Unchanging Power
A look at the ancient Greek kings Achilles and Menelaus compared to the Book of Mormon kings Noah and Mosiah allow for a comparison between what has stayed the same and changed for kings during a 1,500-year gap. In fact, many aspects of being a king have not changed much over the past couple millennia. The lives of these kings highlight that power maintenance and organization has largely stayed the same, meanwhile the perception of what makes a successful king has changed dramatically. A common trouble of a king is maintaining power. Power is vital for a king because it is a defining aspect of who they are. While there are many ways to approach how to maintain power, repeatedly kings of old would surround themselves with strong allies. Mosiah expounded, “Ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood”. Furthermore, Mosiah explained that a wicked king, “has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards ab...