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Upon the first goblet he read this inscription, monkey wine; upon the second, lion wine; upon the third, sheep wine; upon the fourth, swine wine. These four inscriptions expressed the four descending degrees of drunkenness: the first, that which enlivens; the second, that which irritates; the third, that which stupefies; finally the last, that which brutalizes.
Victor Hugo
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote illustrates the varying effects of alcohol, representing a journey through different states of inebriation and their corresponding impacts on human behavior.

Victor Hugo's quote depicts a metaphorical exploration of the escalating effects of alcohol consumption through four distinct types of 'wine,' each symbolizing a different state of drunkenness. Beginning with 'monkey wine,' which suggests a light-hearted and jovial intoxication, it progresses through irritation, stupor, and ultimately to a brutalizing influence, emphasizing how alcohol can alter human nature and societal behavior in both subtle and profound ways.

Themes

AlcoholDrunkennessHuman BehaviorIntoxicationWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

Use this quote in a discussion about the social effects of drinking during a class seminar.

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