In The History of King Richard III, Thomas More produced one of the first historical tales of the modern period, reminiscent of Sallust's narrative and didactic approaches. His character has the force of popular myth which exceeds historical truth. Richard, duke of Gloucester, "was close and secret, a deep dissimuler, [...] not letting to kiss whom he thought to kill". The History recalls Richard's frenetic struggle for power and his cynical resource to cruelty, manipulation and lies. For Thomas More, Richard III was the embodiment of evil, the perfect example of tyranny bringing chaos and death to the country. Shakespeare, following the examples of chroniclers like Hall and Holinshed, would cast this particular English king in such an enduring light.