I take my name from a man named Lycurgus

[MikeWaters]

Lycurgus was descended from Hercules, through eleven generations, and he was the second prince in one of the two royal families of Sparta. When his father and older brother died, Lycurgus stood to inherit the kingdom. However, his deceased brother had left a pregnant wife, and her child, if a boy, would be the rightful heir of the kingdom if he survived birth. This woman came to Lycurgus and offered to abort the child if Lycurgus would make her his queen.

Lycurgus pretended to go along with her, and he convinced her not to risk her health by an abortion. Instead, he offered to do away with the child, and he gave strict orders to bring the child to him as soon as one was born. One day, as Lycurgus was feasting with some of the judges of Sparta, a new-born boy was brought in to him. "Men of Sparta," he said, taking it in his arms, "here is a king born to us." Then he laid the boy down in the place of honor and named him Charilaus, which means "joy of the people."

The people of Sparta admired the character of this man who could lay down the supreme power so easily out of respect for justice, so it was easy for Lycurgus to rule the Spartans in his capacity as the guardian of Charilaus. However, the young king's mother, and her relatives, envied and hated Lycurgus. Among other slanders, they accused Lycurgus of plotting the death of Charilaus.

Lycurgus finally decided that the only way that he might avoid blame in case something should happen to the child would be to go travelling until Charilaus had grown up and fathered a son to secure the succession. Therefore, Lycurgus gave up all of his authority and went to the island of Crete.

I like this Lycurgus cat. As the descendant of a man named Lycurgus, I lay claim unto him for myself.

I too long for the kind of character that can walk away from power in the name of justice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycurgus_(Sparta)