I've just watched 'The Eagle' on Channel 4. There's two and a quarter hours of my life that I shall never get back. Clearly the film has nothing to do with ancient history (or plausibility) and is probably best viewed as an allegory about US imperialism; a reading strengthened by the Romans all being played by Americans - and a Canadian of course. Unfortunately it's an allegory that excuses the cruelties of the imperialists and expresses astonishment that the oppressed should ever fight back. Oh, and apparently the Romans were as fond of mawkish sentimentality as the Yanks are. Anyway, it all comes out OK because the subject peoples learn to love their conquerors in the end. Yeah, dream on Uncle Sam.
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| "You have delighted us long enough, now sod off home" |
My magazine reading has reached Wargames Soldiers and Strategy 68. The theme is Leipzig and there are a number of interesting articles around it. However there is also a most peculiar article by Mike Evans suggesting that the world would be a better place if there were only one set of wargames rules. The only argument deployed to support this is that Evan's can't be arsed to remember any more than that. It is possible, I suppose, that the whole thing is meant to be amusing, but if so then I strongly urge the author not to give up the day job.
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| Völkerschlachtdenkmal |
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