 "Illustration by Binay Sinha")
Victorious Caesars returning to Italy from a battle against the French or Germans were gifted a Triumph. This consisted of a parade in which the Roman mob cheered the conqueror, who stood wearing a laurel wreath in a slow moving chariot. A servant stood behind the Caesar and periodically leaned forward to whisper “sic transit gloria mundi” (glory of the world fades) and “memento mori” (remember, you are mortal).
This was thought to be required lest success go to the head and produce a belief in personal infallibility. One wishes our Caesar also had such people around him as he continues
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