A TALE OF TWO CENTURIONS

A TALE OF TWO CENTURIONS

IMMORTALIZED IN SOUND BITES AND FIGHTING WORDS

“History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it

illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in

daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity” Cicero, Roman politician

“No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but a

biography of great men.” Thomas Carlyle, British writer

With quotes from Cicero and Carlyle, the curtain unfolds a panorama of interesting and climactic episodes in the history of war, conquest, occupation, brutalities and sufferings. You will be entertained with the historical accounts of the men of Rome responsible in preserving and disseminating the spread of western thought, science, arts, philosophy, architecture, law and government.

Here is your TOUR GUIDE,

There was a village nearby Alba Longa of present-day Italy that was once a rural farmland but strategically located on the seven hills. Its early history is interwoven by myth and legend. As we go back in the closing chapter of Homer’s the ILIAD, the Trojans with their leader Aeneas and his father fleeing Troy that was burned down earlier by the victorious Greeks. Then their trek finally brought them to Latium after long days and nights of seemingly endless travel.

In writing the AENEID, Virgil picked up where Homer left off to chronicle the plight of fleeing Trojans, who now assumed a new identity as Romans and their rendezvous with destiny as masters of the world.

The story of Aeneas, the She-Wolf and Rumulus are now part of the legend and folklore to give semblance of legitimacy that the legendary founders of Imperial Rome were real people whose ancestors, created the Eternal City known for military superiority to govern an empire stretching as far as Damascus and the British Isles and whose subjects owed their loyalty, allegiance and obedience to ONE emperor, ONE language, ONE currency, ONE law, and ONE government.

Conferment of the prestigious Roman citizenship to conquered subjects and vassal states was something to aspire. “Veritas” and “patria” became interchangeable words to the citizens where personal accomplishment and fame are motivated for the greater glory of Rome!

For 200 years of domination, the ETERNAL CITY can be reached thru VIA APPIA as Rome was then the epicenter where the saying “ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME” was not an idle expression but a direction and assurance from getting lost, robbed or hijacked.

Today, we see highway sign in metal plate markers that read EISENHOWER INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM that dotted the major expressways, turnpikes in the United States. And when you are driving in the direction going to the US capital, Washington DC, think of VIA APPIA where history witnessed the Roman Legions, their booty and wheat supply when it was the main road en route to Rome.

ROMA when spelled backward is AMOR! Edgar Allan Poe could not be wrong with his poetic expression “the beauty that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome!”

Among the noble Romans enshrined in the pantheon of greatness is Julius Caesar, an astute politician who never ran out of cash to entertain the Romans in the Coliseum. He owned at least twenty gladiators who before the start of the fight will shout in unison, “HAIL CAESAR! WE ARE HERE READY TO DIE TO ENTERTAIN YOU!

Elected pro-consul for several terms, he was a genius both in the use of the quill and sword. He wrote the history of the Gallic campaigns based on his accounts and Civil War where he waged against Pompey to show to the world who was the master of Rome.

If there is one fault in Caesar’s career, is his failure to describe in his “Commentaries” how his brave, loyal and well disciplined Legionnaires trained primarily for battles were also engineers, architects, designers, masons and carpenters skilled in the construction of roads, aqueducts, bridges, baths, temples and amphitheaters many of which are still visibly around as relics of antiquity.

Julius Caesar a Roman patrician who loved the poor, was responsible for Rome’s territorial expansion that brought wealth, bounty, grain supplies, colonies and slaves to Rome.

Among conquerors we learned from ancient history Julius Caesar ranked the first to use sound bites such as his “VENI VIDI VICI”. Without Shakespeare, the literate world will be deprived of catch phrase like “Etu Brutus”. The inclusion of the words “brute, brutal or brutality” in the dictionary enriched the dictionary. The same treatment goes to “THE DIE IS CAST” attributed to Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon disobeying the order of the Senate to leave his legions behind when returning to Rome. It gained as a popular expression of raw courage, determination and defiance.

Those who watched “The True Story of Alexander the Great” will notice the young Macedonian general was more pre-occupied with his conquest that he has no time to visit his Macedonian capital once in a while to model in front of artists, painters and sculptors. No wonder he has only one known statue left for mankind to remember the curly hair and his boyish look. Unlike Caesar’s easy access via The APPIAN WAY his statues are found in most temples and amphitheaters in conquered cities.

No military general of recent history depicted with almost the same admiration like Alexander, Julius Caesar or Napoleon in war strategy and tactics and whose drama for words like “I SHALL RETURN” sound bites, his fashion setting uniform jacket, the “Pershing hat” and corn cob pipe he designed, Ray Ban sun glasses, temperament and pomposity that were the subject of interesting articles and books covering his 39 years of military services as Douglas Mac Arthur. Look at the title given by William Manchester to the general’s biography shown below.

AS noted: INQ7 columnist and historian Ambeth Ocampo,

”MacArthur gave the famous "Rally to me" speech he broadcast to the people of the Philippines from Leyte. Reading the same text today makes people cringe because it sounds melodramatic-and to some, downright corny-yet few know about a letter MacArthur scribbled and sent to US President Roosevelt. Again the text is from his memoirs”

October 20, 1944

"Dear Mr. President:

"This note is written from the beach near Tacloban [capital of Leyte] where we have just landed. It will be the first letter from the freed Philippines. I thought you might like it for your philatelic collection. I hope it gets through.

"The operation is going smoothly and if successful will strategically as well as tactically cut the enemy forces in two. Strategically it will pierce the center of his defensive line extending along the coast of Asia from the Japanese homeland to the tip of Singapore, and will enable us to envelop to the north or south as we desire. It severs completely the Japanese from their infamous propaganda slogan of the 'Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.' Tactically it divides his forces in the Philippines in two and by bypassing the southern half of the Philippines will result in the saving of possibly fifty thousand American casualties. He had expected us and prepared on Mindanao.

"The Filipinos are reacting splendidly and I feel that a successful campaign of liberation if promptly followed by a dramatic granting to them of independence will place American prestige in the Far East as the highest pinnacle of all times.

"Once more, on the highest plane of statesmanship, I venture to urge that this great ceremony be presided over by you in person. Such a step will electrify the world and redound immeasurable to the credit and honor of the United States for a thousand years.

"Please excuse this scribble but at this moment I am on the combat line with no facilities except this filed message pad."

Douglas MacArthur

In 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, Japan formally surrendered to the Allies. After the terms of surrender were signed by the Japanese generals and admirals, it was followed by victorious handshakes, toasts, dinner, and dancing. One joke circulated reported that the American “Caesar” (above, standing on the left) ate too much that he excused himself with a promise "I shall return." There is one more joke you must have heard many times wherein an inquisitive war correspondent asked the general why it took him three years to fulfill his promise, MacArthur shrugged his shoulders and wryly remarked “IT’S BETTER LEYTE THAN NEVER”.

Thank you for spending minutes with me as we scour the pages of history for events and happenings that are still relevant, timeless, and entertaining to waste our time. Until then this is Jose Sison Luzadas, your guide to “The MODERN TIMES AND THE LIVING PAST”.

The End