Sir, – I was disappointed to see your reference to Canute in your Front page article (“Berlusconi to step down as euro crisis claims another victim”, November 9th) as suggesting he was defiantly refusing to acknowledge the flow of the tide. King Canute, in fact, went down to the sea not, as is often suggested, because of his arrogance, but to demonstrate to his supporters that even he, a king, could not control the waves. He said, “Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.”
Perhaps, in light of recent events in the euro zone, it would be useful for people to remember this. – Yours, etc,