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So, yeah, finished that book on Ceasar, and now he's an idol. Don't get me wrong, he's a general who has the death of many on his hands. But Parenti's book (two lynx)showed him in context. Basically, the idea is this:The (more or less primary source material) books written on Rome that have survived to this day (Cicero, Plutarch, etc...)were written generally by people of one class= the rich. They were the educated ones who had the schooling. The ideas of the rich, then, were the only ones to survive to this day, and their class bias stop us from seeing what really happened. What we get is the rich's version of history, and nothing else. For those of you who are not materialist based, imagine the only versions of Bushs White House that survive into the 22d Century are books written by Rumsfeld, Chaney, Rice, Clinton, Coulter, that drug addict on radio, etc etc etc.... Get it now??
So the version of Caesar that has been handed down to us is the version of a certain class that would have lost their total power in "republican" Rome- the Chaney's of the day. Ick. These people opposed the reforms that would have given great succor to the poor were opposed to any reform. Again, health care for everyone, or even children?? Off with their heads!!! A fair tax system?? Oh my God, these people are against America. Opposed the War?? You hate America, don't you ?!?
However, we get the Caesar (from the upper class) who was only out for himself- ' he only wanted to be King ' Parenti lists off a number of Caesar-like reformers in the Roman senate before Caesar, and all of them were killed fouly by the Senators. They wanted to protect their riches from anyone percieved as a leveller (even thogh Caesar really wasn't a true Leveller). So, despite the fact that when he was the major dude of the day-- he was CAESAR-- they killed him as well.
But they really didn't get away with it. The people of Rome knew that Caesar was trying to help them. Caesars armies and frenz struck back. Eventually, the Senate lost The Power to dictators who took over after the civil war started by Caesars assination. From then on, the rich were under dictators like Agustus and Nero until the end of the empire. These guys were more like Hitler--supreme power-- and the Senate faded in importance.
Good riddence Cicero and Cato.
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I will do so, Laelius, to the best of my ability. I have, indeed, often been a listener to complaints of men of my own age, — for, as the old proverb says, “Like best mates with like,”1 — such complaints, for instance, as those which Caius Salinator and Spurius Albinus, men of consular dignity, nearly my coevals, used to make, because they were deprived of the sensual gratifications without which life appeared to them a blank, and because they were neglected by those by whom they were wont to be held in reverence. They seemed to me to lay the blame where it did not belong. For if old age had been at fault, I and all other persons of advanced years would have the same experience; while I have known many old men who have made no complaint, who did not regret their release from the slavery of sensual appetite, and were not despised by their fellow-citizens. But all complaints of this kind are chargeable to character, not to age. Old men who are moderate in their desires, and are neither testy nor morose, find old age endurable; but rudeness and incivility are offensive at any age.
Agreeable rather than hateful; for as wise old men are charmed with well-disposed youth, so do young men delight in the counsels of the old, by which they are led to the cultivation of the virtues. I do not feel that I am less agreeable to you than you are to me. — To return to our subject, you see that old age is not listless and inert, but is even laborious, with work and plans of work always in hand, generally, indeed, with employments corresponding to the pursuits of earlier life. But what shall we say of those who even make new acquisitions? Thus we see Solon, in one of his poems, boasting that, as he grows old, he widens the range of his knowledge every day. I have done the like, having learned Greek in my old age, and have taken hold of the study so eagerly — as if to quench a long thirst — that I have already become familiar with the topics from Greek authors which I have been using, as I have talked with you, by way of illustration. When I read that Socrates in his old age learned to play on the lyre, I could have wished to do the same, had the old custom been still rife; but I certainly have worked hard on my Greek.
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was amitious; and sure, he is an honorable man.
Julius Caesar -- Act 3, Scene 2
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