Jumpin said:
Russian election being held on the Ides of March.
No implications from this story on Putin, but:
In 45 BC, the General of Rome, Gaius Julius Caesar, had all but ruled as a King. In late 45 and early 44BC had been strengthening himself, politically, adding together the titles of the Roman State. These were the last three straws. A conspiracy of about 60 people gathered for the assassination of Caesar. He likely understood there were traitors around, but in his hubris didn't take precautionary measures because he figured no one would dare raise a hand against him - knowing the consequences for such an action would be the destruction of their noble houses. But on the Ides of March, fearing Caesar would make himself officially King of the Romans - which he already was in practice - gathered to execute a plot orchestrated by Cassius and Brutus. They stabbed him 23 times on the senate floor, and he died. His heirs (Mark Antony and Octavian) would battle with Brutus and Cassius over the leadership of the Roman State - often this is re-written as republic vs empire, but the reality is the these were two imperial factions battling for dominance: Caesar's side won, and for hundreds of years he was worshipped as the primary god of the Imperial Cult - which includes the deified line of Caesars on their deaths.
As the philosopher Plato wrote, tyrants are the most unhappy leaders, because they are a slave to their power, and inflict cruelty upon the people, leading them to forever live in fear of their victims. And if there's one thing that was perpetually true of Caesar's heirs, they were forever in fear of their victims. Thirty seven heirs of Caesar were assassinated in total (not in a row), and that doesn't Nero - who committed suicide.
Putin may not have so much hubris that he laughs in the face of caution, but he also doesn't seem to have the true love of his people either. He has a multitude of victims, which he no doubt fears, and will die fearing. |
