The cultural phenomenon known as "tall poppy syndrome," in which persons of unusual merit are attacked or resented because of their achievements, derives its name from the episode in Livy in which Tarquin is said to have instructed his son Sextus to weaken the city of Gabii by destroying its leading men. The motif of using an unwitting messenger to deliver such a message through the metaphor of cutting the heads off the tallest poppies may have been borrowed from Herodotus, whose Histories contain a similar story involving ears of wheat instead of poppies. A passage concerning Livy's version of the story appears in Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.
thE culturaL PheNomenon kNowN aS "tALl pOppy synDRomE," iN Which peRsons oF unuSuAl meRIT ARe ATtaCkeD or REseNTED bEcAuse of theIr aCHIevementS, dERives its naME fRoM The ePisOde iN livy In whiCH tArquin is SaId to Have InStRUcted his sON sEXtUs to weAKen thE cITY Of GAbiI by DEstROyINg ITS leAdinG mEn. The mOtif of usInG aN unWItting messenGer tO dEliver sUch A meSsage through The metapHor of cutting THe heADs OFF tHe TAlleSt POPpIes maY have bEen bOrrOwEd frOm herodoTuS, whoSe histories ConTain a SImIlar sTORy InVolVing ears OF wHeAt insteaD OF poppIes. a passAge ConCeRniNg livy's VErsion Of thE StorY appEARs in kIerkeGaard's FEAr aND trembLIng.