--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s…" description: "\"Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were not, and they are the ones the worl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/john-steinbeck-71_battle_thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it_1799841.jpg" --- # Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not… ![“Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were not, and they are the ones the world lives by. It is true of the spirit as it is true of battles — only the winners are remembered. Surely most men are destroyed, but there are…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/john-steinbeck-71_battle_thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it_1799841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/john-steinbeck-71_battle_thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it_1799841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/john-steinbeck-71_battle_thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it_1799841.jpg) > “Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were not, and they are the ones the world lives by. It is true of the spirit as it is true of battles — only the winners are remembered. Surely most men are destroyed, but there are others who like pillars of fire guide frightened men through the darkness. ‘Thou mayest, Thou mayest!’ What glory!” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only a few endure; most are forgotten, yet the resilient guide others through hardship. **In simple terms:** Few survive, but the strong guide the lost. Key Takeaway Value and learn from those who persevere. Themes resilience leadership legacy Mood reflective hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - war - personal struggle - social movements - community building Key Concepts heroism survival influence Questions to Reflect On - Who are the 'pillars of fire' in your life? - How do societies remember the winners? A Different Perspective Survivors may be rare and not always recognized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Thou mayest rule over sin, Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it-i-do-not-believe-all-men-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it-i-do-not-believe-all-men-are-4/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Thou mayest rule over sin,' Lee. That's it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it-i-do-not-believe-all-men-are-3/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Consider the blundering anarchic system of the United States the stupidity of some of its lawmakers, the violent reaction, the slowness of its ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/consider-the-blundering-anarchic-system-of-the-united-states-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Darkness, thou first great parent of us all, Thou art our great original!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-yalden/darkness-thou-first-great-parent-of-us-all-thou-art-our-great-original/) Thomas Yalden > [“Lee’s hand shook as he filled the delicate cups. He drank his down in one gulp. “Don’t you see?” he cried. “The American Standard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/lee-s-hand-shook-as-he-filled-the-delicate-cups-he-drank-his-down-in/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The Hebrew word, the word timshel - 'Thou mayest' - that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-hebrew-word-the-word-timshel-thou-mayest-that-gives-a-choice-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Ah!' said Lee. 'I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and I am well prepared. Any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/ah-said-lee-i-ve-wanted-to-tell-you-this-for-a-long-time-i-even/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Thou mayest rule over sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Regarding "thou mayest": And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/regarding-thou-mayest-and-this-i-believe-that-the-free-exploring-mind/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/but-the-hebrew-word-the-word-timshel-thou-mayest-that-gives-a-choice/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Now, there are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/now-there-are-many-millions-in-their-sects-and-churches-who-feel-the/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-a-new-love-for-that-glittering-instrument-the-human-soul-it-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [But 'Thou mayest!'! 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But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thou mayest rule over sin,’ Lee. That’s it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were not, and they are the ones the world lives by. It is true of the spirit as it is true of battles — only the winners are remembered. 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