King Dimitrios Poem by Constantine P. Cavafy

Not like a king but an actor, he put on a grey cloak
instead of his royal one and secretly went away.
Plutarch, Life of Dimitrios
When the Macedonians deserted him
and showed they preferred Pyrrhos,
King Dimitrios (a noble soul) didn't behave
-so they said-
at all like a king.
He took off his golden robes,
threw away his purple buskins,
and quickly dressing himself
in simple clothes, he slipped out-
just like an actor who,
the play over,
changes his costume and goes away.