There’s a line from the Odyssey that came to mind when I was reading your excellent piece: “His brave spirit abandoned his bones.” What a fortunate blessing to have had such “brave spirits” — as President Reagan said, “All we can do is remember.”
You said, "...war itself is not glorious, nor honorable, nor a proper expression of patriotism. War is the distillation of humanity’s worst instincts." Well said - I heartily agree.
You continued:
..."And nobody knows this better than those who have been to see the elephant."
You lost me with the elephant reference. Like, umm, you were thinking of Hannibal, maybe?? Or perhaps it's an expression I haven't heard before?
Well done
Well put!
There’s a line from the Odyssey that came to mind when I was reading your excellent piece: “His brave spirit abandoned his bones.” What a fortunate blessing to have had such “brave spirits” — as President Reagan said, “All we can do is remember.”
You said, "...war itself is not glorious, nor honorable, nor a proper expression of patriotism. War is the distillation of humanity’s worst instincts." Well said - I heartily agree.
You continued:
..."And nobody knows this better than those who have been to see the elephant."
You lost me with the elephant reference. Like, umm, you were thinking of Hannibal, maybe?? Or perhaps it's an expression I haven't heard before?
Or could it be a non-AI "auto-correction"??
It's an old expression, originating, I believe, in the British Army. If you've been to see the elephant, you've experienced combat.
Thanks. To quote the inimitable John Goodman (as Walter Sobchak in "The Big Lebowski"), "I did not know that."
(Anyway, I think that was the line)