The scales of naked ambition

So the elections are looming in Nova Roma. The last time I checked the slate for the Libra Alliance was empty. Tiberius Galerius Paulinus has declared himself a candidate for Praetor, Gaius Equitius Cato for Quaestor and Gaius Modius Athanasius for Consul.

As to the latter, I find it hard to suppress a loud snort of derision. Gnaeus Equitius Marinus, even though I have disagreed with his policies on numerous occasions, has more consular material in his little finger than Modius Athanasius does in his entire body.

Modius Athanasius would divide Nova Roma even further (if that is possible) because he cannot let go of his own personal issues with other citizens. Modius Athanasius talks often of peace and mending fences, and then proceeds in various posts to smash down the few remaining parts of the fence that exist. Modius Athanasius wants to matter, and there is really nothing wrong in that, but there has to be something else that a candidate offers to counter naked ambition for "power" (however you want to define that in Nova Roma).

The scales are weighed heavily to the floor on the side of Modius Athanasius's personal ambition but the measure of a consul was never added to the other side of the balance. That yardstick includes, but is not limited to, political maturity, a large measure of dignitas and auctoritas, not to mention a candidate that is level headed and analytical. In my estimation Modius Athanasius comes up woefully short on all of these counts.