Monday, April 04, 2022
Blaming the Ruler
Ammianus Marcellinus 28.5.14 (on the Burgundians; tr. John C. Rolfe):
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In their country a king is called by the general name Hendinos, and, according to an ancient custom, lays down his power and is deposed, if under him the fortune of war has wavered, or the earth has denied sufficient crops; just as the Egyptians commonly blame their rulers for such occurrences.On the custom see Jan Bremmer, "Medon, the Case of the Bodily Blemished King," in Perennitas. Studi in onore di Angelo Brelich (Rome: Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1980) 67–76 (at 74-76).
apud eos generali nomine rex appellatur Hendinos, et ritu veteri potestate deposita removetur, si sub eo fortuna titubaverit belli, vel segetum copiam negaverit terra, ut solent Aegyptii casus eius modi suis assignare rectoribus.
