LettersfromRome

🏛 The Enduring Legacy of Political Hypocrisy During the turmoil of 52 BC, when the Roman Republic did not have a functioning government, Pompey was appointed sole consul in order to restore order. He appointed two consuls who passed a decree that no office holder could assume a command abroad until five years had elapsed from stepping down from that office. The reason according to Dio Cassius: “By not being in a position of power immediately after holding office, would cease their craze for office.” However, that did not stop Pompey from extending his command in Spain shortly after that decree was imposed. That we continue to be surprised by the antics of politicians today, is a wasted endeavour.

Check this out!

🏛️ I’ve been researching for a fictional project I’m writing (not a novel, not yet anyway), and have delved into the deeper concepts of the ancient Roman villa. The respectable Roman did not have just a villa - they had a suburban parkland. Known as a “horti.” It was a landscaped garden estate that had a villa as part of it, rather than the other way around. In addition to the standard atrium, tablinum (office), triclinium (dining room), cubicular (bedrooms), this rather grand concept (by our reckoning) included at least one peristyle, shaded walkways, outside dining areas, formal garden compartments, fountains, small shrines or temple, porticos and pergolas. The image here projects a rather modest horti - not the more palatial garden estate of Cicero, Caesar or Crassus’ standing in society. This would be appropriate for say Cicero’s daughter, Tullia, who married Furius Crassipes in 56/55 BC. And despite its modest presentation, it was also appropriate for a meeting to occur between Cicero and the richest man in Rome, Crassus, to resolve their long running feud: ‘And Crassus, as though to make all Rome witness of our reconciliation, set out for his province virtually from my doorstep. He offered to dine with me, and did so at my son-in-law Crassipes’ place in the suburbs.” As we can see, even a more modest garden estate can serve the needs of quarreling elites when needs be!

While the wretched political class continue on with their pathetic pettiness and enjoy their insular world of privilege and largesse at our expense, we plebs are in the real world dealing with the roller coaster of Life, and the losses and sadness it brings along the way. Shakespeare is enduring 🏛

😆 But ours is a spitz with hair to the moon! The breeder said it will take about 6 months.

💙A big thank you to all the beautiful people who sent our Rocky Bear well wishes last night. He is much better this morning. Life would be empty without them 💙🙏

Our youngest dog is very sick. If anyone here loves dogs and believes in prayers for them, too, I’d appreciate some coming our way🙏 Rocky Bear 💙

The Holy Grail 🏛️

✍️ A bit of a distraction, once more, from the woes of this tortured world.

🏛️ Like Cincinnatus, I have had to wait to plough the fields of my own mind to finally produce a piece of work I’ve struggled with due to a dry spell. ‘postremo arato’ - plough last. Publishing it tomorrow!