The Thessalian king Erysichthon was the sort of guy the good judge Zondo wrote about in the missive to the president last week. One mouldy sack of potatoes.

Not only was Erysichthon the neighbourhood’s apex bully, but also a wealthy timber merchant. This greedy brother, unlike our dear president, spent his days dreaming of adding to the sizeable pile of silver drachmas under his bed.

Now the goddess Demeter happened to be one of Erysichthon’s neighbours and on her property she had a sacred grove with a special tree beloved by the gods. A bit like a Saxonwold shebeen, but for deities. Prayers of the faithful were tied to the branches and holy spirits would do a regular jig around its trunk. ..