The Ultimate Answer to Kings: One QoD, and then I'm going to stop talking about this.

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Monday, March 22, 2010

One QoD, and then I'm going to stop talking about this.

"Said the president to the nation, 'Tonight, we answered the call of history.'

He neglected to mention that it was Stalin who placed the call."

- Anon

1 comment:

Thunder said...: And it was a collect call.

And can I get on the "Do Not Call" list for this?; March 22, 2010 at 7:28 PM

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Monday, March 22, 2010

One QoD, and then I'm going to stop talking about this.

1 comment:

Why the hell did you scroll all the way down here?