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Memento mori?

When a Roman general returned from a successful campaign and was rewarded with a triumphal parade through the city, a slave stood behind him on his chariot to whisper the words "Memento mori" in his ear.

The Latin phrase means "remember that you are mortal," and was intended to keep the general's pride manageable.

Do you think that future presidents of the USA, at inaguration day, should also have their own someone next to him/her to whisper the words "Memento mori" in his/her ear to remind him/her of Iraq and Vietnam. ?


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Roman generals, barring assassination or death in battle, could expect to remain powerful for their life times; fortunately American presidents have no such expectation and I believe their behavior demonstrates this.

American presidents seem to subscribe more to the philosophy of one of the French Louis's, maybe the 14th, "Apres moi, le deluge". In other words they don't really care what comes after them. American presidents seem to be focused only on their 4 or 8 years, regardless of what they say about posterity.