There is no greater fame for a man than that which he wins with his footwork or the skill of his hands.
HomerRead
Achilles glared at him and answered, "Fool, prate not to me about covenants. There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other out and out an through. Therefore there can be no understanding between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us, till one or other shall fall
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the futility of trying to establish agreements between fundamentally opposing forces.
Achilles' statement underscores the inherent conflict and animosity between beings that are fundamentally different, such as men and lions or wolves and lambs. It suggests that true understanding and agreements are impossible between those who are in direct opposition to each other, illustrating a broader commentary on power dynamics and enmity in human relations.
Themes
ConflictUnderstandingCovenantsOppositionPower Dynamics
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about foreign policy, one might quote this to emphasize the futility of negotiations with hostile entities.
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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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