The Ides of March

“For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honour of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.”

I always think of the original triumphs when the Consul or General returned from the wars to Rome as a Triumphator and all the good stuff kicked off - the great parade into Rome, the procession of your captives who were then strangled in front of you, you getting 50% of the loot from the campaign and the big party afterwards. At this moment of greatest triumph the Senate (who had granted it) paid a person to walk beside the Triumphator and keep whispering in his ear the same phrase "You are mortal and you will die!"

Maybe this tradition should be revived for every hubristic Banker and Hedge Fund Wallahs announcing increased profits? I could even do that job and believe in it!

That is my big thought for today, The Ides of March, when as Julius Caesar never said “A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum.”