Beware of the Idea of March. As weather warms up with the arrival of spring, the month began with a turbulent world heating up as Russia's war against Ukraine as well as war in the Middle East turmoil continues unabated. It is further accentuated by an uncertain economic future. Historically nothing new about a tumultuous March as it brings back memories from a major historical event tied to this month eons ago, when Julius Caesar, the scion of the great Roman Empire was murdered inside the Senate by his own insidious colleagues, many he believed were his friends.
Julius Caesar was a fascinating character in history, a great general and politician, a handsome, muscular, flat stomach man with a magnetic persona, the Knight-in-Shining armor darling of the Roman women, presiding over 50 million people of the Great Roman empire at its zenith of power, extending from Britain to Syria, from Bavarian Alps to North Africa. 50 million was a gargantuan population 2,000 years ago.
With success comes jealousy, rivalry, backstabbers and enemies. This has been since time immemorial. Caesar was a victim of his own success. In the quest for power, a person's near and dear ones (as usual) can be your worst enemies. We have this Odia adage - "ANTI CHHURI TANTI KATE" (the waist knife can cut your throat, or your so called near and dear ones are the first ones to backstab you).
It was vindicated two millenniums ago that politics invariably and eventually trumps over military. Most who planned Caesar's assassination were his close friends, especially his closest buddy Brutus of "Et To Brutus" fame. Those were Julius Caesar's last words as Brutus pulled the dagger on him.
Historians differ on how close Brutus was to Caesar. Some say they were extremely close. Others say it wasn't so, as Brutus once unsuccessfully rebelled against Julius and was pardoned by the later for he was the son of Caesar's mistress. He always had a grudge against Julius to settle, for he harbored the humiliation of often taunted for his mother being Caesar's mistress. It is said Brutus mother simply couldn't resist and succumbed to Julius's charm. Anger and jealousy can be a lethal concoction. Brutus was waiting for the opportune moment to push the dagger on Julius's to backstab him.
The role of another Mistress of Caesar, the powerful Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in this imbroglio can't be ignored. Cleopatra, from Royal Egyptian bloodline with a legendary blend of beauty and brain, a talented woman who spoke multiple languages and dabled in politics and medicines with equal aplomb. Cleopatra who was rumored to take bath in pure milk, accentuated Caesar's ambition to be the ruler of the Roman empire by suggesting the subjugation of Senate - the people's elected body. She too fell for Julius Caesar's irresistible charm.
Historians differ on how close Brutus was to Caesar. Some say they were extremely close. Others say it wasn't so, as Brutus once unsuccessfully rebelled against Julius and was pardoned by the later for he was the son of Caesar's mistress. He always had a grudge against Julius to settle, for he harbored the humiliation of often taunted for his mother being Caesar's mistress. It is said Brutus mother simply couldn't resist and succumbed to Julius's charm. Anger and jealousy can be a lethal concoction. Brutus was waiting for the opportune moment to push the dagger on Julius's to backstab him.
The role of another Mistress of Caesar, the powerful Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in this imbroglio can't be ignored. Cleopatra, from Royal Egyptian bloodline with a legendary blend of beauty and brain, a talented woman who spoke multiple languages and dabled in politics and medicines with equal aplomb. Cleopatra who was rumored to take bath in pure milk, accentuated Caesar's ambition to be the ruler of the Roman empire by suggesting the subjugation of Senate - the people's elected body. She too fell for Julius Caesar's irresistible charm.
Power can be an addictive aphrodisiac. Thousands years down the road we have seen democratically elected leaders soon developing dictatorial tendencies - Indira Gandhi, Trump and Modi included.
Cleopatra, who was the daughter of a politician from Egypt's powerful establishment and quite familiar with the palace intrigues saw this coming. It is said that based on a dream she had the night before her husband's Brutal assassination, she warned Julius Caesar to be on guard. But drunk with sheer public adulation, fame and accompanied over confidence he chose to ignore her, least expecting an assault to come from his close friends on his familiar Senate floor.
Power often prevents the powerful from being aware of the vacuum surrounding them, keeping them myopic not to be able to see the approaching storm, leaving them off guard and vulnerable. China's all powerful President Xi Jinping who has consolidated power in China, the second largest powerful country in world couldn't see Corona virus coming. Trump ignored it only to pay a price of being an one term President. In India, Indira Gandhi, the iron lady Prime Minister with dictatorial tendencies was assassinated at the peak of her power when she was a pan Indian cult figure.
From Shakespeare's novel it looks as if the attack on Caesar was impromptu on that fateful Spring day inside the Roman Senate. But the sinister plot to kill him was hatched long before which was later implemented to perfection. Gladiators were kept ready as back up, in case the best laid plan went wrong. Caesar was assassinated on the Senate floor as planned.
Plenty of water has flown in the river Tibur (the bank on which the city Rome was established ) since that fateful day in the month of March. Guns, bombs, missiles have replaced dagger as the killing machine. Humans can fly into space and their thought can travel at twinkle of their eyes, with the world shrunk to a global village.
Yet for quest of absolute power politics, backroom deals, back stabbing, jealousy, assassinations, leaders with dictatorial tendencies vying to consolidate power hasn't changed over the last 2000 years. The basic human nature still remains the same, hasn't changed at all. March has just started, we are not done with it yet. Beware of the Ides of March.
Cleopatra, who was the daughter of a politician from Egypt's powerful establishment and quite familiar with the palace intrigues saw this coming. It is said that based on a dream she had the night before her husband's Brutal assassination, she warned Julius Caesar to be on guard. But drunk with sheer public adulation, fame and accompanied over confidence he chose to ignore her, least expecting an assault to come from his close friends on his familiar Senate floor.
Power often prevents the powerful from being aware of the vacuum surrounding them, keeping them myopic not to be able to see the approaching storm, leaving them off guard and vulnerable. China's all powerful President Xi Jinping who has consolidated power in China, the second largest powerful country in world couldn't see Corona virus coming. Trump ignored it only to pay a price of being an one term President. In India, Indira Gandhi, the iron lady Prime Minister with dictatorial tendencies was assassinated at the peak of her power when she was a pan Indian cult figure.
From Shakespeare's novel it looks as if the attack on Caesar was impromptu on that fateful Spring day inside the Roman Senate. But the sinister plot to kill him was hatched long before which was later implemented to perfection. Gladiators were kept ready as back up, in case the best laid plan went wrong. Caesar was assassinated on the Senate floor as planned.
Plenty of water has flown in the river Tibur (the bank on which the city Rome was established ) since that fateful day in the month of March. Guns, bombs, missiles have replaced dagger as the killing machine. Humans can fly into space and their thought can travel at twinkle of their eyes, with the world shrunk to a global village.
Yet for quest of absolute power politics, backroom deals, back stabbing, jealousy, assassinations, leaders with dictatorial tendencies vying to consolidate power hasn't changed over the last 2000 years. The basic human nature still remains the same, hasn't changed at all. March has just started, we are not done with it yet. Beware of the Ides of March.
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