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On that night he cemented his legacy as a bridge to the next generation and he embodied the spirit of Cincinnatus who saved the Roman Republic.

Mr Johnson, a famous lover of classics, referenced Cincinnatus, a patrician who turned to farming after leaving Rome only to return when his country needed him.

Then he left Downing Street with an allusion to Cincinnatus, the Roman dictator who laid down his arms and went back to his farm before coming out of retirement to rule Rome again.

Johnson’s supporters, meanwhile, want him to return from his plow — like the classical-era hero Cincinnatus brought back to deal with a crisis, whom Johnson referenced in his resignation speech.

Tantalisingly, the legend of Cincinnatus was that he was recalled a second time to fend off another crisis - prompting some to predict Johnson was already planning his return.