In a famous skit, Wayne and Schuster had Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, saying "Julie, don't go! It's the Ides of March!" Now we can see why Julie went. He was old, and worried...
This is a bust of Julius Caesar in his "old age" (old age be damned. He looks younger than I am) that has recently been found in the sediment of the Rhône River next to the Roman city of Arles, which Caesar founded. It is thought to be from life, and is the oldest bust of J. C. known.
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Venit, Vidit, Morerit.
Ave Caesar senex.
Somehow the bust reminds me of this photo.
Ahcuah, are you comparing one bellicose ruler who invaded a country for political gain and wiped out a large percentage of the population with another bellicose ruler who invaded a country for political gain and caused the death of a lot of the population? I'm sorry, I think the analogy is weak. ;)
I used to LOVE Wayne & Schuster. (I grew up near Detroit, so I could watch them on Ed Sullivan AND CBC.) This post prompted me to find some old clips on YouTube.
You can just see the immortal line written on that face: "Infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me!"
He really has a dramatic face. I think it's the broken nose does it.
Appearances can be deceptive! This is not Gaius of the Julian Clan; it is of course Alf a much-loved Romano-Celtic cabaret artist who earned his living doing impersonations of Caesar in the Arles Arena in the breaks between the gladiators and the lions. He came to a sticky end one hot summer afternoon when the stagehands who, having heard his routine a couple of hundred times already, were bored and let out the lions in the middle of his act. The crowd loved it and saluted his demise with a standing ovation. The story was the sensation of an otherwise slow summer season and the souvenir sellers did a roaring trade in Alf busts with the tourist who took in the Arena on their trips to Arles.
To continue the Bush/Caesar analogy:
- What was the Bush Rubicon with respect to invading Iraq?
- At that point, did he actually realize it, as Gaius did?
- Did Gaius ever make the mistake of saying "Mission accomplished"?
I'm sure there's much more...
Now there's a hard, hard man...
Mary Beard doubts it's ol' big-nose: http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/2008/05/the-face-of-jul.html
So what's the connection? That they've both been "stoned"?!
Someone Gallic is playing political games. This fake bust is of George W Bush and not the Roman Emperor that invaded Gaul.
Funnily enough, one of the few things I can remember from Latin class is "Juli, noli ire!"
Wasn't he supposed to be bald? (I think his soldiers even sang about it) Are there any other angles of the sculpture (which, by the way, is beautiful) so that can be checked?
Maybe he instructed the sculptor to add a little something to his image. If so, he wouldn't be the last powerful Italian politician to do so.
I don't know. "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your nose!" doesn't quite work...
Pace Thinker (#8):
- What was the Bush Rubicon with respect to invading Iraq?
W.r.t. Iraq, the Atlantic might count. But since Caesar actually invaded the territories of Rome (attacking the city from the outside) when he crossed the Rubicon, it's gotta be a river between where W came from, and the center of power. Doesn't the Potomac sit right between Texas and Washington, DC?
- At that point, did he actually realize it, as Gaius did?
For Iraq? Nah ... For DC? You bet!
- Did Gaius ever make the mistake of saying "Mission accomplished"?
Probably, Gaius was more adept at changing his "mission" in a plausible way when things went haywire, and thus never compelled to think about "accomplishing" it. Though, for the conquest of Gaul, he did write a propaganda piece on the Gallic Wars, which could count.
I had no idea the fame of W&S (who were, of course, a fixture when I was growing up) reached all the way to Down Under.
Everything gets to us eventually. That's why I know W&S and Flanders and Swann, and Tom Lehrer and The Goodies...
Actually it's a wonder any Australian gets anything done, given the hosepipe of culture we get down here...
From your examples, it appears "eventually" means between 25 and 50 years?
Let us know when Stewart and Colbert reach the Antipodes, will you? Unfortunately, their humour is rather topical, and will be somewhat dated by 2040. On the bright side, when "American Idol" shows up, you'll be able to laugh immediately at all the winners who went on to be utter duds.
Actually I heard them all at the time they were popular. You do know I've been around since the 17th century?
You do know I've been around since the 17th century?
Loved your book on moon travel ;)
Thanks, although I was proudest of my work on universal languages, with my cryptography book a close second.
You do know I've been around since the 17th century?
Right, I'd forgotten.
I hear getting cut for The Stone was a real bitch back then.