UPDATE:  SOLVED by George at 1:15 CDT

We’re deep into personalities today, I’m telling you.  I have a riddle for you about a person, and I KNOW you’ve heard of this one!

If you haven’t solved a riddle yet this cycle, you better hop on it ’cause Tom and I are getting ready to run another bonus riddle.  We already have a cool prize ready to send to your house, so get your name on the list if it isn’t there already.  You know who you are…

Okay, let’s riddle:

This cool image by Andrew Dunn, 110504. http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com - copyright, all rights reserved

Today’s answer was a living person in the real world.

He (yes, it’s a “he”) and Harry Potter have something interesting in common.

As he was frustrated with contemporary writers predicting the End Of The World As We Know It (sound familiar?), he did a study of the Bible and concluded that the world could end no sooner than 2060 AD.  This was a published work.

Image by David Bleasdale

Do you believe in Biblical prophesy?  This person did.  In fact, he considered himself to be specially chosen by God to interpret scripture.

He spent a lot of time working on something which would have resulted in his public execution, by hanging, had it been known.

He enjoyed a very high social status during his lifetime.

Another excellent image by Andrew Dunn, http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com, copyright

This fellow is claimed to be a member in good standing of a well-known ludibrium.  Yes, you’ve heard of it.

The most popular, well-known anecdote about this person – the thing everybody “knows” about him -  is more than likely not true.

He is considered by many to be one of the most influential persons who ever lived.  History holds him in very high esteem.

A famous work by Canaletto, 1749. You recognize it, don't you?

I think that wraps it up.  Now, all you people who have been keeping quiet because “you never get these things” need to jump right in and play.  Who cares if you get the answer wrong?  Nobody is going to ridicule you.  Besides, you’ll probably get the answer right!  All you riddle champions who just like to solve the riddle, but you’re already on the list, can email your guess to me.  I’ll post in the comments if you solve it (like Rob and Roger do a lot).

No spiders today, just a snicker for you.