Xref: utzoo news.misc:1866 misc.legal:6106
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!pacbell!ames!mailrus!cornell!oravax!harper
From: harper@oravax.UUCP (Doug Harper)
Newsgroups: news.misc,misc.legal
Subject: Re: The Cincinnatus Society of Pinheads
Summary: Historical notes on Cincinnatus
Message-ID: <509@oravax.UUCP>
Date: 21 Oct 88 15:53:53 GMT
References: <15638@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <10206@cup.portal.com>
Organization: Odyssey Research Ass., Ithaca NY
Lines: 38

In article <10206@cup.portal.com>, Paktor@cup.portal.com (David L Paktor) 
writes:

> Now, my knowledge of history is *real* vague on this one, but, wasn't
>     Cincinnatus some sort of heavy-handed autocrat with delusions of
>     elitism and superiority, sometime in ancient Rome?

This is not a flame:  Mr. Paktor has stated that his recollection is
vague, and I respect that.  I merely wish to defend the good name of
Cincinnatus.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519? - ?439 BC) was a Roman
citizen-soldier "famed for the simplicity and austerity of his ways"
(trans. from Nouveau Petit Larousse, 1972).  The Senate twice took the
extraordinary step of making him dictator, risking the Republic to save
Rome from dire military threats.  Both times, he resigned the office
after discharging his duty, returning to his farm (The American Peoples
Encyclopedia, 1962).

Legend has it that he was offered the kingship and, a true republican,
declined it.  George Washington is said to have taken inspiration from
Cincinnatus in arguing that the United States should become a republic,
not a kingdom.

Perhaps Mr. Paktor is thinking of Lucius Cornelius Cinna, a ruthless
general of the late Republic, killed in a mutiny of his own men in 84
BC.  Had he lived a year longer, he would have been the father-in-law
of Julius Caesar.

Disclaimers:  I am speaking only for myself, and take full
responsibility for the views I have expressed.  The translation from
the French is mine, as is any of defect of it.

-- 
Doug Harper
Odyssey Research Associates | oravax!harper@cu-arpa.cs.cornell.edu       ARPA
301A Harris B. Dates Drive  | {allegra,rochester}!cornell!oravax!harper  UUCP
Ithaca, NY 14850-3051       | (607) 277-2020 extension 276