The immense power of living emperors, on the other hand, was mediated through the encompassing agency of the state. Once acknowledged as "paterfamilias" to an Empire, a princeps was naturally entitled to "genius" cult from Imperial subjects of all classes. Cult to a living emperor's "numen" was quite another matter and might be interpreted as no less than a statement of divine monarchy. Imperial responses to the first overtures of cult to the August "numen" were therefore extremely cautious. Only much later, probably in consequence of the hyperinflation of honours to living Emperors, could a living emperor be openly, formally addressed as "numen praesens" (the numinous presence).