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The battle is the great redeemer. Edge of Tomorrow 2014 starring Tom Cruise & Emily Blunt & Bill Paxton & Brendan Gleeson & Kick Gurry & Dragomir Mrsic & Charlotte Riley & Jonas Armstrong & Franz Darmeh & Marianne Jean-Baptiste & Masayoshi Haneda et al, director Doug Liman, Sergeant
A gunner threw down his ramrod and ran down the bank and plunged into the river. The dripping, sweaty dead were dragged out of the way and piled round the caissons in a welter of splintered wood, twisted iron, and spilled powder. Direct hits overturned three of the eight guns so that their muzzles pointed at the sky or rammed at an angle into the dust. John Masters, Nightrunners of Bengal p337
I’d just like to get these battle averages sorted out. Now then, who did you kill today? The Black Adder: The Foretelling, Harry to Edmund, BBC 1983
You should reach the limits of virtue, before you cross the border of death. Tyrtaeus, Spartan poet
How glorious fall the valiant, sword in hand, in front of battle for their native land! Tyrtaeus
Rise up, warriors, take your stand at one another’s sides, our feet set wide and rooted like oaks in the ground. Tyrtaeus
Learn to love death’s ink-black shadow as much as you love the light of dawn. Tyrtaeus
Here is courage, mankind’s finest possession, here is the noblest prize that a young man can endeavor to win. Tyrtaeus
The recrudescence of religion as a political force: because when we were kids in the ’60s there were many things that were up there that we needed to fight against. I don’t think it ever occurred to us that the power of religion, whatever religion, would once again be the thing we had to battle. We actually thought that that battle was won. Salman Rushdie, PEN World Voice Festival, conversation with Christopher Hitchens
In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. Douglas MacArthur
Your battles inspired me – not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead. James Joyce
Taliban: You kind of have to admire anyone who goes into battle in an open-toed shoe. Frankie Boyle, New World Order s5e2, BBC 2021
Now when they were marshalled, the several companies with their captains, the Trojans came on with clamour and with a cry like birds, even as the clamour of cranes ariseth before the face of heaven, when they flee from wintry storms and measureless rain, and with clamour fly toward the streams of Ocean, bearing slaughter and death to Pigmy men, and in the early dawn they offer evil battle. But the Achaeans came on in silence, breathing fury, eager at heart to bear aid each man to his fellow. Homer, The Ilyad III
So spake he, and they stayed them from battle, and became silent forthwith. And Hector spake between the two hosts: ‘Hear from me, ye Trojans and well-greaved Achaeans, the words of Alexander, for whose sake strife hath been set afoot. The other Trojans and all the Achaeans he biddeth to lay aside their goodly battle-gear upon the bounteous earth, and himself in the midst and Menelaus, dear to Ares, to do battle for Helen and all her possessions. And whichsoever of the twain shall win, and prove him the better man, let him duly take all the wealth and the woman, and bear them to his home; but for us others, let us swear friendship and oaths of faith with sacrifice.’ ibid. III
Now when they were met together and come into one place, then dashed they together shields and spears and the fury of bronze-mailed warriors; and the bossed shields closed each with each, and a great din arose. Then were heard alike the sound of groaning and the cry of triumph of the slayers and the slain, and the earth flowed with blood. As when winter torrents, flowing down the mountains from their great springs to a place where two valleys meet, join their mighty floods in a deep gorge, and far off amid the mountains the shepherd heareth the thunder thereof; even so from the joining of these in battle came shouting and toil. ibid. IV
So spake Sarpedon, and his word stung Hector to the heart. Forthwith he leapt in his armour from his chariot to the ground, and brandishing his two sharp spears went everywhere throughout the host, urging men to fight, and roused the dread din of battle. So they rallied and took their stand with their faces towards the Achaeans; and the Argives in close throng abode their coming and fled not. ibid. V
So saying, glorious Hector hastened forth from the gates, and with him went his brother Alexander; and in their hearts were both eager for war and battle. And as a god giveth to longing seamen a fair wind when they have grown weary of beating the sea with polished oars of fir, and with weariness are their limbs fordone; even so appeared these twain to the longing Trojans. ibid. VII
Now Dawn rose from her couch from beside lordly Tithonus, to bring light to immortals and to mortal men; and Zeus sent forth Strife unto the swift ships of the Achaeans, dread Strife, bearing in her hands a portent of war. And she took her hand by Odysseus’ black ship, huge of hull, that was in the midst so that a shout could reach to either end, both to the huts of Aias, son of Telamon, and to those of Achilles; for these had drawn up their shapely ships at the furthermost ends, trusting in their valour and the strength of their hands. There stood the goddess and uttered a great and terrible shout, a shrill cry of war, and in the heart of each man of the Achaeans she put great strength to war and to fight unceasingly. And to them forthwith war became sweeter than to return in their hollow ships to their dear native land. ibid. XI
When she had thus spoken swift-footed Iris departed; and Hector leapt in his armour from his chariot to the ground, and brandishing his two sharp spears went everywhere throughout the host, urging them to fight, and roused the dread din of battle. So they rallied, and took their stand with their faces toward the Achaeans, and the Argives over against them made strong their battalions. And the battle was set in array, and they stood over against each other, and among them Agamemnon rushed forth the first, and was minded to fight far in advance of all. ibid. XI
But the Trojans over against them was glorious Hector setting in array. Then verily were strained the cords of war’s most dreadful strife by dark-haired Poseidon and glorious Hector, bearing aid the one to the Trojans, the other to the Argives. And the sea surged up to the huts and ships of the Argives, and the two sides clashed with a mighty din. Not so loudly bellows the wave of the sea upon the shore, driven up from the deep by the dread blast of the North Wind, nor so loud is the roar of blazing fire in the glades of a mountain when it leapeth to burn the forest, nor doth the wind shriek so loud amid the high crests of the oaks – the wind that roareth the loudest in its rage – as then was the cry of Trojans and Achaeans, shouting in terrible wise as they leapt upon each other. ibid. XIV
But when the Trojans in their flight had passed over the palisade and the trench, and many had been vanquished beneath the hands of the Danaans, then beside their chariots they stayed, and were halted, pale with fear, terror-stricken; and Zeus awoke on the peaks of Ida beside Hera of the golden throne. Then he sprang up, and stood, and saw Trojans alike and Achaeans, these in rout, and the Argives driving them on from the rear, and amid them the lord Poseidon. And Hector he saw lying on the plain, while about him sat his comrades, and he was gasping with painful breath, distraught in mind, and vomiting blood; for not the weakest of the Achaeans was it that had smitten him. ibid. XV
So saying, he [Hector] led the way, and the other followed with him, a godlike man. And the Argives did great Telamonian Aias urge on, saying: ‘My friends, be men, and take ye shame in your hearts, and have shame each of the other in the fierce conflict. Of men that have shame more are saved than are slain; but from them that flee springeth neither glory nor any avail.’ ibid. XV
But Achilles went to and fro throughout the huts and let harness in their armour all the Myrmidons, and they rushed forth like ravening wolves in whose hearts is fury unspeakable … even in such wise the leaders and rulers of the Myrmidons sped forth round about the valiant squire of the swift-footed son of Aeacus. And among them all stood warlike Achilles, urging on both horses and men that bear the shield. ibid. XVI