It’s refreshing to break
the long silence with the story of Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, who
known to be a senator and historian in the Roman Empire was believed to have
lived between 56 and 120 AD. Agreeably, little is known about him, either than he was a great orator, a master of rhetoric and noted for his amazing career in
law and politics. He however had a cognomen (nickname) ‘Silent’. The
irony of him known as ‘silent’ yet a gifted masterful orator and in command of
legions interests me as I drop a pinball to end the deafening silence.
Tacitus gained Praetorship and became a member of the priestly
college that kept the Sibylline Books of prophecy and supervised foreign-cult
practice and yet remained and was known ‘Silent’. I explore the why and how
Tacitus rose to such extraordinary heights and yet was notable for the nickname
‘Silent’. I will also share some graces as I have known them in my over a year of silence.
For the many for whom the
title, Praetor, may not mean much, consider him the overlord of a province for the empire, a governor perhaps, just with a little more power to command the
army and/or to be the magistrate. His heights may best be known from the quote,
“Let there be two with the authority of the king, and let them be called
praetors, judges and consuls from their going
before, judging and consulting. Let them have
the supreme right of command of the military.” (Emphasis mine)
How then does such a man of such great power stay ‘silent’ and yet remained effective?
- Tacitus had an opportunity to
write a biography of Agricola, his father-in-law, and from that, he
explains what is meant to serve a tyrannical emperor. He lived in
tough times and for a thinker as he was, I assume sober reflections took
the better part of him. The surviving portion of his two major
works: the Annals and the Histories examine
the reigns of the Roman emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, and those who reigned in
the Year of
the Four Emperors (69 AD). A lot could be said about all
these kings, but I reserve such in the interest of my communicating my
point succinctly. Nero who succeeded Claudius had the reputation for
tyranny and extravagance, Claudius is believed to have begun the conquest of
Britain and in whose reign a lot of infrastructure development happened in
Rome, a man who was subsequently murdered by poisoning. It will appear to
me Tacitus, a man who himself is not known to have been born to nobility, yet at
the center of such regal drama, will be silent to say the least, at least
as a means of not losing focus and remaining contemplative and strategic.
- Gaius is deemed to have made
significant contributions to the understanding of psychology of power.
Psychologists refer to this as the paradox of power. The very traits
that helped leaders accumulate control in the first place all but
disappear once they rise to power. Instead of being polite, honest
and group-focused, they become impulsive, reckless and rude. I am
sure he thus was mindful to remain true to himself even as he walked on
the corridors of power. He had to be careful to be Tacitus although titled
Praetor.
People give authority to
people they genuinely like. Likability is thus the essential question of
leadership and influence, more so now when military might matter less, at least
on the interpersonal and corporate levels. I thus come to the most essential
question of this post, which I believe all of us seek:
How does one become likable? How does even men like Tacitus, known men of
silent become likable? Likability has become a science and there is so much to
learn from the research but I highlight three things as I have learnt:
1.
Genuine likability
will only proceed to the genuine. In been genuine is the trait of congruence
with self which engenders the trust the leader needs. Not many people like
fake, but in an era of high paid cosmetic plastic surgery, real can be
difficult to ascertain. Genuineness does not in any way prevent growth and
reinvention of self but genuine people know who they are. They are confident
enough to be comfortable in their own skin. The may grow and evolve but
always know what drives them and do not seek to be like everyone or to do
things because it’s a societal norm. Perhaps Kendrick Lamar’s second verse in
his song Humble makes all the point; “watch my soul speak, you let the meds
talk… I’m the realest nigga after all.” I have had my identity questioned in
these silent moments but I remain true to myself and my call.
2.
Love rather than
fear breads likability. In "The Prince," a treatise on the art of
politics, the 16th century Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli insisted
that compassion got in the way of eminence. If a leader has to choose between
being feared or being loved, Machiavelli insisted that the leader should always
go with fear. Love is overrated, he asserted. I am sure many of us may have
gotten into this debate and perhaps still not sure whether or not love or fear
is the gateway to likability. Note that, such were the beliefs of men like Nero
under whom Tacitus served, as the story of Rome was been told, there existed a
parallel development of Jesus of Nazareth who had been crucified and his
followership had become revolts in the empire. Their leader had told them
"It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become
great among you shall be your servant.” They had been taught to love their
enemies and to choose love irrespective of the cost. In retrospect, Rome became
the foremost proponent of the Gospel of Jesus of which it was the fiercest
critique, Rome fell and Jesus triumphed surviving into 2018 AD. I have had in
these year the hard choice of love sometimes unto rejection and acquiescing to
a path of fear, and hard as it has always been, I elect love as a lover of Jesus,
assured of this one thing that His words are true.
3.
Finally, to the
grateful heart favour proceeds. Gratitude as a word is a gift from Latin, with its origin among the Romans. I am fortunate to have learnt Latin for two years. The
word is from ‘Gratus’ which is a masculine, a feminine variation of ‘Grata’. It
is from the Singular Masculine Vocative that we get ‘Grate’, the base for
grateful or gratitude. The word is more of an inference to a ‘pleasing’
disposition but the English define grate as reducing to small shreds. I believe
the way out of such obscurity is to reduce the complexities into small shred
with a pleasing disposition appreciating how each strand has led to building
who you are.
I end with a quote by
Tacitus of the Emperior Otho, “Namque Otho pueritiam incuriose,
adulescentiam petulanter egerat, gratus Neroni
aemulatione luxus” which literally means, “For Otho's had been a neglected
boyhood and a riotous youth, and he had made himself agreeable to Nero by
emulating his profligacy.” Otho became an emperior for only three months, was
banished, led his men into revolt of which many died, his wife was taken by
Nero the King he sought approval from and later committed suicide. In
conclusion, I suggest to you that, in silent sober introspection and truth to
self, Tacitus although not known of noble birth rose above all having a
grateful heart even when he served the worst of tyrants and yet Otho seeking to
be like Nero and by such forsaking all He was, seeking to be pleasing to him
and following after his profligacy ended up losing his wife and life. I beseech
you to have a grateful heart, remain true to yourself and choose love if even
that path does not lead to the easiest course, the sure and certain end of
purpose it shall. Happy new year my friends.
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