KING DEMETRIOS

         Not like a king but as an actor

          he disguised himself in a gray outfit

          instead of a royal robe and went away unnoticed.

         Plutarch, “Life of Demetrius”

When the Macedonians abandoned him

and proved that they preferred Pyrros

King Demetrios (he had a great soul)

did not—so they say—

act at all like a king. He

took off his golden robes,

threw away his purple shoes,

dressed himself in casual garments

and escaped. Like an actor

who, when the performance is over

changes to plain clothes and leaves the theater.

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