'And everybody praised the Duke Who this great fight did win.' 'But what good came of it at last?' Quoth little Peterkin. 'Why, that I cannot tell,' said he, 'But 'twas a famous victory.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The quote highlights the futility of war, noting that while victories are praised, their actual benefit is often unclear.
- In plain terms
- People praise a war win, but no one knows what good came of it.
- What can you take from it?
- Victory does not always equal progress or benefit.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a victory meaningful?
Another view
It generalizes all military conflicts as pointless.
More from Robert Southey
But what they fought each other for I could not well make out.
Permalink to quote #22 From his brimstone bed, at break of day, A-walking the Devil is gone, To look at his little, snug farm of the World, And see how his stock went on.
Permalink to quote #24 ''Tis some poor fellow's skull,' said he, 'Who fell in the great victory.'
Permalink to quote #21
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