Looking forward to more information on this topic in general. This is the first time I've heard such a thing about Napoleon.

It's great. ; )

As for the sounds, I have no idea where has the website where I found some of them go...

All I could find right now were a few pieces of VERY cool music recorded inside the Great Pyramid. It's very soothing and it really does give you a feel of "how it is to be inside the pyramid".

Google "Paul Horn" + "Inside the Great Pyramid".

I especially like Psalm 4.






[edit on 19-11-2007 by Vanitas]

OK, I seem to have finally traced the original (printed) report of the story, if nothing else.
Apparently, it was published in John Monkhouse's The Last Moments of Buonaparte! (= sic, with an exclamation mark), London, 1821.

I found the reference here.
(Read at your own risk if either Mr. Sarkozy or la nouvelle Mme Sarkozy affect your blood pressure... )

Now... does anyone have access to the book in question?







[edit on 4-3-2008 by Vanitas]

Egyptians were masters of various schemes to prevent entry and looting of their sacred shrines and pyramids (though most of them failed over time). They were also masters of apocathary.

Besides hidden entrances and various dead falls there could have been a bio-toxin fail-safe backup plan.

What if they weaponized (for their time) a concoction of herbs and plants that caused hallucinations or illness? Datura, peyote, etc.

Anyone entering a room had to step on an entry plate, which would trigger a fine spray of toxic dust to infiltrate the room from a chamber above. This would not necessarily completely degrade over time. Some visitors may be more susceptible than others.

Though this is probably a far-fetched idea, it shows that there could have been a prosaic explanation for tales of a curse.

reply to post by Badge01



Indeed, the Egyptians were past masters of all that you mentioned.
(For example, among the many objects that the early explorers discovered - or should I say plundered? - in Egyptian tombs were sealed vessels which appeared to be empty once they were forcefully opened. It's too long a story, but there's good reason to believe they were in fact filled with some toxic "gas" that had an insidious effect on the health.)

But Napoleon Bonaparte was, by all accounts, an extraordinary man.
(I like how Mme de Stael - who was in love with him - characterised him with these words: "He is more than a man, and less than a man".)

If you've read about him, you'll have seen that he was not one to be easily scared or unduly impressed by any "mumbo jumbo".

Also, he had with him very good experts from various fields.
(Think Champollion - now there's a mind you don't find every day...)

Furthermore, he lived in an era that was not at all prone to paying attention to subjective feelings, let alone ghost-hunting, if you will.
Napoleon was the prototypical "child of the Enlightenment".
(Which is actually a very dull thing to be - not to mention all the horrors that said era caused... but I digress.)


Having said that, I am not (yet) convinced the story about his night in the Great Pyramid happened at all.
It might have - it's not like it would be so unbelievable or anything - but I am yet to see convincing evidence that it did happen.

Which is why I was very satisfied to have - finally! - found at least the source of the stories.

Now if anyone would like to assist me in establishing the credibility of the witness, I'd be much obliged...





[edit on 4-3-2008 by Vanitas]

Though this is probably a far-fetched idea, it shows that there could have been a prosaic explanation for tales of a curse.

I forgot to say... nothing is too "far-fetched", when the Egyptians are concerned.
So, for all I know, your theory could be correct.

Still reading, apologies if anyone has mentioned it yet, but Crowley also did this and was visibly shaken the next day (although he was a BIG hoaxer/showman, it seemed real because his wife was also spooked too and neither wanted back in).

Originally posted by Vanitas
OK, I seem to have finally traced the original (printed) report of the story, if nothing else.
Apparently, it was published in John Monkhouse's The Last Moments of Buonaparte! (= sic, with an exclamation mark), London, 1821.

I found the reference here.
(Read at your own risk if either Mr. Sarkozy or la nouvelle Mme Sarkozy affect your blood pressure...

)

Now... does anyone have access to the book in question?

I am resurrecting this story (again) in case any of the new members - or old ones on vacation... - have access to the book and are willing to share.