Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
Encyclopedia
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori is a line from the Roman
lyrical
poet Horace
's Odes (III.2.13). The line can be roughly translated into English as: "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country."
ns, will be too terrified to resist them. In John Conington
's translation, the relevant passage reads:
To suffer hardness with good cheer,
In sternest school of warfare bred,
Our youth should learn; let steed and spear
Make him one day the Parthian's dread;
Cold skies, keen perils, brace his life.
Methinks I see from rampired town
Some battling tyrant's matron wife,
Some maiden, look in terror down,—
“Ah, my dear lord, untrain'd in war!
O tempt not the infuriate mood
Of that fell lion I see! from far
He plunges through a tide of blood!“
What joy, for fatherland to die!
Death's darts e'en flying feet o'ertake,
Nor spare a recreant chivalry,
A back that cowers, or loins that quake.
at the Arlington National Cemetery
.
The phrase is located on the second monument of the Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery in Point Lookout, MD, and at the Confederate Cemetery in the Manassas National Battlefield Park
.
The phrase was also prominently inscribed in a large bronze tablet commemorating Cuban patriot Calixto Garcia Iniguez, Major General of the Spanish-American War. The tablet was erected by the Masons where he died at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, D.C. Today, this tablet resides at the private residence of one of Gen. García's direct descendants.
It is also found on the memorial archway at the entrance of Otago Boys' High School
, in Dunedin
, New Zealand.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is also the motto of the following organizations:
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
lyrical
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
poet Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
's Odes (III.2.13). The line can be roughly translated into English as: "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country."
Context
The poem from which the line comes exhorts Roman citizens to develop martial prowess such that the enemies of Rome, in particular the ParthiaParthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
ns, will be too terrified to resist them. In John Conington
John Conington
John Conington was an English classical scholar.He was born at Boston in Lincolnshire, and is said to have learned the alphabet at fourteen months, and to have been reading well at three and a half...
's translation, the relevant passage reads:
To suffer hardness with good cheer,
In sternest school of warfare bred,
Our youth should learn; let steed and spear
Make him one day the Parthian's dread;
Cold skies, keen perils, brace his life.
Methinks I see from rampired town
Some battling tyrant's matron wife,
Some maiden, look in terror down,—
“Ah, my dear lord, untrain'd in war!
O tempt not the infuriate mood
Of that fell lion I see! from far
He plunges through a tide of blood!“
What joy, for fatherland to die!
Death's darts e'en flying feet o'ertake,
Nor spare a recreant chivalry,
A back that cowers, or loins that quake.
Uses in art and literature
- Perhaps the most famous modern use of the phrase is as the title of a poem, "Dulce Et Decorum EstDulce et Decorum EstDulce et Decorum est is a poem written by poet Wilfred Owen in 1917, during World War I, and published posthumously in 1920. Owen's poem is known for its horrific imagery and condemnation of war. It was drafted at Craiglockhart in the first half of October 1917 and later revised, probably at...
", by British poet Wilfred OwenWilfred OwenWilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War...
during World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Owen's poem describes a gas attack during World War I and is one of his many anti-war poems that were not published until after the war ended. In the final lines of the poem, the Horatian phrase is described as "the old lie." It is believed that Owen intended to dedicate the poem ironically to Jessie PopeJessie PopeJessie Pope was an English poet, writer and journalist, who remains best known for her patriotic motivational poems published during World War I...
, a popular writer who glorified the war and recruited "laddies" who "longed to charge and shoot" in simplistically patriotic poems like "The Call." - "Died some, pro patria, non 'dulce' non 'et decor'..." from part IV of Ezra PoundEzra PoundEzra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
's "Hugh Selwyn MauberleyHugh Selwyn MauberleyHugh Selwyn Mauberley is a long poem by Ezra Pound. It has been regarded as a turning point in Pound's career , and its completion was swiftly followed by his departure from England. The name "Selwyn" might have been an homage to Rhymers' Club member Selwyn Image. The name and personality of the...
", a damning indictment of World War I; "Daring as never before, wastage as never before." - In a school essay German playwright Bertolt BrechtBertolt BrechtBertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
referred to the phrase as "Zweckpropaganda" (cheap propaganda for a specific cause) and pointed out, that "It is sweeter and more fitting to live for one's country.". - The title of Damon KnightDamon KnightDamon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, critic and fan. His forte was short stories and he is widely acknowledged as having been a master of the genre.-Biography:...
's 1955 short story "Dulcie and DecorumDulcie and Decorum"Dulcie and Decorum" is a science fiction short story written by Damon Knight. It first appeared in the March 1955 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction...
" is an ironic play on the first three words of the phrase; the story is about computers that induce humans to kill themselves. - The film Johnny Got His GunJohnny Got His Gun (film)Johnny Got His Gun is a 1971 anti-war film based on the novel of the same name written and directed by Dalton Trumbo and starring Timothy Bottoms, Jason Robards and Donald Sutherland with Diane Varsi...
ends with this saying, along with casualty statistics since World War I. - In the film 'All Quiet on the Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western Front is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book describes the German soldiers' extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front.The...
' a teacher quotes this early on while talking to his class. - In his book And No Birds Sang, chronicling his service in Italy with the Canadian army during the Second World WarWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Farley MowatFarley MowatFarley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
quotes Wilfred OwenWilfred OwenWilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War...
's poem on the opening pages and addresses "the Old Lie" in the final section of the book. - Tim O'BrienTim O'Brien (author)Tim O'Brien is an American novelist who often writes about his experiences in the Vietnam War and the impact the war had on the American servicemen who fought there...
quotes the line in the book If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home. - René Goscinny, in his comic book Asterix and the Big FightAsterix and the Big FightAsterix and the Big Fight is a French comic book, the seventh in the Asterix comic book series. It was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. Its original French title is Le Combat des chefs and it was first published in serial form in Pilote magazines, issues 261-302, in 1964...
uses the phrase in a lighter note, when one of the Roman Legionaries is being punished by his superior. - The line is quoted at the end of the music video to the song "Empire" by Kasabian, which depicts the Charge of the Light BrigadeCharge of the Light BrigadeThe Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
. - In Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the WindGone with the WindThe slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
, the Tarleton brothers are buried under a tombstone which bears the phrase. - The last wordsLast wordsLast words are a person's final words spoken before death.Last Words may also refer to:* Last Words , an Australian punk band* Last Words , a memoir by George Carlin* Last Words , a 1968 short film directed by Werner Herzog...
attributed to the IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i national hero Yosef Trumpeldor - "It is good to due for our country" (טוב למות בעד ארצמו) are considered to be derived from Horace's, and were a frequently used Zionist slogan in the earlier part of the Twentieth Century. - Regina SpektorRegina SpektorRegina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
has a song called "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" - In Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward Angel after the outbreak of WWI, when adolescent Eugene, encouraged by his teacher, Margaret Leonard, devours stories of wartime courage (R. Brooke's "If I Should die..." and R. Hanky's A Student in Arms", and fueled by these stories, composes his own, to the ever-present literary-referenced commentary by Wolfe.
- Used in 10,000 Maniacs10,000 Maniacs10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.-1981–1993:...
anti-war song, "The Latin One" - Mentioned in the band Protest the HeroProtest the HeroProtest the Hero is a Canadian progressive metal band from Whitby, Ontario. Originally named Happy Go Lucky, the band line-up has remained the same since their formation in 1999. The band changed their name to Protest the Hero shortly before releasing their debut EP, Search for the Truth, in 2002...
's song "Softer Targets Dig Softer Graves" - Stiff Little FingersStiff Little FingersStiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
released a song "Not What We Were (Pro Patria Mori)" on their 1995 album B'S, Live, Unplugged & Demos - The third song on the 1979 album Days in EuropaDays in Europa-1980 re-release:All tracks composed by Jobson/Adamson unless indicated otherwise.This second release's cover includes the controversial first cover as a picture on the wall behind the woman in white's head. On the back of the cover the illustration is repeated, only with the withdrawn release's...
by The SkidsThe SkidsSkids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson , William Simpson , Thomas Kellichan and Richard Jobson...
is titled "Dulce Et Decorum Est (pro Patria Mori)" - Mentioned in the Divine Comedy's "Drinking Song" (featured on the PromenadePromenade (album)Promenade is The Divine Comedy's third album. It was released in 1994 on Setanta to much critical acclaim but little commercial success. It is a concept album about two lovers who spend a day at the seaside....
album). - Pro Patria Mori were a Punk band formed in Wokingham in 1984, and are featured in the book Trapped In A Scene by Ian Glasper
- SkycladSkyclad (band)Skyclad are a British heavy metal band with heavy folk influences in their music. They are considered one of the pioneers of folk metal. The etymology behind the term "skyclad" comes from a pagan/wiccan term for ritual nudity, in which rituals are performed with the participants metaphorically clad...
, a British folk metal band, use the phrase in their song, "Jeopardy" from their fifth album, The Silent Whales of Lunar SeaThe Silent Whales of Lunar SeaThe Silent Whales of Lunar Sea is the fifth full-length studio album by British folk metal group Skyclad. Its title is a homophonic pun: when said aloud in a non-rhotic accent it sounds identical to "The Silent Wails of Lunacy".-Track listing:#"Still Spinning Shrapnel" - 4:34#"Just What Nobody...
Use as a motto and inscription
The phrase can be found at the front entrance to the Arlington Memorial AmphitheaterArlington Memorial Amphitheater
The Arlington Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, near the center of the Cemetery, is the home of the Tomb of the Unknowns where Unknown American Servicemembers from World War I, World War II, and Korea are interred. This site has also hosted the state funerals of many famous...
at the Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
The phrase is located on the second monument of the Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery in Point Lookout, MD, and at the Confederate Cemetery in the Manassas National Battlefield Park
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Manassas National Battlefield Park, located north of Manassas, in Prince William County, Virginia preserves the site of two major American Civil War battles: the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and the Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought between August 28 and August 30, 1862...
.
The phrase was also prominently inscribed in a large bronze tablet commemorating Cuban patriot Calixto Garcia Iniguez, Major General of the Spanish-American War. The tablet was erected by the Masons where he died at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, D.C. Today, this tablet resides at the private residence of one of Gen. García's direct descendants.
It is also found on the memorial archway at the entrance of Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
, in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is also the motto of the following organizations:
- Used as an inscription on the French Monument in ShillongShillong-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, India for the soldiers of the 26thKhasi Labour Corps who sacrificed their lives for the King and Country during World War I (1917–1918). - The Portuguese Army University (Academia Militar) (http://www.academiamilitar.pt/img/pt/logo.gif http://www.academiamilitar.pt/fotos/gca/1139240984brasao.jpg)
- The Royal Grammar SchoolRoyal Grammar School, NewcastleRoyal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
, Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
(former motto) - The 103rd Ground Reconnaissance Squadron of the Royal Netherlands ArmyRoyal Netherlands ArmyThe Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
- The 10/27 Royal South Australian Regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry CorpsRoyal Australian Infantry CorpsThe Royal Australian Infantry Corps is the parent corps for all infantry regiments of the Australian Army. It was established on 14 December 1948, with its Royal Corps status being conferred by His Majesty King George VI. At her coronation in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II became Colonel-in-Chief of the...
adopted "Pro Patria" derived from the above line meaning "For One's Country" as their unit motto. - The phrase "Pro Patria" is the motto of the Higgins or O'Huigan clan.
- "Pro Patria" is also the motto of the Sri Lanka Army as well as being inscribed on the collar insignia of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
- It appears on a bronze plaque bearing the names of Canadian soldiers lost from the city of CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada during World War I and World War II at Central Memorial High School's front entrance
