Whispers of poison: Unveiling the lethal history of power and fate – Howard Chua-Eoan

In the intricate drama of real-life politics, where divine intervention is not an option, poison emerges as a clandestine tool to shape power and destiny. From ancient rulers to modern dissidents, poison exploits our primal survival instincts, striking through hunger, thirst, and breath. The art of poisoning, steeped in history, creates a toxic atmosphere of paranoia and intrigue. However, as the powerful wield poison, history reveals that venom may overcome venom, leaving an indelible mark on events but seldom altering the course of destiny.

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By Howard Chua-Eoan

In ancient Greek drama, when the plot got too intractable, playwrights sometimes scripted a crane to swing a god through the action to carry a troublesome character away. The technique was called apò mēkhanês theós in Greek, or, as we still know it from Latin, deus ex machina, the god from the machine. In the theater of real-life politics, you can't engineer divine intervention to eliminate an intransigent enemy. Other means are messy: Invasion can sink into quagmire; gunmen betray employers; attack drones fall short of the target; lightning fails to strike.

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