The Next Emperior
The Republican Party is convening in Cincinnati to promote Donald Trump as it’s adoptive son. The stage craft, the hype is palpable. The rest of us are expected to endorse Trump with a collective huzzah on November 11th.
I was reminded of a striking statue at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The statue was of young Nero, the adopted son of Claudius, heir to his throne. Claudius had numerous statues commissioned and distributed throughout the empire. The statuary are PR pieces to convince the populace to accept Claudius designated successor Nero, over his biological son. Nero was 13 at the time in 50 AD.
As a head of state Nero was viewed as compulsive and corrupt. His stewardship of the empire was characterized by tyranny and extravagance. He executed his mother, Agrippina and many others.
In AD 64 the great fire of Rome destroyed most of the city. Many Romans believed that Nero started the fire himself in order to clear land for his planned palatial complex, the Domus Aurea.
As an act of resistance to ending on such a dark note I offer an oasis of hope, a tune by Neil Young, After The Gold Rush
