Electricity, as exhibited in light, has been the great marvel of all times. The word electricity itself comes from the thunderbolt of the ancient God Zeus, which is known to be synonymous with the thunderbolt and the lightning.
Magnetism, which we know to be only another form of electricity, was not regarded the same as electricity by the ancients. Iron which had the property to attract, was first found near the town of Magnesia, in Lydia, and for that reason was called magnetism.
Later on, a glimmer of the truth seemed to dawn on the early scientists, when they saw the resemblance between the actions of the amber and the loadstone, as both attracted particles. And here another curious thing resulted. Amber will attract particles other than metals. The magnet did not; and from this imperfect observation and understanding, grew a belief that electricity, or magnetism would attract all substances, even human flesh, and many devices were made from magnets, and used as cures for the gout, and to affect the brain, or to remove pain.
Even as early as 2,500 years before the birth of Christ the Chinese knew of the properties of the magnet, and also discovered that a bar of the[p. 172] permanent magnet would arrange itself north and south, like the mariners' compass. There is no evidence, however, that it was used as a mariner's compass until centuries afterwards.
But the matter connected with light, as an electrical development, which interests us, is its manifestations to the ancients in the form of lightning. The electricity of the earth concentrates itself on the tops of mountains, or in sharp peaks, and accounts for the magnificent electrical displays always found in mountainous regions.
Some years ago, a noted scientist, Dr. Siemens, while standing on the top of the great pyramid of Cheops, in Egypt, during a storm, noted that an electrical discharge flowed from his hand when extended toward the heavens. The current manifested itself in such a manner that the hissing noise was plainly perceptible.
The literature of all ages and of all countries shows that this manifestation of electrical discharges was noted, and became the subject of discussions among learned men.
All these displays were regarded as the bolts of an angry God, and historians give many accounts of instances where, in His anger, He sent down the lightning to destroy.
Among the Romans Jupiter thus hurled forth his wrath; and among many ancient people, even[p. 173] down to the time of Charlemagne, any space struck by lightning was considered sacred, and made consecrated ground.
From this grew the belief that it was sacrilegious to attempt to imitate the lightning of the sky—that Deity would visit dire punishment on any man who attempted to produce an electric light. Virgil relates accounts where certain princes attempted to imitate the lightning, and were struck by thunderbolts as punishments.