--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These soldiers had done what they had…" description: "\"These soldiers had done what they had done, and been done unto in return. This was how it went. In the cycle of slaughter, reprisal begat reprisal, for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/laini-taylor-258_done_these-soldiers-had-done-what-they-had-do_386078.png" --- # These soldiers had done what they had done, and been done… ![“These soldiers had done what they had done, and been done unto in return. This was how it went. In the cycle of slaughter, reprisal begat reprisal, forever.” quote by Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/laini-taylor-258_done_these-soldiers-had-done-what-they-had-do_386078.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/laini-taylor-258_done_these-soldiers-had-done-what-they-had-do_386078.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/laini-taylor-258_done_these-soldiers-had-done-what-they-had-do_386078.png) > “These soldiers had done what they had done, and been done unto in return. This was how it went. In the cycle of slaughter, reprisal begat reprisal, forever.” [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence breeds endless cycles of retaliation, trapping participants in perpetual conflict. **In simple terms:** Violence leads to endless retaliation. Key Takeaway Break the cycle of retaliation. Themes conflict revenge cycles war violence Mood somber reflective Type philosophical cautionary When to use this quote - war zones - family feuds - gang violence - personal grudges Key Concepts retributive justice human nature psychology Questions to Reflect On - What would end this cycle? - Can empathy stop retaliation? A Different Perspective Escalation can be halted by forgiveness or mediation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reprisal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reprisal/) [Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaughter/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) ## Related quotes > [“Mercy breeds mercy as slaughter breeds slaughter. We can’t expect the world to be better than we make it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/mercy-breeds-mercy-as-slaughter-breeds-slaughter-we-can-t-expect-the/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You have only to begin, Lir. Mercy breeds mercy as slaughter breeds slaughter. We can’t expect the world to be better than we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-have-only-to-begin-lir-mercy-breeds-mercy-as-slaughter-breeds/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [That, in part, is why the Constitution's framers gave justices life tenure ? to enable them to rule wherever the law and the Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/that-in-part-is-why-the-constitution-s-framers-gave-justices-life/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [“... a child's ability for reprisal is infinite, and can last a lifetime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/a-child-s-ability-for-reprisal-is-infinite-and-can-last-a-lifetime/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [A reprisal of this magnitude... has never been carried out before. I paced back and forth in my room perplexed and completely depressed, feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-sharett/a-reprisal-of-this-magnitude-has-never-been-carried-out-before-i/) [Moshe Sharett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-sharett/) > [It is not possible in this culture today to hold up to public pillory and ridicule any group - whether blacks, American Indians, women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/it-is-not-possible-in-this-culture-today-to-hold-up-to-public-pillory/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [We are now in the 21st century: all books, including the Koran, should be fair game for flushing down the toilet without fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/we-are-now-in-the-21st-century-all-books-including-the-koran-should/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [ The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at \[Donald\] Trump and fearing reprisal,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a-stand-which-is-very-true-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [ It took some time for us to realize that \[people\] didn't particularly say they didn't like us or have the love for us that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/it-took-some-time-for-us-to-realize-that-people-didn-t-particularly/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [The spirit of sarcasm lives and thrives in the midst of universal wreck; its balls are enchanted and itself invulnerable, and it braves retaliations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-spirit-of-sarcasm-lives-and-thrives-in-the-midst-of-universal/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [In this time when a citizenry applauds the liberation of a country as it lives in fear of its own freedom, when people all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-robbins/in-this-time-when-a-citizenry-applauds-the-liberation-of-a-country-as/) [Tim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-robbins/) > [If we want world peace, we must break the vicious circle of violence and reprisal, of an eye for an eye, of endless hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/if-we-want-world-peace-we-must-break-the-vicious-circle-of-violence/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [The degree to which we openly express our feelings should be governed, not by fear of reprisal, but by our commitment to loving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-crabb/the-degree-to-which-we-openly-express-our-feelings-should-be-governed/) [Larry Crabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-crabb/) > [I need somebody who can at least stand up to me and slug it out, toe to toe. I don't mean a physical battle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/i-need-somebody-who-can-at-least-stand-up-to-me-and-slug-it-out-toe/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [Chimps act the way they feel unless they are afraid of reprisal if they do so. But that doesn't apply to humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimps-act-the-way-they-feel-unless-they-are-afraid-of-reprisal-if/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## More by Laini Taylor > [“Word spread quickly: The visitor wished to address the scholars. 'What can he want?' they wondered, streaming into the Royal Theater. Attendance was voluntary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/word-spread-quickly-the-visitor-wished-to-address-the-scholars-what/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“The past and the future were just blinders we wore so that infinity wouldn’t drive us mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/the-past-and-the-future-were-just-blinders-we-wore-so-that-infinity/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“I love books. Not just for what they contain. I love them as objects too, as ever-present reminders of what they contain, and because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-love-books-not-just-for-what-they-contain-i-love-them-as-objects/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“To the naked eye, he’s decent kissing height if I wear platforms, though of course a live test will be required before official certification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/to-the-naked-eye-he-s-decent-kissing-height-if-i-wear-platforms/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You almost hold up your piece of paper and say, ‘The girl I like just gave me a treasure map to herself.’ But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-almost-hold-up-your-piece-of-paper-and-say-the-girl-i-like-just/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“...You are not just going to vanish like this, Karou. This isn't some goddamn Narnia book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-are-not-just-going-to-vanish-like-this-karou-this-isn-t-some/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/have-you-ever-asked-yourself-do-monsters-make-war-or-does-war-make/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“She told Mik, "You have perfect violin-playing muscles." "And you, with your mighty puppeteer arms. We put the chimaera to shame." She stopped fanning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/she-told-mik-you-have-perfect-violin-playing-muscles-and-you-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [As far back as she could remember, a phantom life had mocked her with its impenetrable “something else,” but now it was the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/as-far-back-as-she-could-remember-a-phantom-life-had-mocked-her-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“By the time the plan's wheels touched down on a desolate stretch of desert runway, the sun had cleared a ridge of mountains and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/by-the-time-the-plan-s-wheels-touched-down-on-a-desolate-stretch-of/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“It was hard to imagine feeling that magical tingling sensation in the pit of her belly anytime soon. Best not to worry about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/it-was-hard-to-imagine-feeling-that-magical-tingling-sensation-in-the/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“He listened like a cactus drinks the rain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/he-listened-like-a-cactus-drinks-the-rain/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Around Mik, my powers desert me. I lose basic motor function, like my brain focuses all neural activity on my lips and shifts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/around-mik-my-powers-desert-me-i-lose-basic-motor-function-like-my/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Everything lined up. It has been easy, as if it were meant-" "Meant!" she said, amazed. She spun to face him, which, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/everything-lined-up-it-has-been-easy-as-if-it-were-meant-meant-she/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) [Explore all 715 Laini Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. 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Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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