September 22, 2005

Loonie Loonie Loonie!

I'm Caligula!
Which Historical Lunatic Are You?
From the fecund loins of Rum and Monkey.
Third Emperor of Rome and ruler of one of the most powerful empires of all time, your common name means "little boots". Although you only reigned for four years, brief even by Roman standards, you still managed to garner a reputation as a cruel, extravagant and downright insane despot. Your father died in suspicious circumstances, you were not the intended heir, and one of your first acts as Emperor was to force the suicide of your father-in-law. Your sister Drusilla died that same year; faced with allegations that your relationship with her had been incestuous, you responded, bafflingly, by declaring her a god.

You revived a number of unpopular traditions, including auctions of properties left over from public shows. When a senator fell asleep at one such auction, you took each of his nods as bids, selling him 13 gladiators for a vast sum. You attempted to have your horse, Incitatus, made into a consul and hence one of the most powerful figures in Rome. It was granted a marble stable with jewels and a staff of servants. At one point you forced your comrade Macro to kill himself - in much the same vein as your father-in-law - accusing him of being his wife's pimp. You, of course, were having an affair with said wife at the time.

Things went from bad to worse. When supplies of condemned men ran short in the circus, you had innocent spectators dragged into the arena with the lions to fill their place. You claimed mastery of the sea by walking across a three-mile bridge of boats in the Bay of Naples; kissed the necks of your lovers, whispering sweet nothings like "This lovely neck will be chopped as soon as I say so,"; dallied with your sister's lover and made her pull her unborn child out of her womb prematurely. Towards the end of your reign, you had a golden statue of yourself made and dressed each day in the same clothes you yourself wore. When you eventually died, the terrified people of Rome refused to believe that such a cruel reign could ever end, and believed you to be alive for years afterwards.


Blog Momma-Sis Bou had this quiz. Since I am a historical Re-enactor and amature historian, I just had to take it. However, for the record I have never, EVER bedded my own sister... your sister, maybe when I was in college... but that was a long time ago! :)

Posted by Contagion in Quizes at September 22, 2005 06:14 AM | TrackBack
Comments

I got the same thing - and I never bedded ANYONE's sister!!!!

Posted by: Tammi at September 22, 2005 07:30 AM

I got Charles VI of France, also known as Charles the Mad or Charles the Well-Beloved!

Posted by: oddybobo at September 22, 2005 08:45 AM

I can see you getting Caligula... but Tammi???

Posted by: Bou at September 22, 2005 10:21 AM

That hurts Bou... That hurts.

Posted by: Contagion at September 22, 2005 12:17 PM

I got Charles VI too! I don't recall being a well loved young man...but perhaps it's because I'm a lunatic?

Posted by: ktreva at September 22, 2005 04:52 PM

Yep, old Chas. IV for me, too. Apparently, I'm not just a loony, I'm a French loony! :-P

Posted by: Wes at September 23, 2005 05:02 PM