It's often said that bad news travels in bunches, and as we come to the anniversary of the Columbine shootings tomorrow, we might reflect on the fact that April 20th is also Adolf Hitler's birthday. I believe the Columbine shooters even invoked the date as one of their many nonsensical "motives".
The April 19 - April 20 date has signifigance in the white supremacy / conspiracy world.
April 19 is the anniversary of the Waco siege and the Oklahoma City bombing and April 20 is the anniversary of Hitler's birthday and the Columbine shootings.
Since I was born on april 20, I grew up telling people I share my birthday with Adolf Hitler until I recently learned that a more sympathetic historic character was also born on april 20: Marcus Antonius, the famous Roman Emperor, the one portrated in the movie Gladiator.
The emperor played by Richard Harris in GLADIATOR is Marcus Aurelius. I like Harris in the part though he was too old! Harris was around 70 while filming GLADIATOR, while Aurelius was 59 or so when he died in A.D. 180 after two decades of war-plagued rule. (I didn't know Aurelius was born April 20th.) Aurelius was quite the philosopher and wrote a book called The Meditations that is well worth a read.
Futher History by Hollywood fact-checking notes: Russell Crowe's General Maximus was fictitious, though Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus really succeeded his father Aurelius. Apparently what Harris' Aurelius attempts to do in the film regarding Maximus was quite in keeping with recent Roman succession custom -- the emperor adopted as son the best man available and thus enabled their succession and hopefully a stable empire.
In reality, Aurelius broke with this tradition by designating his rotten 19 year old son to succeed him. Commodus then reigned with a cruel hand for over 12 years (much longer than was depicted in the film), until he was killed in a wrestling match at his traitorous advisors' instigation.
Once wicked ruler Commodus was gone, however, things actually got WORSE for a period of time! Sound familiar?
My apologies, I meant Marcus Aurelius of course.
Thanks for the historic details. I love Ancient history. I knew Gladiator was not very faithful to the historic facts but I enjoyed many aspects of it, and how they portraited Marcus Aurelius was one of them.
There is no evidence that a Caeser ever compted in gladitorial combat, but there was one (and I can't remember if it wa Commodus or not) that shot arrows at animals from his perch. I think this was in the private arena, too. Not the big one.
Dark Days indeed.I hope for better for everyone. (I am , you are, we are crazy)
April 20 2004, 11:49 AM
Iraqi police today moved back into Falluja, aiming to restore control and collect weapons from insurgents as dozens of families also began returning to the embattled city.
In the first test of an agreement between US officials and local leaders, aimed at ending hostilities in the city, the military urged residents to hand over weapons - including machine-guns, grenade launchers and missiles - to Iraqi security forces or at the mayor's office.
Almost one third of the city's 200,000 population fled during the two-week siege, in which hospital officials say that at least 600 Iraqis, including many civilians, were killed.
Hamdi Rashid, a schoolteacher driving a minibus with 17 family members inside, was among those who managed to return home today. "We love Falluja," he said.
In other developments today, Italian officials expressed optimism that three Italians security guards taken hostage in a spate of recent kidnappings were likely to be released through the payment of what was described as a "routine" ransom.
"Everyone pays. It's been done for centuries and centuries," Ms Contini told Milan daily Corriere della Sera.
"I am convinced that we're dealing with local bands. People organised in tribal ways, who have the culture of kidnapping in their blood, but with whom you can negotiate. There are no insurmountable barriers"
Ms Contini echoed the sentiments of the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who yesterday expressed "cautious optimism" that the men would be freed.
"I obviously can't give details - we're in a very delicate phase. But I'm optimistic, very optimistic," she was quoted as saying.
The Italian foreign minister, Franco Frattini, initially said that Italy would not negotiate with the abductors, and ruled out paying a ransom.
However, that line appeared to soften after a fourth Italian, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was killed by his kidnappers a few days after being abducted.
The scariest part is, presuming Hitler’s still alive (which I think we can all agree that he is), he’s still a young, spry 115 years old. I think we must all remain vigilant, because he could strike again at any moment. So, if Donald Rumsfeld needs to abridge a few of our civil liberties in order to keep the world safe from The Great Dictator, you would literally be pissing on the memories of our dead soldiers if you in any way objected.
The emperor played by Richard Harris in GLADIATOR is Marcus Aurelius. I like Harris in the part though he was too old! Harris was around 70 while filming GLADIATOR, while Aurelius was 59 or so when he died in A.D. 180 after two decades of war-plagued rule.
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Reminds me of a story Peter Ustinov told. He was up for the part of the Emperor Nero, and the casting director sent him a telegram telling him that, at 28, he might be too young for the part. Ustinov wired back saying they should make up their minds soon, or he would be too old, since Nero died when he was 29.
Perhaps Mark is onto something here. John Huston's smoking habit caught up with him and he died of emphysema. Harris sure plays Aurelius with a lot of shortness of breath!
Then again, a mere beard and labored breathing do not necessarily a Huston impression make. Harris never worked with Huston as far as I know, though they may have known each other socially.
As long as I am making a habit of recommending a book in every post, I like John Huston's autobiography, An Open Book, too! (Harris is not mentioned.)
Ian
p.s. THE great Richard Harris performance: as Bull McCabe in The Field (1990). Check it out.
