femme-de-lettres:Large (Wikimedia)Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema painted Tarquinius Superbus in 1867.The i
femme-de-lettres:Large (Wikimedia)Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema painted Tarquinius Superbus in 1867.The image depicts an anecdote from Livy’s History of Rome. A legend from the life of the last Roman king (Lucius Tarquinius Superbus), the story illustrates that king’s supposed tyranny: the reason for his being overthrown in favor of a republic. His son has gained command of the army of a city Tarquinius Superbus intends to capture. The son sends a messenger to ask his father what to do with that army. In reply, Tarquinius Superbus simply cuts the heads off all the tallest poppies in the garden beside him: execute or exile the men who lead the city, he implies. (Unfortunately for the city, his son takes the hint.) -- source link