Alcibiades

 

 

Alcibiades was a citizen of Athens about 450 BC, known for crafty, dishonest political antics during the time when Athens and Sparta had agreed that constant conflict and wars was not good for either. He was a powerful politician, sort of the “speaker” of the governing body such that he determined what came before the body and when the votes would occur.

The peaceful time between the two superpowers was not durable, it was delicate and subject to disruption. Alcibiades decided to take a trip to Peloponnesia which, while not claimed by Sparta was still not open to an Athenian citizen to go meddling.

Sure enough, there was a conflict, it escalated and good ol’ Alcibiades who was known as a bad actor before decided to change his loyalty and became a Spartan. People died.

This tale was told recently as a metaphor for what is happening, uselessly, in Taiwan. The journalist who wrote it was much more skillful than I am, but the idea is the same. I cannot locate the original article, sorry.

Hopefully, our version of the distasteful, untrustworthy politician will not result in the loss of life like Alcibiades’ actions, but you never know. For sure, it is needless.

“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.” Aldous Huxley