Myths & Mischief

Welcome back to Myths & Mischief! This is your Lovable Lord of Lore, today’s mischievous myth is about how ideas and heroes are the building blocks of civilization.

Civilizations are built on the shoulders of heroes that epitomize the values of a culture and create an idea of what that civilization will be. Before the Roman Empire and the expansion of Rome, was the attack on Rome by exiled Roman king, Tarquin the Proud and the Etruscan army. Tarquin had been exiled for being a corrupt king by Brutus (ancestor of the Brutus that played a part in the assassination of Julius Caesar). It wasn’t the politicians that saved the city, or the masses that did not entertain the notions of war. It was a man who spent his life guarding the Sublician bridge, Horatius Cocles.

Horatius was the captain of the guard at the gate. To avoid wasting time traveling, he lived and slept at the gate. When the invaders came, he sent for the politicians, who refused reinforcements. He asked for just two men to join him to hold the gate. Two men, Spurius Lartius, and Herminius volunteered to fight along with Horatius to defend the bridge long enough for the bridge to be destroyed, thus preventing the Etruscans access to the city.

“To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late and how can man die better than facing fearful odds?” claimed Horatius as he understood the significance of the moment and what he was protecting. The three men were not concerned about land or gold, their families or their own lives, they were answering a calling to protect their idea of Rome.

The three men perished in the battle, but they did hold the bridge until it was cut down. The city was saved. To honor these men, there was a restructuring of society to reflect the idea of Rome that these men has sacrifices their lives for. The wealthy helped the poor, and the poor loved the wealthy, lands were distributed fairly and fair prices were set on goods.

Having exiled their king, then repelling has attack, the idea of Rome, which is an idea and not a place, was born. The heroic actions of these legendary heroes provided all Romans this idea and made it mean something. That is what made Rome great. Over the centuries, other heroes stepped up in an attempt to return to that idea, to make Rome great again. It wasn’t about bullying or greed, it was about reestablishing the idea of the civilization that was willing to sacrifice everything for good of all of Rome.

Eventually things turn. The wealthy take control and a class system is established until new heroes arise to even the scales time and again.

The idea of America was built on similar acts of heroicism. From the Continental Congress that met in secret to establish the country to Harriet Tubman who thwarted the system at great personal risk to save the idea of the nation that all men are created equal and have a right to pursue happiness. The American idea is still alive, but it needs heroes, people that are willing to exile a corrupt king, and reestablish the idea of America.

Is America a beacon of democracy?

Are we leading the charge against Climate Change?

Are we standing up against the bullies of the world?

Are we helping the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses?

If we are not, who will stand with Horatius at the gate? Who will help reestablish the idea of America? It won’t be the politicians, or the wealthy, it won’t be the people who are consumed with their own lives that lack the wherewithal to follow what is happening. Where are our heroes?

That’s it for this week’s installment, this is your Lord of the Lore signing off. 

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Feel free to comment below, or post the names of modern heroes that shape our civilization.