All the old despots were demagogues; at least, they were demagogues whenever they were really trying to please or impress the demos. If they poured out beer for their vassals it was because both they and their vassals had a taste for beer. If (in some slightly different mood) they poured melted lead on their vassals, it was because both they and their vassals had a strong distaste for melted lead.
Allir teir gomlu valdsharrarnir vóru fólkatølarar; í minsta lagi vóru teir altíð fólkatølarar, tá teir veruliga royndu at gleða ella hugtaka fólkið.  Um teir oystu øl út til lensmenninar, var tað tí, at bæði teir og lensmenninir dámdu øl. Um teir (í onkrum heldur øðrvísi hýri) oystu blýbræðingar út yvir lensmenninar, var tað tí, at bæði teir og lensmenninir høvdu andstygd fyri blýbræðingum.