Help with a spot of Latin

[Diggory Venn]

I wonder if any LitNet member could help me with a Latin quote, and translate it into English ?

"Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi !"

It was written by Thomas Hardy in one of his notebooks, (later published in his (auto)biography), concerning his thoughts on the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1, in or around the time of the Battle of Gravelotte in particular..

[tailor STATELY]

http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1188246


Whenever monarchs err, the people are punished.
[Lat., Quidquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi.]

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[Diggory Venn]

Good evening tailor STATELY,

Thank you so much for responding. I had no idea that it was quoted from Horace, but that figures, as he was one of Hardy`s favourite poets. Typical too of Hardy`s frame of mind at the time, (he was then living in London, and getting rather `fed up` with the upper-classes and the establishment in general. It was the time of his trying to get his first novel published as well, and failing, because "it meant mischief"...), but I digress..

Cheers again..