On Feb 3, 3:56 pm, Christopher Ingham <
christophering...@comcast.net>
Christopher,
I do not disagree with you. However after reading about the Oath of
Brutus, I have a much better grasp of the mentality of the ancient
Romans, about the leaders of the American Revolution, and about the
Italian patriots of the 19th century.
I could never understand why Giuseppe Mazzini--the Apostle of Italian
Unity who formulated the plan for "one, free, independent, republican"
Italy--refused to take the oath to the king after unification; and
thus he was not able to take his seat in Parliament to which he was
elected. Mazzini also made the accurate prediction that the double-
dealing Savoy dynasty would ruin Italy. Now, Mazzini's intransigence
makes perfect sense.
I do not recall any of my history books or teachers having ever
mentioned the Oath of Brutus. If this had been emphasized properly
when we studied early Rome, I would have had a much better insight and
appreciation of history.
The only vague reference to Lucius Junius Brutus had been made by my
high school English teacher concerning the following lines from
Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" (Cassius to Marcus Brutus, Act 1,
Scene 2).
O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brookt
Th'eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.
The teacher explained that one of the main charges against Caesar was
that he was attempting to make himself a king, and Cassius enticed
Marcus Brutus to join the conspiracy by referring to his ancestor.
On 23 Dec 2001, another amazing reference to Lucius Junius Brutus
appeared in Northeast Magazine, which was an insert in The Hartford
Courant ["The Root (or Route) of Treason," by Kyrie O'Connor, Page
2].
"Of course, as is often noted, one man's traitor is another man's
freedom fighter. Patrick Henry's historical references will sail over
the heads of many college grads these days. But they must have stirred
the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765 when he proclaimed: 'Tarquin
and Caesar each had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and
George the Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, make
the most of it.'"
In my opinion, the Oath of Brutus, whether factual or legendary, was a
seminal event in political history and should be given the prominence
that it deserves.
Lucius Junius Brutus is a leading character in Shakespeare's "Rape of
Lucrece" and in Nathaniel Lee's play (1681), "Lucius Junius Brutus;
Father of his Country."