Traitors who prevail are patriots; usurpers who succeed are divine emperors.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that those who gain power, regardless of how they do so, are often celebrated and viewed as heroes or divine figures.
Gore Vidal's quote highlights the moral ambiguity in the perceptions of power and loyalty. It implies that the narrative of who is considered a traitor or a patriot can shift based on success; those who previously might have been seen as disloyal can become celebrated figures if they achieve their aims. This serves to reflect on the nature of power, ambition, and the subjective definitions of loyalty and betrayal in society.
In practice
This quote could be used in a political debate to highlight the complexities of power dynamics.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
Voting is merely a labor-saving device for ascertaining on which side force lies and bowing to the inevitable... It is neither more nor less than a paper representative of the bayonet, the bully, and the bullet.
If American women would increase their voting turnout by ten percent, I think we would see an end to all of the budget cuts in programs benefiting women and children.
If taxes are laid upon us in any shape without our having a legal representation where they are laid, are we not reduced from the character of free subjects to the miserable state of tributary slaves? We claim British rights not by charter only! We are born to them.
It is not the function of government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.
This is supposed to be a participatory democracy and if we're not in there participating then the people that will manipulate and exploit the system will step in there.
But the simple truth is that we've lost control of our own borders, and no nation can do that and survive.
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