Where is our memento mori to whisper “Respice post te. Hominem te esse memento.”
Many societies instituted ritualized humility as a safeguard against any one person becoming too powerful. Athens had its Ostracism, there were the Medieval Coronation Rituals, and the Samurai Tea Ceremony. Of most interest to me in today’s environment is that of the “memento mori” whisperer in Roman triumphs
A triumph was the highest honor a general could receive in Rome: a grand procession through the city, awarded by the Senate after a major military victory. The general, called the triumphator, rode in a chariot, wore a purple-and-gold robe (similar to Jupiter’s statue in the Capitoline temple), and had his face painted red to resemble Jupiter. He was treated almost like a living god for a day, parading captives, treasures, and soldiers through the streets.
Because the triumphator was being glorified as near divine, the Romans (who distrusted hubris) introduced a ritual check on his pride. According to Tertullian (Apologeticus 33, c. 200 CE), a slave stood behind the general in the chariot and whispered: “Respice post te. Hominem te esse memento.” (“Look behind you. Remember that you are only a man.”) The phrase served as a reminder that, despite the trappings of divinity, he was mortal and would soon return to ordinary life.
The parallels to the Trump era are unmistakable. There are signs that Trump would prefer an absolute monarchy and there is no memento mori to whisper to him that he is just a man. I had hoped that the House of Representatives or the Senate could serve such a role, but it is clear they are all silent and are content to be witnesses to Trump’s accumulation of unconstitutional power.
Confronting Mediocrity 