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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