Weni, widi, wici

Weni, widi, wici

Crossing the Rubicon May Get You Run Over

Sophia: (pointing to the Jeep)

Behold, gentlemen — the modern Rubicon. No legion, no senate, only an engine and four wheels. Yet still, a crossing.

Socrates:

Indeed, Sophia. Yet tell me — what is it to cross? Is it merely to pass from one side to the other? Or is it to alter one’s destiny irreversibly, as Caesar once did when he stepped across his stream?

Caesar: (smiling, hand on the fender)

I remember it well, though this contraption seems more comfortable than sandals. In my day, I declared, “Veni, vidi, vici” — I came, I saw, I conquered. But you change the words: “Weni, widi, wici.” What does this plural “we” mean? Does it diminish the leader?

Sophia:

Not diminish, Julius — complete. For the leader without the people is only a solitary man shouting at water. To say we came, we saw, we conquered is to bind the commander and the company, the idea and its embodiment.

Socrates:

A subtle point, Sophia. Yet beware: if everyone says “we,” who is responsible for the choice? The stream does not cross itself. Someone steps first. Someone turns the wheel of this Rubicon.

Caesar:

True, Socrates. Leadership is not extinguished in the chorus of “we.” It is proven by it. My act at the Rubicon was mine, yet it carried thousands with me. The first step may be lonely, but it echoes into multitudes.

Sophia:

So perhaps the warning is apt: “Crossing the Rubicon may get you run over.” For the leader who says only “I” risks being trampled by the very collective he forgets.

Socrates:

And the collective who says only “we” risks drowning without direction.

Caesar:

Then let the maxim stand: Weni, widi, wici. The we arrives, perceives, and acts — but always with the courage of one to ignite the many.

The Jeep lurches forward, splashing into the current. The three watch as it climbs the opposite bank, mud flying. A symbol both playful and perilous: the Rubicon is never merely a stream, but the point at which words, wills, and wheels make history.

Veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered.)
— Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC)

The planksip Writers' Cooperative is proud to sponsor an exciting article rewriting competition where you can win part of over $750,000 in available prize money.

Figures of Speech Collection Personified

Our editorial instructions for your contest submission are simple: incorporate the quotes and imagery from the above article into your submission.
What emerges is entirely up to you!

Winners receive $500 per winning entry multiplied by the article's featured quotes. Our largest prize is $8,000 for rewriting the following article;

“I see!” said Homer

A deluded entry into Homer starkly contrasts the battles and hero-worship that united our Western sensibilities and the only psychology that we no? Negation is what I often refer to as differentiation within and through the individual’s drive to individuate.

planksip®Heraclitus

At planksip, we believe in changing the way people engage—at least, that's the Idea (ἰδέα). By becoming a member of our thought-provoking community, you'll have the chance to win incredible prizes and access our extensive network of media outlets, which will amplify your voice as a thought leader. Your membership truly matters!