Its a line from Livy's history of Rome. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=24381 http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=24381 An early King of

Its a line from Livy's history of Rome. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=24381 http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=24381 An early King of Rome sent his son out as a spy pretending to have run away from the tyranny of his father. Rome's enemies promoted him to a senior position. When their spys told him that his father was cutting down the tall poppies, this was the signal that he should mount a coup against the leadership of the enemy towns - which he did and they all fell under Rome's control.