Not living in a Homeric Age.
Bart Simpson would be amused.
"We are not living in the Homeric age, when threats and boasting were thought necessary," the Chancellor said. "Germany is strong enough to dispense with such shield rattling, and will know how to draw the sword when the time comes. The Emperor steadily insisted on strict adherence to our programme at all stages of the negotiations, in full consciousness that every action of a great power may involve the fateful question of war or peace, and in full readiness to uphold the honor of the nation with the sword."
Every now and again I am led down a wikipedia trail of sorrows. What begins as a simple enquiry about the Central African Republique becomes a historical fact finding mission. That particular passage was from Page 7 reporting by unknown contributors. A small rectangular offset in the overall newspaper. It was 1911. A full 3 years before Germany would draw the sword and plunge the world into World War I.
Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg discussed the resignation of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Dr. von Lindequist, who refused to appear in the Reichstag in defense of the Morocco-Congo agreement, and then spoke of the accusation of weakness, maintaining that German prestige rebuked those demanding a display of the "German fist."
The “German fist” has not yet been bared in public, although rump used to before his hands got injured.
https://www.nytimes.com/1911/11/10/archives/kaisers-son-shows-anger-at-treaty-openly-applauds-criticism-of.html
The day was interesting. 11/10 of 1911 or 11/10/11 or 10/11/11.
A day before what we now celebrate as Armistice Day 11/11 worldwide.
What was Kaiser’s son angry about and in full consciousness, threatening to raise the fist and draw the sword?
About the Morocco-Congo Treaty.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco%E2%80%93Congo_Treaty
And that’s funny cause, well cause Casablanca, duh. And Marrakesh. Double duh.
And it gets funnier.
Con Go. Get it? Congo? Yeah I don’t got it neither.
Maybe a game of Go with a con man.
Why are they called Go-Go bars anyway? You never wonder? Yeah me neither until now.
Nola (not New Orleans) is a small town in the Central African Republique and capital of an economic prefecture known as Sangha-Mbaere (don’t have those French acutes already told ya). And that’s funny cause….Sangha. The area around this town was traded by France to Germany in that prior mentioned Treaty and became part of the German colony of Neukamerun only to be reconquered by the French in World War I.
This is where many German and French boys contracted ‘sleeping sickness’ also known as jungle fever.
It gets funnier.
The two official languages of the country are French and Sangho. Sangho is a creole language for inter-ethnic comms from the original Ngbandi.
Only a few other African countries have granted official status to an African language.
Meanwhile in the U.K. English is still the official language upsetting none other than Nigel Farage and J.D. Vance.
The current status of the Central African Republic is mainly Russian. Kremlin and the Wagner Group provide security for the Prime Minister and the President. And most of the Cabinet. NGOs are everywhere too. In fact their economy is heavily reliant on security forces and NGOs. The country is rich in minerals including Uranium and has signed the Nuclear Non Profileration Treaty. This nuclear component has nothing to do with the original German territory of Neukamerun. I also don’t know if Neu Kamerun is where the name Cameroon is derived from.
And finally, two dozen people from America shall be deported to the Central African Republique including two women who fled Iran.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/world/africa/deportations-central-african-republic-migrants-iran-women.html
The Chancellor is right! We are not living in a Homeric Age.
San Diego, California.
