So we may well believe that the King's men were shriven on…
““So we may well believe that the King's men were shriven on the night before they fought. Something of the young man's vision had penetrated to his captains and his soldiers. Something of the new ideal of the Round Table which was to be born in pain, something about doing a hateful and dangerous action for the sake of decency--for they knew that the fight was to be fought in blood and death without reward. They would get nothing but the unmarketable conscience of having done what they ought to do in spite of fear--something which wicked people have often debased by calling it glory with too much sentiment, but which is glory all the same. This idea was in the hearts of the young men who knelt before the God-distributing bishops--knowing that the odds were three to one, and that their own warm bodies might be cold at sunset.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A youthful ideal of honor drives knights to fight despite hopeless odds, valuing conscience over glory.
In simple terms: Honor pushes men to act despite danger.
Key Takeaway
Act with conscience, not for fame.
Themes
honor
courage
conscience
sacrifice
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- battlefield
- ritual vows
- personal sacrifice
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
knighthood
idealism
moral duty
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you risk for a principle?
- How does conscience differ from glory?
A Different Perspective
Idealism may ignore pragmatic survival needs.