Ancient rome Quote by M.C. Scott
““Why not now?’ Horgias said. ‘We could go back in now and take it.’ ‘You can certainly try.’ Pantera rolled his tongue around his teeth and then said something in the native tongue that neither of us understood. When we made no response, he repeated it, more slowly, louder. We looked at each other, and at him. He smiled tightly. ‘I said, “You are Roman and we of Eleazir’s party take great pleasure in slaughtering your countrymen. We took five days to skin alive a man who tried to join you. Imagine what we can do now, when we have all winter.”’ ‘Very funny.’ I wasn’t smiling. Nor was Pantera. ‘If you want to go, I won’t stop you. But without fluency in both Aramaic and Hebrew, you will die.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: Unnamed, 2020
War and conquest are justified through language and cultural dominance, highlighting the cruelty of imperialism.
In simple terms: War uses language to dehumanize and control.
Key Takeaway
Recognize dehumanizing rhetoric in conflict.
Themes
war
imperialism
language
dehumanization
culture
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
ethical
political
When to use this quote
- military training
- diplomacy
- human rights advocacy
- education
- media reporting
Key Concepts
propaganda
psychology of domination
ethical warfare
Questions to Reflect On
- What language dehumanizes the enemy?
- How can empathy be fostered in conflict?
A Different Perspective
Language can be misinterpreted, leading to escalation.
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