Many brave men lived before Agamemnon; but, all unwept and
unknown, are lost in the distant night, since they read more

Many brave men lived before Agamemnon; but, all unwept and
unknown, are lost in the distant night, since they are without a
divine poet (to chronicle their deeds).
[Lat., Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona
Multi; sed omnes illacrimabiles
Urguentur ignotique sacro.]

Firemen are going to get killed. When they join the department they face that fact. When a man becomes a read more

Firemen are going to get killed. When they join the department they face that fact. When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work. They were not thinking of getting killed when they went where death lurked. They went there to put the fire out, and got killed. Firefighters do not regard themselves as heroes because they do what the business requires.

In cold blood he leapt into burning Etna.
[Lat., Ardentem frigidus Aetnam insiluit.]

In cold blood he leapt into burning Etna.
[Lat., Ardentem frigidus Aetnam insiluit.]

The god-like hero sate
On his imperial throne:
His valiant peers were placed around,
read more

The god-like hero sate
On his imperial throne:
His valiant peers were placed around,
Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound
(So should desert in arms be crowned).
The lovely Thais by his side,
Sate like a blooming Eastern bride
In flower of youth and beauty's pride.
Happy, happy, happy pair!
None but the brave,
None but the brave,
None but the brave deserve the fair.

No man can be brave who thinks pain the greatest evil; nor
temperate, who considers pleasure the highest god.
read more

No man can be brave who thinks pain the greatest evil; nor
temperate, who considers pleasure the highest god.
[Lat., Fortis vero, dolorem summum malum judicans; aut temperans,
voluptatem summum bonum statuens, esse certe nullo modo potest.]

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and read more

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.

O friends, be men; so act that none may feel
Ashamed to meet the eyes of other men.
read more

O friends, be men; so act that none may feel
Ashamed to meet the eyes of other men.
Think each one of this children and his wife,
His home, his parents, living yet and dead.
For them, the absent ones, I supplicate,
And bid you rally here, and scorn to fly.

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate read more

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who
can endure a wretched life.
read more

In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who
can endure a wretched life.
[Lat., Rebus in angustis facile est contemnere vitam;
Fortiter ille facit qui miser esse potest.]