“He was a quiet, gentle man,
a man who loved peace
(his country had suffered much
from the wars of his predecessor),
he behaved graciously toward everyone,
humble and great alike.
Never high-handed, he always sought advice
in the kingdom’s affairs
from serious, experienced people. Just why his nephew killed him
was never precisely explained.”
King Claudius http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=163&cat=4 (inspired by the story of Hamlet by William Shakespeare)
Collected Poems (1992)
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Constantine P. Cavafy 62
Greek poet 1863–1933Related quotes

Voltaire (1916)

“Driven raving mad by love—and he a man who had been always esteemed for his great prudence.”
Che per amor venne in furore e matto,
d'huom che si saggio era stimato prima.
Canto I, stanza 2 (tr. Guido Waldman); of Orlando.
Orlando Furioso (1532)

Napoleon : In His Own Words (1916)

Quoted in Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq Vol.1 p. 156.
Prehistoric Smith, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).