et tu Brutus

[Coss]

Te Nation

 

Well know to be anti Thaksin, and I think a lovely bit of writing....

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OVERDRIVE

PM's end may be at hand, but who will be his Brutus?

 

History is condemned to repeat itself. In appearance, the lives of dictators are unique.

 

Yet no matter how unique the course of their lives - their rise to power, legacy and the end of their careers - dictators, in the long history of our world, have always been bound to repeat the same pattern of triumph and, ultimately, tragedy.

 

There is growing speculation in Thai politics nowadays that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will soon lose power. But he will not go down easily (or will he eventually prevail?). If Thaksin were to "die", he would have to suffer fatal wounds at the hands of one of his aides or persons he trusts most - like the tragic end Julius Caesar faced from the knife of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of his closest friends.

 

Thaksin can't be compared in terms of greatness to Caesar, but the circumstances surrounding his life, his rise to power and his ambitions are quite similar to those of Caesar and ancient Rome.

 

Toward the end of his life, Caesar's power was almost unchallenged. He was named Dictator Perpetuus, or dictator for life, making him the undisputed leader of Rome. Everybody could recall his exceptional bravery and the military supremacy he showed on countless battlefields. Well, rural Thais love the CEO for life. He is so successful at making money that they think they can become rich like him.

 

Caesar launched the Gallic Wars (58BC to 49BC), during which he conquered all of Gaul (France, most of Switzerland and Belgium, expanding from Western Europe from the Atlantic to the Rhine and parts of Germania). The Gallic Wars resulted in 800 cities being sacked, 300 tribes being subdued, one million men being captured and sold into slavery and another three million dead. His conquest of Gaul constituted the greatest military campaign since those of Alexander the Great.

 

The CEO was so successful with his telecom empire and with political mergers and acquisitions that he emerged as the richest person and most powerful politician in the land.

 

In a civil war Caesar triumphed over his enemy Pompey. He pursued Pompey to Alexandria. Pompey was killed by one of Ptolemy's officials. Caesar later got in the middle of a dispute between Ptolemy and his sister, Cleopatra. Ptolemy was eliminated and Cleopatra became Caesar's wife. Later on he campaigned in the Middle East and overthrew King Pharnaces II of Pontus in the battle of Zela.

 

There Caesar's victory was immortalised by his words, "Veni, vidi, vici" - "I came, I saw, I conquered".

 

The CEO must have had the same feeling after his family sold Shin Corp for Bt73.3 billion to Temasek of Singapore; I built my business, I cut a deal, I cashed out.

 

As the supreme ruler of Rome, Caesar's power was undisputed. But the honours heaped upon him created a rift with the aristocrats. He was the first Roman leader to have a coin made that bore his own image while he was still alive. Some Romans were calling him Rex or king, though Caesar refused to accept the title. He proclaimed: "Rem Publicam sum! (I am the Republic!)"

 

Did you not hear someone say recently "I shall protect democracy with my life", or "a person with reserved power beyond the Constitution is trying to overthrow my government"?

 

With his great military victory that expanded the territories of Rome through most of Europe and North Africa, Caesar was honoured with the right to wear triumphal clothing, including a purple robe reminiscent of the kings of Rome, as well as a laurel crown on public occasions. Ivory statues in his likeness were carried around in religious processions. A large residence was also built for him on state property. Another statue of his likeness was placed in the temple of Quirinus with the inscription: "To the Invincible God".

 

The senators and aristocrats began to plot his assassination after Caesar showered contempt upon them. Brutus began to conspire against Caesar. His friend and brother-in-law Cassius and other men, calling themselves the Liberators, also took part in the conspiracy.

 

Did you read the article in Matichon earlier this week that reported that a group of Thai Rak Thai liberators got together on Sunday at Paesano Restaurant in downtown Bangkok to plot to overthrow the CEO?

 

On March 15, 44 BC, a group of senators called Caesar to the forum for the purpose of reading a petition written by them asking him to hand power back to the senate. It was a ploy to assassinate Caesar.

 

Mark Antony, an ally of Caesar, learned of the plot. He went quickly to warn him about the danger. But Caesar was intercepted on his way as he was passing the Theatre of Pompey. He was directed to a room adjourning the east portico.

 

As Caesar began to read the false petition, Casca thrust his knife at the dictator's neck. Caesar cried in Latin "Villain Casca, what do you do?" Casca, frightened, called to his fellow senators in Greek: "Help, brothers!"

 

Within moments, the entire group, including Brutus, were striking out at the great dictator.

 

In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Caesar's last words were "Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar!"

 

Caesar attempted to get away. But the wounds were so deep that he fell defensively on the steps of the portico. About 60 men or more participated in the assassination of Caesar.

 

You might wonder who would be Brutus in this last act of the CEO. But never mind as there could be about 60 men or more taking part in striking him down.

 

Thanong Khanthong

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Cheers

 

Coss

[Flashermac]

<< Thaksin can't be compared in terms of greatness to Caesar, but the circumstances surrounding his life, his rise to power and his ambitions are quite similar to those of Caesar and ancient Rome. >>

 

 

Strangely enough, the similarities between Caesar's and Thaksin's lives somehow seem to escape me.

 

 

[Guest]

Indeed....talk about embellishing a situation....my god, the hyperbole!!

 

Thaksin.....Ceasar.......stretching the reality envelope to breaking point.....

 

I would've said a better comparison would be to Pres. Marcos of the Phillipines.....hmmmmmmm