Who's Your Favorite Historical Figure?

[The Grand Nudger]

And that's fine. I just didn't realize that people had to be some paragon of excellence in order to be admirable, according to his long explanation.

I'd be fine with someone saying they love some evil twat because he/she was purely evil. I get that.

Which explanation?

I don't get how someone can love someone for being evil. I get how you could find their character interesting.

Simple enough, purity of form.  Take Aaron accused of general villainy in Titus Andronicus.  Not a historical figure......but a historical stereotype of literary fame.  

What if I do not? as, indeed, I do not; 
Yet, for I know thou art religious 
And hast a thing within thee called conscience, 2210
With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies, 
Which I have seen thee careful to observe, 
Therefore I urge thy oath; for that I know 
An idiot holds his bauble for a god 
And keeps the oath which by that god he swears, 2215
To that I'll urge him: therefore thou shalt vow 
By that same god, what god soe'er it be, 
That thou adorest and hast in reverence, 
To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up; 
Or else I will discover nought to thee.

and-

 Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them: 

That codding spirit had they from their mother, 

As sure a card as ever won the set; 2235

That bloody mind, I think, they learn'd of me, 

As true a dog as ever fought at head. 

Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth. 

I train'd thy brethren to that guileful hole 

Where the dead corpse of Bassianus lay: 2240

I wrote the letter that thy father found 

And hid the gold within the letter mention'd, 

Confederate with the queen and her two sons: 

And what not done, that thou hast cause to rue, 

Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it? 2245

I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand, 

And, when I had it, drew myself apart 

And almost broke my heart with extreme laughter: 

I pry'd me through the crevice of a wall 

When, for his hand, he had his two sons' heads; 2250

Beheld his tears, and laugh'd so heartily, 

That both mine eyes were rainy like to his : 

And when I told the empress of this sport, 

She swooned almost at my pleasing tale, 
And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses.

cont.

Ay, that I had not done a thousand more. 
Even now I curse the day—and yet, I think, 2260
Few come within the compass of my curse,— 
Wherein I did not some notorious ill, 
As kill a man, or else devise his death, 
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it, 
Accuse some innocent and forswear myself, 2265
Set deadly enmity between two friends, 
Make poor men's cattle break their necks; 
Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night, 
And bid the owners quench them with their tears. 
Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves, 2270
And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, 
Even when their sorrows almost were forgot; 
And on their skins, as on the bark of trees, 
Have with my knife carved in Roman letters, 
'Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.' 2275
Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things 
As willingly as one would kill a fly, 
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed 
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.

Any questions?

For you, Summer...am I incarnate of some elemental evil? Desire perhaps....good god I desire......lol.............