Who You Callin’ a Triumvirate

caesar_salad_triumvirate.JPGKiffi Summa has implied that the Locally Grown crew is a Triumvirate. I remember that concept from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Ceasar, (and maybe a government class in college), but, being short on time, I thought that I’d follow Alex Beeby’s lead (or laziness) and just quote Wikipedia:

The term triumvirate (from Latin, “of three men”) is commonly used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals. The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case. The term can also be used to describe a state with three different military leaders who all claim to be the sole leader of the state.

Well, I’m sure Tracy will have words about the Latin source…

…and Tracy and I can both attest to the “rarely the case”.

To continue,

Twice in the late pre-Principate period of the Roman republic, political power shifted from the formal magistrates and senate to three ambitious men, who thus constituted a transitional government, known as triumviratus, each time only to break up again in civil war:

  • What modern scholars call the First Triumvirate was an informal political alliance of two rival generals, Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great representing the popular viz. senatorial party, with the extremely wealthy businessman Marcus Licinius Crassus. This fell apart after the death of Crassus, and the two other triumvirs fought a civil war, during which Pompey was killed and Caesar established his sole rule as perpetual dictator.

For the Locally Grown Triumvirate, I’m tempted to call “Not Antony!”, although I do recall that he had rather an exciting time with Cleopatra, and she was a historic hottie.

I probably would have let the whole thing drop, but then I found the illustrative photo…I mean, is that Tracy, Griff and Ross or what?

It’s actually the Miracle Players, an english-speaking theater troupe based in Rome, but, personally, I found the picture too perfect not to post.

Hey Kiffi, how’s that for acknowledging your request without taking action?

26 thoughts on “Who You Callin’ a Triumvirate”

  1. Geez, Louise! I thought the old people were the only ones with time on their hands! Or are you just trying to prove to your parents that they were correct to pay for a (was it Wesleyan?) college education! JUST KIDDING!

    As I said, ” a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals”………..

    Action , Please.

    P.S. Actually, if the local “triumvirate” started wearing those costumes maybe it would be obvious where the local influence lies?????

  2. The Internet is and should be a liquid medium. Let the conversations flow til they die of lack of interest, not asphyxiation from the smoke filled closed door backroom.


  3. As one of the barbarians at the gate (I mean really, who’d have thunk of using a spreadsheet to call the bluff of the consultants when the triumvirate already knows wherein lies the truth). But I digressed.

    So, as the token evil from the south (no doubt Ross stands on the banks of the Cannon every morning to proclaim “Delenda est Dundas” (“Dundas must be destroyed!”). But I digressed.

    In my role as Voldemort to the trio, as Carthage to their Rome, as Vader playing invader, I must say that I am impressed, the force is strong it these young jedi and these three little Evita’s should watch their metaphors like a hawk. But I regressed.

  4. The late pre-Principate period of the Roman republic is certainly one of my favorites, oh the togas!

    Please do not forget Cicero, the politician extrordinaire. Anthony Everitt’s biography brings up all of the smear campaigns, sexual escapades, and political manipulation that makes todays politics pale in comparison.

  5. For a very entertaining study of the Roman triumvirites, I highly recommend HBO’s “Rome” series.

    The series “I Claudius” is also good.

    Cave Diem

    Carpe Canem

    … or something 😉

  6. Enough! of playing “who’s the most erudite of all”! we all know it’s Bruce, anyhow.

    The reason I want a bar graph is to show how many people MAY be interested/influenced, as opposed to how many are moved to public comment; this is important to me for the running of a League of Women Voters program called “4th Monday”.

    Does this town need town meetings or not, and am I wasting my time on this 4thMonday program, entering its 3rd year?

  7. Oh, for Pete’s sake, We all know it’s Bruce! Betsey Buckheit, maybe… but Bruce?

    Well dear… I am surprised at you… and convinced the true “Triumvirate” is……..
    The envelope please…….

    Me – Myself – and I

    And Ross, Toga! Toga! Toga! ??? Wasn’t that from the Japanese at Pearl Harbor?

    I remember the movie. I’m sure. Remember, Van Johnson played a Marine dug-in at a machine gun cursing the dirty sons of Heaven! Yes, that’s it and the closing scene Van is running circles on the beach in a toga. Maybe Ross is right?

    We must be bored….

  8. OK Women of Northfield! Circle the wagons; the men have all gone completely Bonkers!

    Must be the smoke from Bright’s back room!

  9. So, what’s new, Kiffi? Hey, did I hear Victor use the “b” word? “We must be bored….” Now we have bored men in this community too, not just bored kids! Heaven help us all….

  10. OK……..OK

    I give up……….do anything to avoid giving out your statistics!

    Do you suppose we’re all on overload with all the bad news, faux news (rumors), and other low-lying life forms (barnacles) circulating?

  11. Kiffi, Are you finding the conversation funny or frustratiing? Those statistics on the number of hits would be nice for many reasons. What is there to hide? Hey, Griff and Tracy. Is this what happens when you give Ross the reigns? Is he always this evasive?

  12. Christine : I was finding this very funny, and I was in need of doing so……Too many “political” snarls, too many tangled accusations, too many marginal behaviors,,,,,and since I am not one to turn to prayer for solution, I turned to humor for diversion.

    The big 3 (I’ll never use that Latin word again) isn’t hiding anything; they’re just too busy…….

  13. Kiffi, I know they are not trying to hide anything. I was just playing along. The speculation game is too hard to resist. Yes, humor can be good medicine. It can help us see how ridiculous our normal behavior can be when we get too caught up in it and start thinking subjectivly instead of objectivly. Prayer works for me, but so does humor.

    Hey, Ross. You could make a good politician.

  14. And this was just getting fun… Sorry to spoil the game with a reality check. Could we start another ficticious (therapy) conversation?

    I love the creative literacy we have in Northfield. Maybe we could publish the next one and use the proceeds to fund bike paths. We could even make it into a play that the NAG could put on. Then it could also raise money to support our arts culture. The again, maybe not. That would mean there would be starring roles. (I would not want to see it turn into a competition. Yet, there would also be an incentive in who can come up with the most witty lines.)

    I’m not sure if it would be labeled a fairytale, tragedy, satire, or an educational resource. (I see that some are good at interpreting Shakespeare. Others are even good at historical references.) The “three” should not have a hard time coming up with a conversation starter. 🙂

  15. Not that anyone is remembering that far back……. but this whole Tri…. thing started because I asked for a contrast between # of comments, and # of hits. My goal being to see how many people are interested enough to lurk, but never comment.
    I’m Still interested, mr Techno-Geek (Griff, and that is FONDLY asserted). Where are the “stinkin’ “numbers?

  16. So… I leave town and the discourse gets much, much funnier. I never realized I was the one standing in the way of all the humor. Actually, now that I think about it, my serious ideas seem to generate a lot more guffaws than my jokes….

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