People are slating Boris Johnson after 'delusional' reference in his farewell speech

Boris Johnson has been widely mocked this morning after making a bizarre reference to a Roman dictator in his farewell speech. In his final address outside Downing Street, the outgoing Prime Minister compared himself to Cincinnatus - a statesman in Rome in the fifth century BC.

"On the subject of bouncing around in future careers, let me say that I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function," Mr Johnson said.

"I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific. Like Cincinnatus, I am returning to my plough and I will be offering this government nothing but the most fervent support."

READ MORE: 'That's it folks...' everything Boris Johnson said as he gives final speech outside Downing Street

His odd remark soon saw the historical figure trending on Twitter. TV historian and professor of Classics at Cambridge University, Mary Beard, said on the social media site: "If you are curious about Boris Johnson's reference to Cincinnatus in his goodbye speech - he was a 5th century BC Roman politician who saved the state from an invasion, then - job done - returned to his farm ('to his plough'). He was also an enemy of the people."

She later added on Radio 4's Today programme that he was "absolutely resolutely anti-populist" and "completely opposed the rights of the poor and unprivileged in Rome".

His Wikipedia page, which also saw a large amount of traffic this morning, says he "has often been cited as an example of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic virtue, humility, and modesty".

And former classics scholar Mr Johnson, who will be replaced as Tory leader by Liz Truss following her victory over Rishi