Madam, – The emergence of electoral posters throughout the land, in tandem with the plethora of promises, pledges and pleas, obliges us to consider how little the Cursus Honorum has changed in two millenniums.
Muse, for instance, upon a few electioneering slogans painted upon a wall in the Roman city of Pompeii, and attempt some contemporary comparison: “I ask you to elect Gaius Julius Polybius aedile. He gets good bread”. “Proculus, make Sabinus aedile and he will do as much for you”. “If upright living may be considered any recommendation, Lucretius Fronto is well worthy of the office”. “Genialis urges the election of Bruttius Balbus as duovir. He will protect the treasury”. “I ask you to elect Marcus Cerrinius Vatia to the aedileship. All the late night drinkers support him”. “The petty thieves support Vatia for the aedileship”. Strong stuff indeed.
However my own particular favourite was a piece of graffito, written on the same wall, which ran: “I wonder, O wall, that you have not fallen in ruins from supporting the stupidities of so many scribblers”. I have no doubt our groaning telegraph poles echo a similar sentiment, and it is, I suppose, little comfort to our citizens to realise that there is nothing new under the sun. But then again, the volcano may be an entirely different matter! – Yours, etc.