Jul 21, 2025
July 21st
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July 21st
Helen Mirren in Herostratus, 1967
Herostratus (1967) // dir. Don Levy
Herostratus
Herostratus is a character from ancient Greece. History indicates that he burnt down the Temple of Artemus in Ephesus in order to become famous as the person who burnt down the Temple of Artemus in Ephesus.
I see parallels between Herostratus and Donald Trump. Trump wants to leave a legacy. All of this talk about invading Greenland or annexing Canada is, according to many reports, because he wants to go down in history as the president that added those territories to the US. His actions to slash regulatory agencies, law enforcement, environmental and other protections for American Citizens, and scientific research are so he can say he was the president that made all of those cuts. He doesn’t care about the damage he is doing to the country. He is not doing these things out of some deep seated philosophical belief. He doesn’t care about the suffering he causes, or the legality of his actions, only that he gets credit for it.
Much like Herostratus, Trump believes that being famous as a vandal is better than not being famous. Being remembered for destroying things is better than not being remembered. Trump knows he is old, not well, and soon to leave the stage. He knows his first term was an ignominious failure. He knows his time is limited and this is his last chance to leave a mark on history. Trump’s actions are not crazy or random, they are thought out and deliberate, deliberately evil. Having his name synonymous for subjecting the US to untold misery, and handing the title of Superpower to China, is better than being forgotten or marked in a footnote as the two bit con man he is. Trump knows what he is doing is harmful, and people will suffer because of it. But he also knows that going out in a blaze of destruction will anchor his name in history. We remember Caligula and Nero. Who other than scholars remember Claudius or Domitian.
Even Quisling is still remembered.
Herostratus (1967) dir. Don Levy
Herostratus, 1967, Don Levy
Helen Mirren in HEROSTRATUS (1967) dir. Don Levy