Saturday 19 November 2022

man on the street (10. 319)

We are gently reminded that the will of the people is not the voice of authority, the proverb taken out of context (see also), with the full phrase contained in a missive from Alcuin to Charlemagne in the late eighth century, warning the emperor: “Nec audiendi qui solent dicere, Vox populi, vox Dei, quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit.” That is—And those should not be listened to who keep saying that the voice of the people is the voice of God, as the riotness of the crowd is always close to madness.”