Is Bush Commodus?

Fall of the Roman Empire is on Turner Classic Movies. Same Emporer Jaquin Phoenix played in Gladiator, as I recall he was portrayed in that flick as sadistic narcissist.

I don't know tremendous amounts about Roman history to make a real comparison, but in the scene they just showed, Christopher Plummer as Commodus tells one of his govenors that he will destroy Syria and any other occupied territory that doesn't fall into line. He also says, "Tell them to forget the weakness of my father"

:hurts:

I've been watching this movie and thinking your same thoughts....

up here in Asheville i've been telling my girlfriend since our first viewing (she owns it on video) that commodus is a metaphor for shrub.

she hates me for it. she likes to leave politics out of entertainment, but i can't help myself.

I sure miss the mountains

but winston is a tad too flat for me -- and way better than that city 20 miles down 40 from you -- gso. i like winston.

except for the part that in Caligula's day, pedophilia and homosexuality were acceptable?

Damn the History Channel anyhow.

1. When he first became emperor people were hopeful, thinking he would rule like his father. He was really popular amongst the common people

2. He liked to dress up like Hercules and wanted peoplet to worship himl like a God

3. He also liked to dress up like a Gladiator and boasted to have killed 12K men, but these men were usually weak and armed with wooden swords

Forgot to mention his invasion of the ocean (War with the god Neptune). Brought home seashells (TONS, literally) as "spoils" of victory. Had to make his Generals a little nervous.

heh.

Yes I get that shudder every time I see Gladiator.

But there are other lessons to take from that flick as well.

We cannot forget about entertaining the mob.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

but I do know that Commodus gets part of this bad rap because of his father, Marcus Aureilius. About a generation after his death, Marcus Aureilius was known ever after as "the last good emperor". He was incredibly strong and popular with nearly everybody. His son, Commodus, definately had a hard act to follow, and he was kind of a let-down after the glorious reign on his dad. I get the impression, correct me if I'm wrong, that Commodus' infamy has more to do with the fact that he wasn't his father rather than anything else he was personally responsible for.

That being said, it is known that he fought as a gladiator (as pictured in the film, "Gladiator") in fixed matches that annoyed people. First of all, he cheated, which if you understand anything about gladitorial games and what they meant to Romans would be viewed as scandalous. Secondly, even if you cheat, it's a bad idea for the leader of the empire to risk his life for no reason. I guess he was sort of a spoiled brat, but he wouldn't be the first such man to enjoy dictatorial powers.

and thopught commodus sounded alot like The Shrub....

...or F911. AND, I still think we're falling like the Roman Empire! What's even sadder, Bush is doing it 500 years faster. So sad.

Born to priviledge, goofy Military fixation, mad spending, psychotic actions, inane rambling--and a penchant for playing dress-up.

They knew he was bonkers when he made his Horse, Incitatus, a Senator. (Think Condi, Gonzalez, Negroponte...)

"I am terribly vexed."

The Empire was at its arguable height before his reign. However, his father, the Emperor, made the huge mistake of choosing his son as heir. Commodus was inept and foolish, among many other negative attributes. He was found murdered in his bath.

There are many failed historical figures that can be very accurately compared to Bush.

And that he pretty much decimated the small animal population in his vicinity during his reign. Kind of reminds me of Bush and the frog/firecracker incidents I've heard about his childhood. Commodus took lots of other reprehensible things, of course. Sadistic narcissist pretty well sums it up. Sadly, I think you've answered your own question.

Tired Old Cynic