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We address the question of tyrannicide in Thomas More and Erasmus through their responses to Lucian’s De Tyrannicida. Not only do these responses reflect the political tensions of the time but they also provide a perspective on the ethical and philosophical concerns that shaped Renaissance thought. They demonstrate how literature could serve as a space for questioning the legitimacy of power and exploring resistance against tyranny. In the introduction, we will briefly examine the relationship between declamatio and humanism. We will then present the circumstances surrounding the enigmatic tyrannicide described by Lucian, according to More and Erasmus’s perspectives. Finally, we will analyze the theses of More and Erasmus in the light of the reformist ideas of their time. In conclusion, we will highlight the political importance of literary texts in the critical context of humanism and the Reformation.