In Fiction
In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wang Lang died at the age of 76 in 228. Despite his age, he led a group of soldiers and set up camp to do battle with Zhuge Liang. According to the story, Cao Zhen was defeated by Zhuge Liang. Cao Zhen called for his subordinates to help, and Wang Lang decided to persuade him to surrender (even though Guo Huai was skeptical about it) and engaged Zhuge Liang in a battle of words, but was soundly defeated, with Zhuge Liang scolding him a dog and a traitor and other nasty words and from the shock of this, he soon died. There is no record of this in history, and instead, it is said that he merely sent a letter to Zhuge Liang recommending that he surrender. The letter, it is said, was ignored.
Read more about this topic: Wang Lang
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“If one doubts whether Grecian valor and patriotism are not a fiction of the poets, he may go to Athens and see still upon the walls of the temple of Minerva the circular marks made by the shields taken from the enemy in the Persian war, which were suspended there. We have not far to seek for living and unquestionable evidence. The very dust takes shape and confirms some story which we had read.”
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