Homer, The Iliad, Book V, line 663. Bryant's translation.
“
O friends, be men, and let your hearts be strong, And let no warrior in the heat of fight Do what may bring him shame in others' eyes; For more of those who shrink from shame are safe Than fall in battle, while with those who flee Is neither glory nor reprieve from death.
— Homer on Courage
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "O friends, be men, and let your hearts be strong, And let no warrior in the heat of fight Do what may bring him shame in others' eyes; For more of those who shrink from shame are safe Than fall in battle, while with those who flee Is neither glory nor reprieve from death." in the context of "Homer, The Iliad, Book V, line 663. Bryant's translation." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Courage" (Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 142-44.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Homer
Homer (Ancient Greek: Ὅμηρος) is best known as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. He was believed by the ancient Greeks to have been the first and greatest of the epic poets. Author of the first known literature of Europe, he is central to the Western canon.
About Homer
Homer (Ancient Greek: Ὅμηρος) is best known as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. He was believed by the ancient Greeks to have been the first and greatest of the epic poets. Author of the first known literature of Europe, he is central to the Western canon.
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