Exercise your imagination... imagine that Clover Moore has granted you Martin Place for your use... to build your monument to commemorate your illustrious life... not just the cenotaph section... the full length of Martin Place. Julia Gillard is prepared to rush through legislation to fund whatever fantasy you desire. Pick up a pencil and start drawing... what is the height of your monument... 10 metres... 50 metres??? I assume you'll need marble... Carrera marble (nothing but the best for you)... would you like to be seated on a horse... perhaps have the horse rearing high in the air to show you as a person of action... perhaps support of a few lions that reinforces your reputation for fearless leadership... I would suggest a few angels gazing adoringly in your direction... perhaps for the more virile male readers, how about some virgins throwing flowers in your direction... perhaps wearing some low cut dresses... done in good taste... in the classical style.
Now don't be shy.. my survey of Roman monuments shows absolutely no correlation between grandeur of monument and grandeur of life achievement. Just because you haven't done anything doesn't mean you can't have the biggest monument in Sydney. Consider the monument Julius Caesar left... you all know big Julie... and compare its size with the efforts of Victor Emanuel... you all know shy Vic don't you. As you know, big Julie met a sticky end before his standard allotment of 3 score years and ten... perhaps he planned the greatest monument of all...but just got the timing wrong. However, it is interesting to note that Julie left only one monument (to his deceased daughter - Jullia)... a relatively modest construction... didn't build himself a palace... and yet, his closest friends found it necessary to stab him in the back (and in the front)... because he had a big ego. On the other hand, Victor Emanuel was a good politician... managed to get city states to coalesce into the Italian nation... didn't do a lot of personal fighting... too busy being a model for all the magnificent monuments spread all over Italy. His monument is absolutely enormous!
The key to a good monument is to have the construction portray the essence of your personality. Rome has certainly missed some great opportunities in this regard. Take Tiberius for example... generally recognised as a certifiable psychopath... a frightening individual... should have been kept in a cage. What did they design for his monument??? a triumphant arch... in no way portraying the sook who spent most of his time sitting in darkened rooms... ranting at some imagined slight that would result in yet another midnight killing.. a more appropriate monument would show Tiberius in uncontrolled rage. What about Nero... who appointed his horse to the position of chief consul... now that called for a monument of a horse... seated behind a desk. How about your monument... standing in the checkout queue at the supermarket... nice... or gardening... getting a massage in tennis gear... the options are endless. What is your preference?
No comments:
Post a Comment