Walking near Westminster bridge, Jenkins pauses by the statue of Boadicea to watch the passing vintage cars:
The chariot horses recalled what a squalid part the philosopher Seneca, with his shady horse-dealing, had played in that affair. Below was inscribed the pay-off for the Romans.
Regions Caesar never knew
Thy posterity shall sway. [TK 281/277]
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Statue of Boadicea
Thomas Thornycroft, executed 1853-1885 , erected 1902
bronze
NW end of Westminster Bridge, London
photo by Carole Radatto, available in Wikimedia Commons by Creative Commons license
The statue of Boadicea was commisioned by Prince Albert as a tribute to Queen Victoria. The sculptor, Thomas Thornycroft (1815-1885), was known for monuments, including an equestrian statute of Queen Victoria shown at the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851, and memorials to Prince Albert, including the Commerce group on the Albert Memorial.
Boadicea was queen of the Iceni tribe of Britons. Her name means victory, but she failed in her rebellion against the Romans. (For more history, including the role of Seneca in the story, see www.historynet.com.) The inscription at the base, extolling the British empire, is from Boadicea. An Ode. by Thomas Cowper (1731-1800).
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