There is no greater fame for a man than that which he wins with his footwork or the skill of his hands.
HomerRead
Come, Friend, you too must die. Why moan about it so? Even Patroclus died, a far, far better man than you. And look, you see how handsome and powerful I am? The son of a great man, the mother who gave me life-- A deathless goddess. But even for me, I tell you, Death and the strong force of fate are waiting. There will come a dawn or sunset or high noon When a man will take my life in battle too-- flinging a spear perhaps Or whipping a deadly arrow off his bow.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the inevitability of death and the futility of fearing it, as everyone, regardless of their greatness, must eventually confront mortality.
In this quote from Homer, the speaker reflects on the universal experience of death, asserting that no matter how mighty or revered one may be—like the speaker himself, the son of a great man and a divine mother—death is an inescapable force that awaits everyone. The mention of Patroclus serves as a reminder that even noble and exceptional individuals face the same fate, encouraging acceptance of mortality instead of despair. This perspective invites a contemplation of life, legacy, and the transient nature of existence.
Themes
DeathMortalityFateAcceptanceLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a eulogy to remind people of the shared human experience of mortality.
More from Homer
All quotes →For Fate has wove the thread of life with pain,_x000D_ _x000D_ And twins ev'n from the birth are Misery and Man!
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Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier; I have seen worse sights than this.
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Sing, O muse, of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.
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There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.
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[I]t is the wine that leads me on, the wild wine that sets the wisest man to sing at the top of his lungs, laugh like a fool – it drives the man to dancing... it even tempts him to blurt out stories better never told.
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