Homer, Iliad, Book XII,
“
'Tis ours, the dignity they give to graceThe first in valour, as the first in place;That when with wondering eyes our confidential bandsBehold our deeds transcending our commands,Such, they may cry, deserve the sovereign state,Whom those that envy dare not imitate!
— Homer on Noblesse oblige
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "'Tis ours, the dignity they give to graceThe first in valour, as the first in place;That when with wondering eyes our confidential bandsBehold our deeds transcending our commands,Such, they may cry, deserve the sovereign state,Whom those that envy dare not imitate!" in the context of "Homer, Iliad, Book XII," to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Noblesse oblige" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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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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