Eclipse closures and an ancient battle stopper
Most government offices in Burnet and Llano counties will be closed for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. The event is expected to result in heavy traffic and other issues in what emergency management officials have referred to as a holiday “on steroids.”
Most city and county offices will lock up on Monday with the exception of those in Llano, Sunrise Beach Village, and Meadowlakes. Office hours are contingent on the ability of staff to make it to work.
Many small businesses could have altered hours or be closed on Monday. Big-box stores like H-E-B and Walmart will remain open but could see major foot traffic and long lines.
Banks may or may not be open, but state offices and the U.S. Postal Service will operate as normal.
The Marble Falls and Llano school districts won’t have classes on Monday. The Burnet school district will be closed on both Monday and Tuesday.
BATTLE OF THE ECLIPSE
The April 8 total solar eclipse won’t be the first to cause a stir. According to legendary Greek historian Herodotus, a perfectly timed eclipse brought an end to the Six-Year War between the Medes and the Lydians in 585 BC.
In Herodotus’ classic “History,” he details the “day turning into night” during a battle near the Halys River in what is now modern-day Turkey. Historians believe he was referring to a total solar eclipse that would have passed over that region at the time.
Herodotus also mentions that a famous philosopher, Thales of Miletus, predicted the “day turning into night,” which further bolsters the theory it was a total solar eclipse, as they can be accurately calculated based upon the positioning of the moon, Earth, and sun.
The eclipse interrupted the battle, bringing it to a draw, and the Medes and the Lydians were said to have taken this as a sign to make peace, which they did.