--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only once did I perceive a human being…" description: "\"“Only once did I perceive a human being, and that was at the intersection of our crossroad with the wide, white turnpike which cuts each cultivated dis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/edgar-rice-burroughs-2892_road-came_only-once-did-i-perceive-a-human-being-a_2270075.jpg" --- # Only once did I perceive a human being, and that was at… ![“Only once did I perceive a human being, and that was at the intersection of our crossroad with the wide, white turnpike which cuts each cultivated district longitudinally at its exact center. The fellow must have been sleeping beside the road, for, as I came abreast of him, he raised upon one…” quote by Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/edgar-rice-burroughs-2892_road-came_only-once-did-i-perceive-a-human-being-a_2270075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/edgar-rice-burroughs-2892_road-came_only-once-did-i-perceive-a-human-being-a_2270075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/edgar-rice-burroughs-2892_road-came_only-once-did-i-perceive-a-human-being-a_2270075.jpg) > ““Only once did I perceive a human being, and that was at the intersection of our crossroad with the wide, white turnpike which cuts each cultivated district longitudinally at its exact center. The fellow must have been sleeping beside the road, for, as I came abreast of him, he raised upon one elbow and after a single glance at the approaching caravan leaped shrieking to his feet and fled madly down the road, scaling a nearby wall with the agility of a scared cat. The Tharks paid him not the slightest attention; they were not out upon the warpath, and the only sign that I had that they had seen him was a quickening of the pace of the caravan as we hastened toward the bordering desert which marked our entrance into the realm of Tal Hajus.”” [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a fleeting encounter with a terrified man, emphasizing the chaos and indifference of war. **In simple terms:** A scared man flees as war passes by. Key Takeaway Observe how conflict marginalizes individuals. Themes war humanity fear chaos indifference Mood tense somber Type narrative historical When to use this quote - battlefield - traveling caravan - storytelling - historical study - psychological analysis Key Concepts survival psychology narrative tension historical context Questions to Reflect On - How does war alter everyday life? - What does this reveal about human resilience? A Different Perspective The vivid description may dramatize reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caravan Hastened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caravan-hastened-5258137/) [Caravan Leaped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caravan-leaped-5258138/) [Feet Fled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet-fled-3835039/) [Road Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-came-3237795/) [Sleeping Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleeping-road-5258139/) ## Related quotes > [Home is where the heart is, until we get a chance to bury it. 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