The Emperor’s Horse

The horse only on which can ride his master’s ambition to be the king of the kings is the emperor’s horse.

In the olden days, a king became an emperor after winning many wars and subjugating many kingdoms.

In those days, the emperors won wars with great horses and grand warriors. Often these grand warriors used to be famous emperors themselves whose best friends in the battle- fields used to be their own horses that stood by them and fought with them against all odds.

The horse therefore used to be as famous as the emperor himself was, as the horse named Bucephalus, arguably one of the greatest horses of the antiquities, was the horse of the world conquering Emperor Alexander the Great.

The wars have changed their character these days; the military campaigns do not need horses any more.

The political or business leaders wielding governmental or financial authority are modern day emperors. Their compelling ideas are comparable to the great horses, which help them win political or business battles thereby putting them in positions of power.

In this context, it is relevant to reflect upon the admirable life and towering achievements of Subhash Chandra Bose, one of the greatest political leaders of the last century. He rode on the compelling idea that ‘the death of the brave is preferable to the life of the slave’ as he led the military challenge with extreme courage and supreme sacrifice against the mightiest empire of his times, the colonial British empire.

Eventually, Chandra Bose’s campaigns along with the various forms of struggles of other freedom fighters contributed greatly in the amazing process of actualization of attaining independence of his country, India, politically from the colonial British rule.

The phrase ‘Emperor’s Horse’ has therefore assumed a different meaning in today’s context; it signifies a powerful idea that can make one man reach a position of authority by influencing the minds of others leading to creation of actions causing history to become purposive.

While romancing with times one therefore cannot but be nostalgic about Emperors and their horses as history unfolds across all ages.