Gregory Aldrete

He's the guy who wins the Battle of Actium for Augustus. So literally, Augustus would not have become the first emperor without Agrippa. When Augustus rebuilds the city of Rome, it's Agrippa that he gives the job to. Agrippa rebuilds the campus marshes. He builds the first version of the Pantheon. He personally goes through the sewers to clean them out.

And he just has this great set of qualities that he's very self-effacing. I think he likes power. He wants real power, but he realizes, I don't have that kind of clever politician's ability to be the front guy, so I'll just serve my friend Augustus loyally. They were childhood friends. I'll win the battles for Augustus, and I'll let him take all the credit.

And he just has this great set of qualities that he's very self-effacing. I think he likes power. He wants real power, but he realizes, I don't have that kind of clever politician's ability to be the front guy, so I'll just serve my friend Augustus loyally. They were childhood friends. I'll win the battles for Augustus, and I'll let him take all the credit.

And he just has this great set of qualities that he's very self-effacing. I think he likes power. He wants real power, but he realizes, I don't have that kind of clever politician's ability to be the front guy, so I'll just serve my friend Augustus loyally. They were childhood friends. I'll win the battles for Augustus, and I'll let him take all the credit.

But I'll be his number two guy, and that's what I'm good at. And he realizes his limitations. I mean, so many people don't. So many people are like, oh, I just want to keep grabbing for more and more and more when it's not something they're good at.

But I'll be his number two guy, and that's what I'm good at. And he realizes his limitations. I mean, so many people don't. So many people are like, oh, I just want to keep grabbing for more and more and more when it's not something they're good at.

But I'll be his number two guy, and that's what I'm good at. And he realizes his limitations. I mean, so many people don't. So many people are like, oh, I just want to keep grabbing for more and more and more when it's not something they're good at.

And I think Agrippa says, I'm good to this point, and I'll play that role and no more, and that'll give me a lot of power, but I'm not going to press it. And he's – yeah, he's just very hardworking. He's modest. He's self-effacing. He's highly competent.

And I think Agrippa says, I'm good to this point, and I'll play that role and no more, and that'll give me a lot of power, but I'm not going to press it. And he's – yeah, he's just very hardworking. He's modest. He's self-effacing. He's highly competent.

And I think Agrippa says, I'm good to this point, and I'll play that role and no more, and that'll give me a lot of power, but I'm not going to press it. And he's – yeah, he's just very hardworking. He's modest. He's self-effacing. He's highly competent.

Or the ones who make something possible. I mean, even in this conversation today, you would not have Alexander the Great without his father, Philip II, having built that army and handed it to him on a silver platter. Octavian would never have become emperor without Agrippa. So it's – they play central roles sometimes.

Or the ones who make something possible. I mean, even in this conversation today, you would not have Alexander the Great without his father, Philip II, having built that army and handed it to him on a silver platter. Octavian would never have become emperor without Agrippa. So it's – they play central roles sometimes.

Or the ones who make something possible. I mean, even in this conversation today, you would not have Alexander the Great without his father, Philip II, having built that army and handed it to him on a silver platter. Octavian would never have become emperor without Agrippa. So it's – they play central roles sometimes.

But if I had to pick an emperor, I'd probably pick Augustus just because of his influence and because I admire his – the thing Agrippa didn't have, his political savvy, his manipulation of image and propaganda, all that I find very fascinating. Though I'm not sure he's a great human being, but he's a really interesting figure. Yeah.

But if I had to pick an emperor, I'd probably pick Augustus just because of his influence and because I admire his – the thing Agrippa didn't have, his political savvy, his manipulation of image and propaganda, all that I find very fascinating. Though I'm not sure he's a great human being, but he's a really interesting figure. Yeah.

But if I had to pick an emperor, I'd probably pick Augustus just because of his influence and because I admire his – the thing Agrippa didn't have, his political savvy, his manipulation of image and propaganda, all that I find very fascinating. Though I'm not sure he's a great human being, but he's a really interesting figure. Yeah.

Well, he drove him to suicide, let's say. There's a lot of interesting questions there.

Well, he drove him to suicide, let's say. There's a lot of interesting questions there.

Well, he drove him to suicide, let's say. There's a lot of interesting questions there.

Well, I mean, one of the big questions with the Roman emperors, and we've been talking about some of them, is why did so many seem to be either crazy or just kind of sadists? And that's – I don't know that there's a good answer to that. I mean, people have theories, oh, Caligula got a brain fever and changed after that or something. But –