The Golden Bough

"In both we see a series of divine kings on whose life the fertility of men, of cattle, and of vegetation is believed to depend, and who are put to death, whether in single combat or otherwise, in order that their divine spirit may be transmitted to their successors in full vigor, uncontaminated by the weakness and decay of sickness or old age, because any such degeneration on the part of the king would, in the opinion of his worshippers, entail a corresponding degeneration on mankind, on cattle, and on the crops."
-Frazer, p. 269

I find this excerpt from The Golden Bough interesting because it discusses the role and occupation that kings must fit and preform. I have always been fascinated with how a monarchy works and the heritage behind it all, especially the British monarchy. If I get bored, I look up and read about a king or queen that ruled Britain and its various domains. Any phrase that has anything to do with a king, queen or nobility has my attention, that is why this excerpt grabbed me. A monarch, either king, queen or other, has an enormous job to do, they have to ensure the safety of their country, provide for their people, be an excellent general-in-chief, and they have to provide the next heir to the throne. This can be a hefty job for anyone, that is probably why they usually have a consort and advisors. Frazer describes a king who provides for his people and has an heir to pass this immense job to. One thing he said that sounds odd is 'who are put to death', kings you would think aren't put to death very often, if anyone commits treason or a felony against the king or country, the king usually decides that gruesome job. History has proven though, that kings can be put to death, look at Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI of France for instance, they ruled France and obviously did not do a very good job, and they both died for it by the hand of their subjects, or as Frazer puts it, "worshippers". One of the most important things for a king to do is to provide an heir, usually that isn't a problem for most kings and their queen-consorts. That is what drove King Henry VIII to be so brash. He desired a son more than anything and he ended up with two daughters and one son, who died young. His daughters however became two of the most famous queens in the British monarchy. I just found this phrase interesting because it summarized the role of a king in just a few lines, when it takes years or dynasties even for a king or queen to truly know their true role as monarch.
-RD