Polis is man writ large - Part 1

From humble beginnings...

London: the ageing grandeed of the world

Having lived an eventful life, rich in experiences and filled with culture, politics, business and the lot, this man of gravitas, eloquence and intelligence now spends most of his time in a stately mansion amidst the riches he has accumulated over the years.

He prefers to see to his responsibilities from the study these days, from where he can also catch up on the latest news and take care of his correspondance, while reclining comfortably on his winged, fine leather chair; every now and then refreshing his thoughts with a sip of cognac (only the finest, of course). The room is lit by a grand fireplace situated a few metres in front of his desk, and, although he still works hard, he has become prone to letting his mind wander - the flickering light often enticing him to follow how the objects around him become illuminated for a split second before falling back into the shadows. The soft sound of classical music also adds to the ambience of enlightenment - he still derives great pleasure from the way concertos and arias instruct his ossicles to stimulate his mind.

London, today, is more than comfortable with his surroundings. Perhaps he should be, after all, he owns many of the greatest art-works ever created, along with volume upon volume of history, litareture and science, and a myriad of arcitechtural masterpieces, both new and old, subtle and stunning. And any thorough inventory of his would also uncover countless cultural treasures from home and abroad, and a vast amount of wealth, albeit mostly in illiquid form. 

He knows his possessions well, for each of them is imbued with deep meaning: it's own story appended with that of how it came to be in his possession - reminding him of earlier conquests, victories and setbacks. They make him proud, for they are his proof of an eventful life and a productive career. Thus, with a statesmanlike air of grandeur, he now breathes easily, no longer having to show off his status - it is self evident.

London does, however, have doubts about his future: how much longer will he be able to sustain the effort and high standards required to support such wealth and glory?  He also finds it difficult to trust this responsibility on others because, in his mind's eye, they fail to grasp fully how creation and development must be a perpetual work in progress if one wishes to excel like he did.

Saddled by this disconcerting thought, which murmurs at the back of his mind,  his age has, alas, forced him to begin retreating from the frontline of worldly affairs - although others would actually whisper in private that his services are no longer required to the extent that they were before. Perhaps, he thinks, this must be the fate of every great man, should they live to an old age: to become valued less for action and more for advice.

Now that his conatus has begun to whither - tempus edax rerum - London looks inward. Instead of focusing on further gain and conquest, he rests his thoughts on his dominion; on his priceless collections of ideas, innovations and artefacts.  He delights in how their temporal and geographical breadth are still unsurpassed by any other place - save for that of the whole world itself.

As he has also seen a lot of what this world has to offer, he is uniquely capable of fully appreciating the finer things in life: he can easily distinguish between the different schools of art, and in painting, for example, he not only understands how pigments create hues, but he is also privy to to the untold references they point to. London still spends hour after hour cultivating his mind and soul with the vasts amounts of knowledge that can be found in this veritable Alexandria he created; just like his taste buds are tickled daily by cuisine and beverages from the four corners of the earth. He delights in enjoying his privileged position - a luxury earned over centuries of hard work.

As the horizon of twilight creeps ever closer, this gentleman lives less for influence and more for enjoyment, safe in the knowledge that he's already achieved long lasting greatness. Rather than trying to outwit old age by continuing the endeavours of his youth, he now focuses on his accomplishments - power, after all, inevitably sides with the next generation. The way he acknowledges this is a sure sign of his confidence.

To a world city