Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori is a line from the Roman lyrical poet Horace’s Odes (III.2.13). The line has been used frequently in war poetry – most notably by WWI poet Wilfred Owen.
The quotation above translates as… “It is sweet and right to die for the homeland, but it is sweeter to live for the homeland, and the sweetest to drink for it. Therefore, let us drink to the health of the homeland.”
My interest in this quotation was triggered by a tweet today from Oedipus_Lex who was at The Cenotaph marching today. He described the maxim as ‘The Great lie’ – and, of course, he is right. No-one wants to die for their country. It isn’t sweet and right to die for one’s country – but it is right to wish to fight for one’s country and it is right that we should honour those who gave their lives in war so that we may enjoy life and freedom. One wonders whether our government(s) are now squandering the freedom brave men and women have given their lives for by failing to address the big issues properly, by knee-jerk reactions to terror, by eroding our civil liberties, by failing to govern minimally and effectively.
The Independent today became the first newspaper to call for our troops to be brought home in their leader. I don’t know enough, frankly, to hold a clear opinion, let alone express a view at this stage. I would be surprised if many, not privy to government and military information, know enough either. I do, however, agree with the proposition expressed by many commentators that while we may not agree with the reasons for the war, we do support the troops and it is essential that the troops know that we respect their work, that we honour their dead and they are properly equipped and resourced. Gordon Brown has come in for serious criticism this week from former senior military and naval officers – men who rose to the very top of the services, men who, in their day, advised government. One would have thought that weight should be given to their opinions? Is there another way of dealing with this long long war… a war that some say is, ultimately, unwinnable – a war that could go on for many years to come?
I think I shall have a drink to the memory of the many who have given their lives and to the living who choose to use their lives to serve in our armed forces now. Salut! slainte
Cheers – let’s drink that toast.
and indeed owen refers to it as ‘the old lie’.
“it is right to wish to fight for one’s country” – I’ve never been entirely sure about that. It depends, of course, upon the country that has been chosen for you by accident of birth. More than that, however, should we not in the 21st century be looking beyond country à la John Lennon? Imagine there’s no countries … Nothing to kill or die for.
Perhaps I am just an ageing hippy idealist…
it’s great that the quote is parroted (much as jerusalem is sung) by the ignorant jingoistic fools who believe that the quote is in favour of dying for the homeland and jerusalem is vaguely about how wonderful it is to be at a public school in good old england. blake and owen would have agreed on much and despised both sentiments and those who espoused them.
SW – could not agree more…… the misunderstanding of the quotation by many is staggering.
John… you may have a point… you old hippy idealist!
“My friend, you would not tell with such high zest,
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori’.
to be exact…
I believe I did say: ‘old lie’ I may not have as I was tweeting from my phone waiting to march past. I meant it in the same context as Owen; as I hear of more friends killed and maimed I seriously question the worth of dying for your county and is having your intestines spread across Helmand province really dying for ‘your’ country?
Oedipus_Lex… I took it to be that meaning…
hey oedipus – we all understand how hard it is to tweet when you’re blind an’all