Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Wednesday invoked Greek mythological hero Hercules as he toasted striking a long-awaited budget deal.
“We aren’t exactly on Mount Olympus yet in this country and I’m not standing here with a divine feeling … But at least the government has the courage to climb the path of Arete,” De Wever told lawmakers in the Belgian parliament. “We did not opt for laziness, but for the Herculean task of a multi-year budget.”
According to the ancient Greek tale known as The Choice of Hercules, the young man is approached by two figures. Kakia (vice) offers him a life of ease and pleasure, while Arete (virtue) promises a more demanding path of discipline and hardship, but one that leads to true honor and lasting glory.