Human history is rife with events driven by betrayal. Whether it is a partner who cheats, a ‘trusted’ advisor who stabs you in the back or anyone else who deliberately acts in a way to harm you, everyone guards against this heinous behavior.
In fact, just the mention of certain names will evoke a visceral feeling of repulsion because betrayal is one of the most despicable acts. Some of the most famous betrayers are:
Brutus – Marcus Junius Brutus was one of the Senators who conspired against Julius Caesar and ultimately stabbed the most famous Roman who ruled the Empire. The phrase
‘Et tu, Brute?’, translated to ‘You too, Brutus?’ was made famous in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.
Shakespeare
Guy Fawkes – Guy Fawkes is someone many have heard about yet most do not know why. Fawkes was part of a Catholic group who planned to assassinate the Protestant King James in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Because the King was so hated, Fawkes is still celebrated today.
Benedict Arnold – The American Revolution was filled with the men and women from the Colonies fighting against the British King. He was a successful American military leader who was injured fighting the Red Coats. Unfortunately, he also made many enemies among his contemporaries. In 1779, he started providing the enemy with information that almost turned the tide against the revolutionaries.
Quisling – Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician who conspired with the Nazis in taking over Norway and the rest of the Nordic nations. Better known in Europe, the name Quisling is still associated with betrayal of an entire country and was highlighted in Canadian musician Matt Minglewood’s Patriot Games song.
Finally, the most famous betrayal of all –
Judas – Judas Iscariot, according to the Bible and most historians, was the man who betrayed Jesus to the Romans, who crucified the Nazarene. It is said he did it for 30 pieces of silver yet there are many theories as to why he did it. Some posit he was greedy, that he was jealous of Jesus, that he was angry Jesus wasn’t using his influence to overthrow the Romans, and many more.
The bottom line, Judas’s act of betrayal was so egregious that out of all of history’s traitors, the name Judas is synonymous with betrayal and a reason I used that as the title of my debut novel, The Judas Legacy.
