Engraving by british artist & engraver; William Hogarth 1697?1764: Columbus Breaking the Egg. 1752. An old fable; applied here to Columbus. As related by Girolamo Benzoni; after admiration for Columbus?s discoveries waned and success turned to envy; his enemies began to assert that anyone could of thought of his plan and carried it out. Columbus challenged his detractors to balance an egg upright on the table. All failed; so Columbus; smashing the base of the egg; thus managed to place it upright.