“Caesar was asked if he believed in the gods, to which he replied, ‘The common f

—“Caesar was asked if he believed in the gods, to which he replied, ‘The common folk do- so must I’.”—Bjarg Jonsson

Reciprocity: The people sacrifice to the emperor, the emperor sacrifices to the people. The sacrifice is an expression of loyalty at cost. The sacrifice is not a falsehood. It is material. It is not a payment. But it is a cost.