Zitate von Christoph Kolumbus

„Die Welt ist rund.“

—  Christoph Kolumbus

„Kein Ergebnis menschlichen Fortschritts wird durch ungeteilte Zustimmung erzielt, und jene die aufgeklärter sind als alle anderen, sind auch dazu verurteilt, diesem Licht zu folgen, allen Widerständen zum Trotz.“

—  Christoph Kolumbus

Bei diesen Worten handelt es sich um eine literarische Erfindung aus Ridley Scotts Spielfilm "1492 – Die Eroberung des Paradieses", wo sie der junge Fernando als die schriftliche Äußerung seines Vaters Christoph Columbus zitiert, an die er sich am besten erinnere. Deutsch in: Hans Krah / Klaus-Michael Ort. Weltentwürfe in Literatur und Medien. Kiel 2002. Seite 318
"Nothing that results from human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. And those who are enlightened before the others are condemned to persue that light in spite of others." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103594/
Zugeschrieben

„I should be judged as a captain who went from Spain to the Indies to conquer a people numerous and warlike, whose manners and religion are very different from ours, who live in sierras and mountains, without fixed settlements, and where by divine will I have placed under the sovereignty of the King and Queen our Lords, an Other World, whereby Spain, which was reckoned poor, is become the richest of countries.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Letter to Doña Juana de Torres (October 2015)

„I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certain evidence that any one has gone.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

3 August 1492 diary entry http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html
Journal of the First Voyage

„I promise this, that if I am supported by our most invincible sovereigns with a little of their help, as much gold can be supplied as they will need, indeed as much of spices, of cotton, of mastic gum (which is only found in Chios), also as much of aloes wood, and as many slaves for the navy, as their Majesties will wish to demand.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

"Concerning the Islands Recently Discovered in the Indian Sea" (14 March 1493)

„When there are such lands there should be profitable things without number.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

27 November 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Misattributed

„The Admiral ordered the lord to be given some things, and he and all his folk rested in great contentment, believing truly that they had come from the sky, and to see the Christians they held themselves very fortunate.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

22 December 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„I certify to Your Highnesses that in the world I believe that there are no better people nor better land. They love their neighbors as themselves, and have a speech that is sweetest in the world, and mild and always laughing.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

25 December 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„The world is round.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

„Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth and justice! I did not come on this voyage for gain, honor or wealth, that is certain; for then the hope of all such things was dead. I came to Your Highnesses with honest purpose and sincere zeal; and I do not lie. I humbly beseech You Highnesses that, if it please God to remove me hence, you will help me to go to Rome and on other pilgrimages.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Letter to the Sovereigns (1503)

„I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written on this subject demonstrate and prove, as do the eclipses of the moon and other experiments that are made from east to west, and the elevation of the North Star from north to south.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Letter to the Sovereigns (1498)

„Saw pardelas and a green rush near the vessel. The crew of the Pinta saw a cane and a log; they also picked up a stick which appeared to have been carved with an iron tool, a piece of cane, a plant which grows on land, and a board. The crew of the Nina saw other signs of land, and a stalk loaded with rose berries. These signs encouraged them, and they all grew cheerful.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

11 October 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„As I saw that they were very friendly to us, and perceived that they could be much more easily converted to our holy faith by gentle means than by force, I presented them with some red caps, and strings of beads to wear upon the neck, and many other trifles of small value, wherewith they were much delighted, and became wonderfully attached to us. Afterwards they came swimming to the boats, bringing parrots, balls of cotton thread, javelins, and many other things which they exchanged for articles we gave them, such as glass beads, and hawk's bells; which trade was carried on with the utmost good will. But they seemed on the whole to me, to be a very poor people. They all go completely naked, even the women, though I saw but one girl. All whom I saw were young, not above thirty years of age, well made, with fine shapes and faces; their hair short, and coarse like that of a horse's tail, combed toward the forehead, except a small portion which they suffer to hang down behind, and never cut. Some paint themselves with black, which makes them appear like those of the Canaries, neither black nor white; others with white, others with red, and others with such colors as they can find. Some paint the face, and some the whole body; others only the eyes, and others the nose. Weapons they have none, nor are acquainted with them, for I showed them swords which they grasped by the blades, and cut themselves through ignorance. They have no iron, their javelins being without it, and nothing more than sticks, though some have fish-bones or other things at the ends. They are all of a good size and stature, and handsomely formed. I saw some with scars of wounds upon their bodies, and demanded by signs the of them; they answered me in the same way, that there came people from the other islands in the neighborhood who endeavored to make prisoners of them, and they defended themselves. I thought then, and still believe, that these were from the continent. It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it please our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language. I saw no beasts in the island, nor any sort of animals except parrots.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

12 October 1492; This entire passage is directly quoted from Columbus in the summary by Bartolomé de Las Casas
Journal of the First Voyage

„I wished to give a complete relation to your Highnesses, and also where a fort might be built…. However, I do not see it to be necessary, because these people are simple in weapons…. With fifty men I could subjugate them all and make them do everything that is required of them.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

14 October 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„Your Highnesses have an Other World here, by which our holy faith can be so greatly advanced and from which such great wealth can be drawn.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Letter to the Sovereigns (1498)

„The two Christians met on the way many people who were going to their towns, women and men, with a firebrand in the hand, herbs to drink the smoke thereof, as they are accustomed.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

On smoking, 6 November 1492
Journal of the First Voyage

„I have come to believe that this is a mighty continent which was hitherto unknown. I am greatly supported in this view by reason of this great river, and by this sea which is fresh.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

Journal of the Third Voyage (1498)

„Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many signal miracles that He has shown on the voyage, and for me, who for so great a time was in the court of Your Highnesses with the opposition and against the opinion of so many high personages of your household, who were all against me, alleging this undertaking to be folly, which I hope in Our Lord will be to the greater glory of Christianity, which to some slight extent already has happened.“

—  Cristoforo Colombo

15 March 1493
Journal of the First Voyage