Cincinnatus

2022 - 9 - 6

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Image courtesy of "RTE.ie"

Who is Cincinnatus and why did Johnson reference him? (RTE.ie)

Boris Johnson's reference to an ancient Roman statesman in his resignation speech has fuelled a fervent online debate, with some suggesting it could imply a ...

In our terms, he was dead right-wing." He was also an enemy of the people.— mary beard (@wmarybeard) Cincinnatus was recalled from his plough to become leader of Rome a second time.

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Image courtesy of "Sky News"

Boris Johnson's reference to Roman dictator Cincinnatus hints at his ... (Sky News)

Promising his "most fervent support" to his successor Liz Truss, Mr Johnson compared himself to Cincinnatus, who battled against invasion before returning ...

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica entry on Cincinnatus: "At the time of his appointment he was working a small farm. Once again, he is supposed to have ceded his power after ending the crisis." According to tradition, however, the Roman statesman later returned to serve a second term. Mr Johnson has previous form in mentioning the Roman senator. Promising his "most fervent support" to his successor Liz Truss, Mr Johnson Promising his "most fervent support" to his successor Liz Truss, Mr Johnson compared himself to Cincinnatus, who battled against invasion before returning to his farm.

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

In his final speech, Boris Johnson compared himself to Cincinnatus ... (The Washington Post)

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was a Roman statesman who gave up his power for the good of the Roman Republic. But in one version of the story, he came back.

While historians largely [believe this is the stuff of legends](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucius-Quinctius-Cincinnatus), some political observers interpreted Johnson’s reference to Cincinnatus in his farewell speech as a sign that he would one day be back. [Cincinnati in Ohio](https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/10/11/our-history-who-cincinnatus-inspiration-citys-name/752548001/) is — indirectly — named after Cincinnatus. In 2009, when he was mayor of London, Johnson said in an interview that he could not “foresee the circumstances” under which he would be called on to become prime minister. “This is not the speech of a departing prime minister who necessarily thinks he’s going away forever. [gave up power after just 15 days](https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/10/11/our-history-who-cincinnatus-inspiration-citys-name/752548001/) and returned to his farm. “He is a practical man with an honest, backbreaking job outside politics who just gets on with the task in hand with minimum fuss.” He was an absolute elitist Roman patrician — in our terms, he was dead right-wing.” In 1790, the governor of the region that includes modern-day Ohio named the city after the [Society of the Cincinnati](https://www.societyofthecincinnati.org/society-of-the-cincinnati-name/), formed by officers from the Continental Army to commemorate the war for American independence. (He [became prime minister](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/boris-johnson-expected-to-win-british-prime-minister-vote/2019/07/23/0e63fc8e-ac93-11e9-9411-a608f9d0c2d3_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_16) 10 years later.) But, he said at the time, “if, like Cincinnatus, I were to be called from my plow, then obviously it would be wrong of me not to help out.” — a rare position with emergency powers — and led an effort to save Roman soldiers trapped by the forces of The legend goes that he stopped plowing his field, put on a toga and returned to the city. [George Washington was compared to Cincinnatus](https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/cincinnatus/) because he also answered the call to serve, and defeated the British, before voluntarily giving up power after two terms as president.

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Image courtesy of "The Indian Express"

Who was Cincinnatus, the Roman emperor Boris Johnson ... (The Indian Express)

Outgoing Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Jonson likened his exit to that of 5th Century BC Roman emperor Cincinnatus, drawing reactions from ...

Some accounts further say that he was again called for 21 days for warding off another threat to Rome, and this time too, he went back to the farm after the job was done. He had been living a life away from power, and the senate was prepared to give him powers to exercise a dictatorship for securing a victory. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519 BC to 438 BC) was a Roman emperor whose name is invoked to refer to an honourable and principled figure.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Boris Johnson likens himself to Roman who returned as dictator (The Guardian)

Departing PM references Cincinnatus, who turned to farming after leaving Rome – but then returned to power.

He was in fact an “enemy of the people”. He then resigned and returned to his farm. Cincinnatus was recalled from his plow to become leader of Rome a second time.

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Image courtesy of "Bloomberg"

Who Is Cincinnatus and What Could Boris Johnson's Reference to ... (Bloomberg)

Boris Johnson's reference to an ancient Roman statesman in his resignation speech has fuelled a fervent online debate, with some suggesting it could imply a ...

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