DES 
Sy aches Servia, and fome of the neighbouring coun- 
"The word, in its firft origin, ae the fame with i 
Latin herus, and the Enghfh m : but, in time, it un 
went the fame fate on medals, Pe among the Latins, ree 
did with regard to Auguflus; BACIAETC anfwering to 
ian and AECIIOTHC, defpotes, to Cefar. See 
Thus, al tea having ordered his fon Stauracius to 
— crowned, the fon, out of refpe&, would only tak 
a AECII potas leaving to - his ies that of 
ee AEYC. For itis to be noted, that it was juf& about 
the time that the eaveee began to ceafe to ufe Latin in- 
{criptions. 
This ccna arnt did not laft long; for the fol- 
wing empero the quality of AECIIOTHC, 
that of BACIAEYC. picueds Conttantine, Michacl Ducas, 
es eg rabaia tes, Romanus Diogenes, the Comneni, 
and foe other 
In fale 63 G the ae the princeffes likewife afflumed 
the title of AECTIOIN 
It was the emperor a eden furnamed the Angel, that 
created the dignity of defpot, and made it the firf after that 
of emperor, oa a of Augultus, or Sebaftocrator, acd 
Cxfar. See Av 
The defpots were ually the emperors’ fons, or fons in- 
law, and their colleagues, or copartners in the empire, as 
well as their prefumptive heirs. ‘The defpots,that were fons 
of the emperors, had more Pocae and authority than thofe 
that were only fons in-law. Co 8. defcribes the habit 
and sgeeie of the defpot. See the notes of father Goar 
on that a 
Under ie feeion of Conftantine the Great, the title 
defpot of Sparta was given to the emperor’s fon, or brother, 
who had the city of cota: or Lacedzmon, by way of apan- 
nage. 
DESPO’ TISM, or Desrotic Government, a form 
ot 
volutions ; a deprefs all 
thi een = Heyes every {park of ambition, Asa 
oti ion of true 
FSS) 
t=} 
nation 8, 
€,it is not unaptly obferved 
hy Gibbon, that. defpoti east nates in fuperitition ; or 
it may be truly faid to aa its.chief {ppport from it, in 
OL. 
‘that the people derive the ee veneratio 
f 
DE 
the military power which it comm? ands, 
rtly from thelr religion 
om which they 
ic cull and there 
nder wo weigh that 
w the priitce declares himnfelf re propr ietor oF al the 
la ca: a heir to e moe ubject=, Hence arifes the negle& of 
agriculture ; an € prince intermeddles likewife in trade, 
all manner of indulisy is ruined. Under this fort of govern- 
ment nothing is repaired or improved. In defpotic govern- 
ments, where the prince’s brothers are equally his flaves and 
connection with 
n Mahometan countries, it is par 
ae exercife i its injuftice. 
is, therefore, natural in defpotic 
ws; the 
government is fubje 
it is in its nate orr aoa o er governments are 
Montefquieu, 
he fays, is eafily accounted for. In order to form a mode- 
powers, to rule, temper, and fet them in motion, to give, ag 
it were, ballaft to one, in order to enable it to refit another. 
3 ¢ This 
