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.
Libros Libertad 