Winter Sunshine on the Southbank, Thames London

The Emperor took a walk this weekend on the elegant Southbank of the Thames, Londinium.

A lovely mild winter's afternoon in the city, not unlike the temperatures achieved in a favourable Scottish summer!

Not quite T-shirt weather,  but not far off it ... in mid November, no less!

Dramatic Skies

The most dramatic skies have been seen here by the Emperor recently.

Consultation with the Augur [i.e. Google] interprets this as the portent of great personal change to follow. 

The Emperor will have to be vigilant and see what the future brings.  

Copenhagen

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen! 

The Fates recently drew the Emperor to the enchanting city of Copenhagen.

  

The great depth of history and the many monuments and civic works that adorn this northern polis are fantastic to see.  

A mesmerising day was spent slowly wandering and wondering at the pleasant beauty.  

Under the glow of the warmest Autumn sunshine, Copenhagen left a most favourable impression and the Emperor looks forward to more visits in the future.

There's Only Enough for One Mind

 
Skopelos Town - Sept 2018

Classical Fragments

Its amazing to see how many classical fragments from ancient Greek and Roman antiquity have been gathered and put to good use within the old orthodox churches on the island of Skopelos, Greece. Even a cursory view round the islands many churches can reveal many gems. 

[Roman Figure Embedded in Greek Church, Skopelos 2018]


It seems nothing has bee left to waste and fragments of great history (from all periods) are hidden within the walls. Those Byzantine churchmen were real magpies and who indeed can blame them?   
    

  

Skaill Bay - Orkney Islands

[Skaill Bay, Orkney - June 2018]

Nothing can match the beauty of light and colour that Orkney commands on a sunny day.

The Emperor was lucky to have some nice days on his most recent campaign to the Northern isles. The bay of Skaill is the location of the ancient World Heritage Site, Skara Brae - a Stone Age settlement dating to between 3180 BC and 2500BC. (Dates that would make Roman - and even Egyptian -  heritage blush)

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skara_Brae 

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The historian Tacitus reminds us that Roman power - at least at one time - extended as far as the Orkney Islands:

"But when you go further north [in Britain] you find a huge and shapeless tract of country [Caledonia], jutting out to form what is actually the most distant coastline and finally tapering into a kind of wedge. These remotest shores were now circumnavigated, for the first time, by a Roman fleet, which thus established the fact that Britain was an island. At the same time it discovered and subjugated the Orkney Islands, hitherto unknown."

[Tacitus, Agricola*, I.iv.]

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*Agricola was a military governor of Britain who campaigned extensively in the North of Britain between c.AD 78 - 84. Although the Romans did not ultimately settle Caledonia, there is little doubt that they explored and campaigned deep into the Northern lands, leaving forts and other physical evidence of campaign. 

Loch Earn Scotland

Just another Scottish heatwave ... (If it doesn't cool down soon, I might move to Australia)

On a recent tour of the Highlands the Emperor was fortunate to stop by the sun-drenched shores of Loch Earn - looking very good indeed.

Adam & Eve

One can scarcely 'Adam & Eve'* it, but its been a full five years since the Emperor united in matrimony with the Empress!

5 years is traditionally marked as the 'wooden' anniversary and the Imperial couple were pleased to mark this anniversary with a lovely carving that they found while travelling in the beautiful city of Granada, Spain.

An anniversary reminder taking pride of place in the imperial household. 

Granada, Spain - made a real impression on the Emperor and he very much hopes to go back in the future. 

[Traditional Cockney rhyming slang: 'Adam & Eve' = 'Believe']

Immortal Warrior

Who Wants to Live Forever? 

There is much to see at the British Museum, as one might expect.

Though, for the Emperor, there was little to rival the original freeze depiction of a Persian Immortal warrior taken from the imperial palace at Susa (present day Iran).

It is the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus who tells us: 

''The Ten Thousand, who were all Persians and all picked men, were led by Hydarnes, the son of Hydarnes. They were called "the Immortals," for the following reason. If one of their body failed either by the stroke of death or of disease, forthwith his place was filled up by another man, so that their number was at no time either greater or less than 10,000.'' 

''Of all the troops the Persians were adorned with the greatest magnificence, and they were likewise the most valiant. Besides their arms, which have been already described, they glittered all over with gold, vast quantities of which they wore about their persons. They were followed by litters, wherein rode their concubines, and by a numerous train of attendants handsomely dressed. Camels and sumpter-beasts carried their provision, apart from that of the other soldiers.''

[Herodotus, Histories VII, 83]

Ice Flowers

[Ice Flowers - Kinross - March 2018]

A cold Scottish Spring saw winter doggedly clinging on,  deep into March this year.  

The 'Beastie from the Eastie' had an offy nastie wee bite. 

O'bdy was frozen and nae'bdy was happy about it. 

Imperial Sabbatical

It can happen that even the most diligent of rulers might occasionally seek to escape the burden of office ... or birth.

A sojourn, a partial retirement or just a sabbatical, everyone needs a holiday as they say.

Famously, my great ancestor the Emperor Tiberius took himself away from Rome to his favoured isle of Capri for some considerable time: only to resume his rule after several licentious years, when he was all but obliged to do so.

[Mediterranean flowers in the Balearic's - October 2017]

In the Yeats that followed, other great Emperors absconded from the pressures of the capital, spending protracted periods abroad, on travels, on campaign and in private living. To rule is to suffer and every ruler needs to recharge now and again. 

That'll Do Pig

"Animals of this kind delight in rolling in the mud. The tail is curled. and it has also been remarked, that those are a more acceptable offering to the gods, whose tail is turned to the right than those which have it turned to the left."

[Pliny the Elder, Natural History, VIII.77]

[Some nervous looking piggies that tempted the Emperor in the city of York, Sept 2017] 

Mull-ing Things Over in Tobermory

In May this year the Emperor undertook a short non-punitive campaign to the Scottish Isle of Mull.

[Tobermory Bay - during a brief respite from the heavy summer rains]  

Travels in good company were enjoyed by the Imperial retinue and sat well with the Emperor. 

Tiberius on Personal Criticism

['Taking the stoical view', under the foot of public opinion - Uffizi Museum, April 2017]

On Tiberius it was said: 

"... he was self-contained and patient in the face of abuse and slander, and of lampoons on himself and his family, often asserting that in a free country there should be free speech and free thought. When the senate on one occasion demanded that cognisance be taken of such offences and those guilty of them, he said: "We have not enough spare time to warrant involving ourselves in more affairs; if you open this loophole you will find no time for any other business; it will be an excuse for laying everybody's quarrels before you." A most unassuming remark of his in the senate is also a matter of record":

"If so-and-so criticises me I shall take care to render an account of my acts and words; if he persists, our enmity will be mutual."

[Suetonius, Life of Tiberius, 28]




N.B Its worth mentioning that not all agree on the emperor Tiberius's good nature.  In some reports, he is not anything like as unassuming and liberal as described here. Other references - especially later in his reign - point towards a darker and more brooding ego, more than capable of petty spite, revenge and malevolence. It's not at all like Suetonius to miss sticking the knife in, so we need to look at a evolving personality: egalitarian and carefree in his early reign - likely before the Sejanus coup - moving to spiteful, paranoid and mean in his later years. 

How Much for an Ice cream?

Shocked by the tourist prices around the centre of Florence, the Emperor was nevertheless greatly impressed to see Caravaggio's iconic Medusa. 

A fearsome and terrible image of visceral rage.  

(The good lady herself had obviously just paid for an ice cream) 

Where the Streets have No Name

A casual street-sign store at the local Council depot, central Edinburgh  ... witnessed by the Emperor on his way home from work.  

If all the names are here, is there streets out there without names? 

Crossing Ocean - The New World

[Crossing Oceans the Emperor explored new and strange lands - New York, Nov 2014]

"It is unlikely that the Atlantic Ocean is divided into two seas, thus being separated by isthmuses so narrow and that prevent the circumnavigation; it is more likely that it is one confluent and continuous sea. For those who undertook circumnavigation, and turned back without having achieved their purpose, say that they were made to turn back, not because of any continent that stood in their way and hindered their further advance, inasmuch as the sea still continued open as before, but because of their destitution and loneliness. This theory accords better, too, with the behaviour of the ocean, that, in respect of the ebb and flow of the tides; everywhere, at all events, the same principle, or else one that does not vary much, accounts for the changes both of high tide and low tide, as would be the case if there movements were produced by one sea and were the result of one cause."

Strabo, Geography, I.8 

Undertaking great personal hardship and danger (Economy Class) the Emperor recently enjoyed a personal exploration of the New World. In imperial procession on the Eastern seaboard, it was fascinating to see the great metropolis cities of Boston and New York. This history-rich part of the New World was fascinating and it was wonderful to experience a culture that is at the same time, both similar and yet so different to the Old World that I know so well. 

The only regret was that I did not have more time to explore these vast and fascinating lands. But hopefully there is always next time ...    

Small indulgences, as simple as the iconic pastrami bagel were greatly enjoyed. 

'Everything is bigger in America' and so was the Emperor after a week or so of eating great food. Kindly toured by a local guide and friend the imperial retinue was spoiled for great places to see and great food to experience. 

Back on the treadmill when I get to Blighty, but I really look forward to future visits. 

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N.B Its worth noting that the internet is sprinkled with references of Romans having reached the North Americas in ancient times. The quality of some of these theories varies greatly and ranges from the tantalising to the sheer outlandish. But they are all entertaining to read. 

Rustic Eating - Ferrara Italy

A rustic lunch of considerable quality enjoyed in the beautiful walled town of Ferrara, Italy. 

The following main course was the regionally famous pumpkin and sage ravioli (Cappellacci di Zucca). The best and most enjoyable meal I have ever had in the old country. 

As part of a month long honeymoon from Venice to Syracuse, the old walled city of Ferrara was a stand-out memory for this Emperor. 

Such a chilled University town with loads of old history and culture. 

I very much hope to return one day. 

Weddings

Never previously a great fan of the wedding ceremony, the Emperor recently attended a delightful wedding at which he was honoured to act in a formal capacity.

 

 [Wedding favours for the Emperor and his Consort]

Imperial modesty prevents one from claiming to have been the best man in attendance that day. 

However, the Emperor did go home feeling himself proudly to be a better man for his involvement in the happy occasion. The bride and groom were resplendent and it was an honour to be included in the great occasion.

The Emperor is left to ponder whether the enjoyment of weddings grows with the advancement of age? 

 

Its a question that he will know the answer to soon enough ....  

Moving Times

Despite, the defamatory polemic that some imperial satirists have voiced ...

"No, the Emperor does not have the bailiffs after him."  The indignity of it ...!

My most recent move is just the complex culmination of work, love and circumstance.  Yes, the last year and half has seen the Emperor moving home for the third time.

Its been exhausting, but a stoical journey none the less and the Emperor would not change a thing!

 

[View from the new Imperial pad - Edinburgh New Town]