On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 09:27:10 +0100 "Richard Harris" <rhh1 at clara.co.uk>
writes:
> > Caligula's appointing his horse is a historical cliche, often
> > trotted
> > out on the occasion of certain kinds of appts -- like Bush and
> > Miers.
>
> But also historically inaccurate. As Cassius Dio says in book 69:
> "he would
> have carried out".
>
> There is never an ancient claim that Caligula named his hourse a
> consul or a
> senator.
>
> "One of the horses, which he named Incitatus, he used to invite to
> dinner,
> where he would offer him golden barley and drink his health in wine
> from
> golden goblets; he swore by the animal's life and fortune and even
> promised
> to appoint him consul, a promise that he would certainly have
> carried out if
> he had lived longer."
>
> Suetonius adds:
> "To prevent Incitatus, his favourite horse, from growing restive he
> always
> picketed the neighbour-hood with troops on the day before the races,
>
> ordering them to enforce absolute silence. Incitatus owned a marble
> stable,
> an ivory stall, and a jewelled collar; also a house, furniture, and
> slaves -
> to provide suitable entertainment for guests whom Caligula invited
> in its
> name. It is said that he even planned to award Incitatus a
> consulship."
Many contemporary scholars are skeptical as to even whether Caligula was actually mad or not. Most of the accounts of his alleged insanity come from people like Suetonius who were so overtly hostile to him as to render their accounts suspect. If he really did intend to nominate Incitatus for consul, that could have just been an indicator of Caligula's contempt for the office, which had been the top office under the Republic but which under the emperors was just an honorary position. Then again perhaps Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supremes is an indication of contempt for that office on his part.
>
> A good trap for the rip-off merchants to fall into!
>
> Richard.
>
>
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