Washington was often compared to Cincinnatus, the Roman general who, called from retirement, led the Romans to victory against their enemies and then returned to his farm. Washington too led the Americans to victory and retired. He refused to endorse efforts to make him a king. When elected, he insisted on limiting his office to two terms. These unparalleled decisions stunned his contemporaries and set a standard for all future presidents.
In Byron’s “Ode to Napoleon Bonaparte”, the poet reveals his disillusionment with Napoleon in the first stanza,
Washington was often compared to Cincinnatus, the Roman general who, called from retirement, led the Romans to victory against their enemies and then returned to his farm. Washington too led the Americans to victory and retired. He refused to endorse efforts to make him a king. When elected, he insisted on limiting his office to two terms. These unparalleled decisions stunned his contemporaries and set a standard for all future presidents.
In Byron’s “Ode to Napoleon Bonaparte”, the poet reveals his disillusionment with Napoleon in the first stanza,
’TIS done—but yesterday a King!
And arm’d with Kings to strive—
And now thou art a nameless thing:
So abject—yet alive!
Is this the man of thousand thrones,
Who strew’d our earth with hostile bones,
And can he thus survive?—
Since he, miscall’d the Morning Star,
Nor man nor fiend hath fallen so far.
And his admiration for Washington in the last:
Where may the wearied eye repose
When gazing on the Great;
Where neither guilty glory glows,
Nor despicable state?
Yes—one—the first—the last—the best—
The Cincinnatus of the West,
Whom envy dared not hate,
Bequeath’d the name of Washington,
To make man blush there was but one!