In the “Reign of Terror” episode of “I, Claudius,” a character being beaten to death at the behest of a tyrant declares: “I’ve never fully realized before how a small mind, allied to unlimited ambition and without scruple, can destroy a country full of clever men.”
This TV drama is about ancient Rome, and it aired in 1976, so of course this quote has absolutely no bearing on today.
Via the delightful “I, Podius” podcast, with John Hodgman and Elliott Kalan.
The petty tyrant in the above scene is Sejanus, played by a thirty-something Patrick Stewart. Sir Patrick has hair in “I, Claudius” but – I learned in a previous episode of the pod – it’s stunt hair; Stewart has been bald since he was 19.