Marcus Cicero, a seemingly civil-right lawyer, advocate for lower class and extorted foreigners, and hero of democratic Roman republic, was actually one of those self-interest political aspirants in turbulent ages, led by simple luck or fate. The author, Robert Harris, ushered me to the great political theatre of Roman Republic two millennium age.

   Cicero reminds me of our ex-president Roh. Cicero came from the equestrian class, which could be I believe equivalent of today’s middle class, so his voters and supporters were mainly plebeians. For the aristorcratic Romans, he was just ’a new man’ and outsider who had no blue blood lineage or serious money at all. Similarly president Roh came out of nowhere and was considered a maverick in the eyes of mainstream politicians. Cicero won the people’s approval through his eloquence and oration at the various stages of courts and special prosecutions, while Roh rose to fame through his genius of debating skills and rabble-rousing speeches. Roh was one of those super star politicians produced by live television show of Congressional hearings for corruption scandals.

   As Cicero fought against the corrupted Roman aristocracy, Roh fought against the axis of evil in South Korea, which were the ultra conservative media, conglomerates, and the extreme right Grand National Party. Both Cicero and Roh were believed to be the Reformist vanguard of ’All New Republic’ who could destroy decades old legacy of plutocracy, bribery, and military dictatorship.

However, they ended up being a Machiavellian politician whose true goals lies not in the welfare of citizens and justice, but in their advancement in politics through shrewd political maneuvers or Roh’s so-called ’political engineering.’ That was all they wanted, their insatiable desire for ever higher official positions, and finally absolute power, ’imperium.’

   It is really a pity to watch young, dazzling, and passionate warriors for liberty, democracy, and republican idealism descended to egocentric demagogues, pure makings of self-righteousness, arrogance, and vanity. They only disillusioned their supporters. Sadly I was one of them, like Cicero’s cousin and true critic Lucius. At first I was on Cicero’s side as I cast a vote for Roh. But my enthusiasm slowly dwindled as they gradually became to look the same as the old guard of ancien regime.

  I felt disgusted and appalled by the way they manupulated politics, conjured up populistic ideas, and stirred up the people for their own ends. Nevertheless, I would say the book is the absolute political drama that opens our eyes to the critical moments of Roman history. It isn’t just a fiction. It’s a revived history. All long gone characters vividly alive. I am really looking forward to the second book of Imperium.