MYCETES
Accurst be he that first invented war,
They knew not, ah, they knew not simple men,
How those were hit by pelting Cannon shot,
Stand staggering like a quivering Aspen leaf,
Fearing the force of Boreas boisterous blasts.
In what a lamentable case were I,
If Nature had not given me wisedomes lore?
For Kings are clouts that every man shoots at,
Our Crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave.
Therefore in pollicy I think it good
To hide it close: a goodly Strategem,
And far from any man that is a fool.
So shall I not be knowen, or if I be,
They cannot take my crown from me.
Here will I hide it in this simple hole.

In this passage from Christopher Marlowe's "Tamburlaine the Great," Mycetes, the beleaguered King of Persia, voices a poignant curse against the very concept of war. He laments the havoc and fear brought on by battle, illustrating the vulnerability of those caught in its path. Mycetes compares soldiers struck by cannon fire to trembling aspen leaves, highlighting their fragility. His soliloquy underscores a king's precarious position, noting that their crowns, symbolic of power and authority, are perpetual targets. Mycetes believes his only tactic for survival is to conceal his crown, demonstrating his desperation and lack of confidence in retaining power. This moment encapsulates the chaos of leadership and warfare, reflecting the human cost of ambition and conflict.