It appears
that there is a strong likelihood that Dan Andrews has suffered from the negative
effects of the experimental jabs that he did everything he could to coerce people
into taking. Was there a man in Australia that did more to coerce people to
take these foolish injections? i don't think so, though there was a tough competition among our national leaders for who was pushing the hardest.
Dan Andrews had
some of the worst authoritarian responses to the crazy Covid times, and
Melbourne had some of the longest lockdowns in the world. Some people were
locked in apartment blocks with no warning with little ability to prepare, and
with no recourse to get out. This was done in a way that looked more like something out of a Communist country
than freedom loving Australia. And that was just a fraction of what he did.
None of Australia’s leaders performed well in this time, but he was certainly
among the worst. And his proud declarations were regularly on our T.V. and
other screens during that time. He was at the peak of his powers.
But now how
the mighty have fallen.
There is a
powerful chapter in The Canterbury Tales called The Monk’s Tale
that everyone should read. This chapter is about the rise and fall of many
mighty rulers and prominent people in history. Many of the names you will
recognize, some are not as famous. But almost all of them have the same
trajectory: rise to power, pride and then humiliation. Though some just rose to
power and then were brought down.
Here is a
short excerpt from the book:
“HERCULES
Of Hercules, the sovereign conquering power, Sing his deeds' praise and sing his high renown; For in his time of strength he was the flower. He slew, and made a lion's skin his own; Of centaurs laid he all the boastings down; He killed the cruel Harpies, those birds fell; Brought golden apples from the dragon thrown; And he stole Cerberus, the hound of Hell. He slew the cruel tyrant Busiris And made his horses eat him, flesh and bone; To a fiery, venomous worm he wrote finis; Achelous had two horns, but he broke one; Cacus he slew within his cave of stone; He slew the giant Anthaeus the strong; He killed the Erymanthian boar anon; And bore the heavens upon his shoulders long. Was never man, since this old world began, That slew so many monsters as did he. Throughout all earth's wide realms his honour ran, What of his strength and his high chivalry, And every kingdom went he out to see. He was so strong no man could hinder him; At both ends of the world, as says Trophy, In lieu of limits he set pillars grim. A darling had this noble champion, Deianira, sweet as is the May; And as these ancient writers say, each one, She sent to him a new shirt, fresh and gay. Alas that shirt, alas and welaway! Envenomed was so cunningly withal That, ere he'd worn the thing but half a day, It made the flesh from off his bones to fall. Yet are there writers who do her excuse Because of Nessus, who the shirt had made; Howe'er it be, I will not her accuse; But all his naked back this poison flayed Until the flesh turned black, and torn, and frayed. And when he saw no other remedy, Upon a pyre of hot brands he was laid, For of no poison would he deign to die. Thus died this mighty worthy, Hercules. Lo, who may trust to Fortune any throw? And he who seeks on earth for fame and case Ere he's aware, he's often brought down low. Right wise is he that can his own heart know. Beware, when Fortune may her smile disclose, She lies in wait her man to overthrow, And in such wise as he would least suppose...
...PEDRO,
KING OF SPAIN
O
noble Pedro, glory once of Spain, Whom Fortune held so high in majesty, Well
ought men read thy piteous death with pain! Out of thy land thy brother made
thee flee; And later, at a siege, by scheme crafty, Thou wert betrayed, and led
into his tent, Where he then, and with his own hand, slew thee, Succeeding to
thy realm and government. The field of snow, with eagle black therein, Caught
by the lime−rod, coloured as the gleed, He brewed this wickedness and all this
sin. The "Wicked Nest" was worker of this deed; Not that Charles
Oliver who aye took heed Of truth and honour, but the Armorican Ganelon Oliver,
corrupt for mead, Brought low this worthy king by such a plan.
PETER,
KING OF CYPRUS
O
noble Peter, Cyprus' lord and king, Which Alexander won by mastery, To many a
heathen ruin did'st thou bring; For this thy lords had so much jealousy, That,
for no crime save thy high chivalry, All in thy bed they slew thee on a morrow.
And thus does Fortune's wheel turn treacherously And out of happiness bring men
to sorrow.
BERNABO
OF LOMBARDY
Of Milan, great Bernabo Visconti, God of delight and scourge of Lombardy, Why should I tell not of thy misery, Since in all power thou did'st climb so high? Thy brother's son, and doubly thine ally, For he thy nephew was and son−in−law, Within his prison shut thee up to die, But I know not how death to thee did draw." [1]
There are
many who will want to gloat over Dan Andrew’s plight. But not me.
My approach is rather different.
We should reflect on his situation, and also on this
chapter in The Canterbury Tales, and remind ourselves that we must steward
the power and responsibilities given to us by God to the best of his glory and our
abilities, because there is a day when we will be brought low. Whether we are
able to step down from that position of power with dignity or whether we will
end up utterly humiliated, is in large degree based on how we stewarded that
power.
Dan Andrew’s
arrogance was famous in this country at the time. Many saw him as heady on the
power he was exercising. Victoria, the state his power dominated, has not recovered
from his policies. Many Victorians fled, many of us Australians know people who
did, and his policies were a direct reason stated by many that they left. And I suspect many
who do not state it still made their decision in light of them.
But no man in
this world, no matter how dominant, holds onto power forever. Many are
brought low in incredibly visible ways. And that is what Chaucer is reflecting
on in The Monks Tale. It is not wrong to wield power, to some degree you will be
given power in this world, whether it is in the home and over your own family,
or children, or at work, or in some other way. What matters is how we wield it. What matters is how we steward it for the good of others, and not our own profit.
The last will
be first and the first will be last. The wisest man who ever lived told us
this, and Jesus Christ was never wrong.
List of
References
[1] Chaucer,
Geoffrey .. The Canterbury Tales: FREE Hamlet By William Shakespeare (JKL
Classics - Active TOC, Active Footnotes ,Illustrated) (pp. 210-211, 216-219). JKL
Classics. Kindle Edition.
No comments:
Post a Comment