Evelyn Alastrine

## The Sovereign

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Magistrate and adjudicator, Evelyn Alastrine is the representation of leadership and legitimate rule. They embody an eternal destiny of service and virtue, rising above all petty shortcomings of humanity to pursue the tenets of the church. They take the form of a figure robed in black, bound and chained with shining brass jewelry symbolizing shackles, and blinded by the Solar Crown.

Evelyn is patron to the Cinerean sovereigns and their successors. Through the majesty of the sun and moon, which go about their duty faithfully and endlessly, Evelyn's natural phenomenon is the solar eclipse. Alastrine, and each sovereign, epitomizes the Church's servitude to humanity and democracy, and so long as that servitude remains, the country may be good and fair.

The See of the Cinerean Church sits in the crossing of Cordalonde at the epicenter of Cinerea, symbolizing authority and gratuitous selflessness to serving the country and its democracy. A sovereign volunteers and is chosen for their wisdom, capability, and excellence, responsible for heading the church and protecting the rights of humanity. The sovereign is never relieved of their duty: they are the patron of governance, and thus must live the length of their life serving the country. They exist exclusively to serve the population as a whole. The administration of justice necessitates division of authority, for absolute power corrupts absolutely. In this way the most upstanding leaders rise above those who would intend to abuse and exploit their See, subordinating all others. Thus, the sovereign must actively epitomize the church's virtues.

"Neither arts nor governments provide for their own interests; but, as we were before saying, they rule and provide for the interests of their subjects who are the weaker and not the stronger—to their good they attend and not to the good of the superior. And this is the reason [...] no one is willing to govern; because no one likes to take in hand the reformation of evils which are not his concern without remuneration. For, in the execution of his work, and in giving his orders to another, the true artist does not regard his own interest, but always that of his subjects; and therefore in order that rulers may be willing to rule, they must be paid in one of three modes of payment, money, or honour, or a penalty for refusing.

[...] money and honour have no attraction for them; good men do not wish to be openly demanding payment for governing and so to get the name of hirelings, nor by secretly helping themselves out of the public revenues to get the name of thieves. And not being ambitious they do not care about honour. Wherefore necessity must be laid upon them, and they must be induced to serve from the fear of punishment. And this, as I imagine, is the reason why the forwardness to take office, instead of waiting to be compelled, has been deemed dishonourable. Now the worst part of the punishment is that he who refuses to rule is liable to be ruled by one who is worse than himself. And the fear of this, as I conceive, induces the good to take office, not because they would, but because they cannot help—not under the idea that they are going to have any benefit or enjoyment themselves, but as a necessity, and because they are not able to commit the task of ruling to any one who is better than themselves, or indeed as good. For there is reason to think that if a city were composed entirely of good men, then to avoid office would be as much an object of contention as to obtain office is at present; then we should have plain proof that the true ruler is not meant by nature to regard his own interest, but that of his subjects; and every one who knew this would choose rather to receive a benefit from another than to have the trouble of conferring one."

- Plato, The Republic

## Artistic Examples

As with all other aspects of the Uiledia, Evelyn Alastrine is exemplified through various artistic works, like the following:

*Largo* from *Serse*, by Handel, Anthem of Cinerea

*Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened*, by Handel

*Rex Tremendae,* by Mozart

*Lacrimosa*, by Mozart

*Orchestral Air*, by Bach

*Sarabande*, by Handel