--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For they imagined as they wished--that it…" description: "\"For they imagined as they wished--that it was a wild shot,/ an unintended killing--fools, not to comprehend/ they were already in the grip of death./ B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/homer-357_alive_for-they-imagined-as-they-wished-that-it_2478320.jpg" --- # For they imagined as they wished--that it was a wild… ![“For they imagined as they wished--that it was a wild shot,/ an unintended killing--fools, not to comprehend/ they were already in the grip of death./ But glaring under his brows Odysseus answered: 'You yellow dogs, you thought I'd never make it/ home from the land of Troy. You took my house to…” quote by Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/homer-357_alive_for-they-imagined-as-they-wished-that-it_2478320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/homer-357_alive_for-they-imagined-as-they-wished-that-it_2478320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/homer-357_alive_for-they-imagined-as-they-wished-that-it_2478320.jpg) > “For they imagined as they wished--that it was a wild shot,/ an unintended killing--fools, not to comprehend/ they were already in the grip of death./ But glaring under his brows Odysseus answered: 'You yellow dogs, you thought I'd never make it/ home from the land of Troy. You took my house to plunder,/ twisted my maids to serve your beds. You dared/ bid for my wife while I was still alive./ Contempt was all you had for the gods who rule wide heaven,/ contempt for what men say of you hereafter./ Your last hour has come. You die in blood.” [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warrior confronts death, condemning those who betray and plunder, invoking divine contempt and inevitable doom. **In simple terms:** Facing death, the hero curses betrayal and predicts doom. Key Takeaway Stand firm against betrayal and accept fate. Themes honor betrayal fate war revenge Mood tragic defiant Type mythic literary When to use this quote - battlefield leadership - personal vendettas - ethical decisions in conflict Key Concepts heroic code divine justice mortality Questions to Reflect On - What drives the hero's wrath? - Can honor be upheld without violence? A Different Perspective May glorify vengeance over reconciliation; context specific to ancient warfare. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hereafter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hereafter/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Odysseus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odysseus/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [“She paused before the fallen rider. He stared up at her from within a grimacing, battle stained face. Hatred and fear battled for supremacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-shepherd/she-paused-before-the-fallen-rider-he-stared-up-at-her-from-within-a/) [Joel Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-shepherd/) > [“Friend, that was not well spoken; you seem like one who is reckless. So it is that the gods do not bestow graces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/friend-that-was-not-well-spoken-you-seem-like-one-who-is-reckless-so/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [On these sands and in the clefts of the rocks, in the depths of the sea, in the creaking of the pines, you'll spy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/on-these-sands-and-in-the-clefts-of-the-rocks-in-the-depths-of-the/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“For I say there is no other thing that is worse than the sea is for breaking a man, even though he may a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/for-i-say-there-is-no-other-thing-that-is-worse-than-the-sea-is-for/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [She sent him a warm and gentle wind, and Lord Odysseus was happy as he set his sails to catch the breeze. He sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/she-sent-him-a-warm-and-gentle-wind-and-lord-odysseus-was-happy-as-he/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Odysseus is a migrant, but he is also a political and military leader, a strategist, a poet, a loving husband and father, an adulterer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/odysseus-is-a-migrant-but-he-is-also-a-political-and-military-leader/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“But they could neither of them persuade me, for there is nothing dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/but-they-could-neither-of-them-persuade-me-for-there-is-nothing/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“But when Odysseus rose, that man of many devices, fixing his down-cast eyes on the ground he stood: nor his scepter swayed, either this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/but-when-odysseus-rose-that-man-of-many-devices-fixing-his-down-cast/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [The contempt which men feel for the prostitute, and the fact that they have always regarded themselves as far superior to her, even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-roberta-noble-neilans/the-contempt-which-men-feel-for-the-prostitute-and-the-fact-that-they/) Alison Roberta Noble Neilans > [In affability there is no hatred of men, but for that very reason there is all too much contempt for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-affability-there-is-no-hatred-of-men-but-for-that-very-reason/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Those who profess contempt for men, and put them on a level with beasts, yet wish to be admired and believed by men, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/those-who-profess-contempt-for-men-and-put-them-on-a-level-with/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Contempt for men pervades the most obscure strata of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/contempt-for-men-pervades-the-most-obscure-strata-of-our-society/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [It is strange what a contempt men have for the joys that are offered them freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-duhamel/it-is-strange-what-a-contempt-men-have-for-the-joys-that-are-offered/) [Georges Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-duhamel/) > [I don't have any contempt for the men who have to have jobs and have to commute and have to pay the mortgage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-wilson/i-don-t-have-any-contempt-for-the-men-who-have-to-have-jobs-and-have/) [Sloan Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-wilson/) > ['The Odyssey' is a great poem to refugee-dom... Odysseus is not entirely a refugee... he's somebody who's blown off course. The entire book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-osborne/the-odyssey-is-a-great-poem-to-refugee-dom-odysseus-is-not-entirely-a/) [Lawrence Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-osborne/) ## More by Homer > [He knew the things that were and the things that would be and the things that had been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/he-knew-the-things-that-were-and-the-things-that-would-be-and-the/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/sing-in-me-muse-and-through-me-tell-the-story-of-that-man-skilled-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Hateful to me as are the gates of hell, Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart, Utters another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/hateful-to-me-as-are-the-gates-of-hell-is-he-who-hiding-one-thing-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“And Zeus said: “Hera, you can choose some other time for paying your visit to Oceanus — for the present let us devote ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/and-zeus-said-hera-you-can-choose-some-other-time-for-paying-your/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Scepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge is of scepticism. To be content with what we at present know, is, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/scepticism-is-as-much-the-result-of-knowledge-as-knowledge-is-of/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Boy, everyone is stupid except me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/boy-everyone-is-stupid-except-me/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“With that the dream departed, leaving him there, his heart racing with hopes that would not come to pass. He thought he would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/with-that-the-dream-departed-leaving-him-there-his-heart-racing-with/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/tell-me-o-muse-of-that-ingenious-hero-who-travelled-far-and-wide/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [My life is more to me than all the wealth of Ilius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/my-life-is-more-to-me-than-all-the-wealth-of-ilius/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Being popular is the most important thing in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/being-popular-is-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Urge him with truth to frame his fair replies And sure he will for Wisdom never lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/urge-him-with-truth-to-frame-his-fair-replies-and-sure-he-will-for/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) [Explore all 639 Homer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For they imagined as they wished--that it was a wild shot,/ an unintended killing--fools, not to comprehend/ they were already in the grip of death./ But glaring under his brows Odysseus answered: 'You yellow dogs, you thought I'd never make it/ home from the land of Troy. You took my house to plunder,/ twisted my maids to serve your beds. You dared/ bid for my wife while I was still alive./ Contempt was all you had for the gods who rule wide heaven,/ contempt for what men say of you hereafter./ Your last hour has come. 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