The tyrant, the playwright reflected, always and necessarily has powerful enemies. He can hunt down and murder some of them; he can compel others to bend under his will and to offer him what Macbeth calls “mouth-honor.” He can employ spies in every house and listen in the dark to whatever is being whispered around him. He can reward his followers, rally his troops, and stage an endless succession of public events that celebrate his innumerable accomplishments. But he cannot possibly eliminate everyone who hates him. For eventually almost everyone does.
