As we watch today's political nastiness, we should remember there is a better political archetype. There is the Cincinnatus figure who serves out of duty when he'd rather be doing something else. In the legendary case of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (who died ca. 438 B.C.) that something else was farming which he twice abandoned out of duty to serve. Can we not find such persons today to serve? Perhaps wanting a political office should in itself be disqualifying. Perhaps at Judgment Day all good politicians will speak as I imagine Cincinnatus speaking at his Judgment Day in this sonnet I have written:
