--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the…" description: "\"“Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the gods’ sake! It’s a Parthian, not your grandmother! I swear if you don’t put some effort into— What?”\" — M.C. Scott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/m-c-scott-17388_ancient-rome_harder-harder-strike-at-it-for-the-gods_2691382.jpg" --- # Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the gods’ sake! It’s a… ![“Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the gods’ sake! It’s a Parthian, not your grandmother! I swear if you don’t put some effort into— What?” quote by M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/m-c-scott-17388_ancient-rome_harder-harder-strike-at-it-for-the-gods_2691382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/m-c-scott-17388_ancient-rome_harder-harder-strike-at-it-for-the-gods_2691382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/m-c-scott-17388_ancient-rome_harder-harder-strike-at-it-for-the-gods_2691382.jpg) > ““Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the gods’ sake! It’s a Parthian, not your grandmother! I swear if you don’t put some effort into— What?”” [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages relentless effort and aggression in pursuit of goals, dismissing hesitation. **In simple terms:** Push harder, no excuses. Key Takeaway Adopt a relentless work ethic. Themes determination aggression effort Mood intense driven Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - fitness training - creative projects - sales pitches Key Concepts motivation psychology Questions to Reflect On - What limits should be set on relentless effort? - How to balance aggression with strategy? A Different Perspective May promote burnout if unbalanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-rome/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Grandmother Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother-swear-2660230/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Harder Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder-harder-567420/) [Harder Strike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder-strike-1503008/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) ## Related quotes > [The harder you strike it, the deeper it goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-harder-you-strike-it-the-deeper-it-goes/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“I despised myself for my weakness. I may have dreamed all my youth of life as a horse-trader like my father; I may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/i-despised-myself-for-my-weakness-i-may-have-dreamed-all-my-youth-of/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“The camp offices stood in the centre, adjoining the shrine to Jupiter that held the legion’s Eagle. In the camps of the Vth Macedonica…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/the-camp-offices-stood-in-the-centre-adjoining-the-shrine-to-jupiter/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“We broke camp together and set off in our opposite directions: we of the XIIth and our allies marched east, towards the rising sun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/we-broke-camp-together-and-set-off-in-our-opposite-directions-we-of/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“So we left the spear in the wagon and I dressed and still was not sick and together we walked to the head of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/so-we-left-the-spear-in-the-wagon-and-i-dressed-and-still-was-not/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Governor Paetus...’ Lupus closed his eyes that we might not read the rage in them. ‘Governor Paetus has informed us that he will return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/governor-paetus-lupus-closed-his-eyes-that-we-might-not-read-the-rage/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“He bared thick teeth. ‘I am Zacchariah. My price will be right. You show me now?’ In that moment, ten generations of horse-traders counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/he-bared-thick-teeth-i-am-zacchariah-my-price-will-be-right-you-show/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [People are working harder and harder than ever before and barely staying in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/people-are-working-harder-and-harder-than-ever-before-and-barely/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [“The Petriana’s tribune dismounted a dozen paces short of the gate and stalked up to the palisade wall with a grim smile, squinting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/the-petriana-s-tribune-dismounted-a-dozen-paces-short-of-the-gate-and/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“Centurion! Would you like to be a cavalryman one last time? There are Venicones who escaped when your line was broken to be hunted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/centurion-would-you-like-to-be-a-cavalryman-one-last-time-there-are/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“Are you pair mad? You pitch up as if you own the place, and then you offer to relieve me of two centuries’ worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/are-you-pair-mad-you-pitch-up-as-if-you-own-the-place-and-then-you/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“It would have been easy to ask, then, ‘What of this Eagle?’, to have wheedled out of them all they knew: where it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/it-would-have-been-easy-to-ask-then-what-of-this-eagle-to-have/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Silvanus, the camp prefect, took a step forward. I heard his voice every morning after parade, but had never listened to the tones of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/silvanus-the-camp-prefect-took-a-step-forward-i-heard-his-voice-every/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Tell me we’re not going to be stoking up the cook fires to build palisades through the night by their light.’ I stood, turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/tell-me-we-re-not-going-to-be-stoking-up-the-cook-fires-to-build/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Three old men with moon-silver hair and slow, ponderous movement took him in their arms and laid him on a marble slab and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/three-old-men-with-moon-silver-hair-and-slow-ponderous-movement-took/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) ## More by M.C. Scott > [“Governor Paetus...’ Lupus closed his eyes that we might not read the rage in them. ‘Governor Paetus has informed us that he will return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/governor-paetus-lupus-closed-his-eyes-that-we-might-not-read-the-rage/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“It would have been easy to ask, then, ‘What of this Eagle?’, to have wheedled out of them all they knew: where it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/it-would-have-been-easy-to-ask-then-what-of-this-eagle-to-have/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“The dying go so swiftly at the end. Always the speed of their leaving catches me unawares; so much left to say, to promise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/the-dying-go-so-swiftly-at-the-end-always-the-speed-of-their-leaving/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Tell me we’re not going to be stoking up the cook fires to build palisades through the night by their light.’ I stood, turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/tell-me-we-re-not-going-to-be-stoking-up-the-cook-fires-to-build/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“He bared thick teeth. ‘I am Zacchariah. My price will be right. You show me now?’ In that moment, ten generations of horse-traders counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/he-bared-thick-teeth-i-am-zacchariah-my-price-will-be-right-you-show/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“The mare on which the traitor had been seated at the time of his death was, obviously, no longer considered the best horse in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/the-mare-on-which-the-traitor-had-been-seated-at-the-time-of-his/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Three old men with moon-silver hair and slow, ponderous movement took him in their arms and laid him on a marble slab and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/three-old-men-with-moon-silver-hair-and-slow-ponderous-movement-took/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“So we left the spear in the wagon and I dressed and still was not sick and together we walked to the head of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/so-we-left-the-spear-in-the-wagon-and-i-dressed-and-still-was-not/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“We broke camp together and set off in our opposite directions: we of the XIIth and our allies marched east, towards the rising sun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/we-broke-camp-together-and-set-off-in-our-opposite-directions-we-of/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“He is wounded, but he is still the Leopard, still dangerous. His eyes look through you, until they don’t. That’s when he’ll kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/he-is-wounded-but-he-is-still-the-leopard-still-dangerous-his-eyes/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“What of honour? What of courage? What of all the things that bind the legions together?’ He gave a shrug and a nod together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/what-of-honour-what-of-courage-what-of-all-the-things-that-bind-the/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“The camp offices stood in the centre, adjoining the shrine to Jupiter that held the legion’s Eagle. In the camps of the Vth Macedonica…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/the-camp-offices-stood-in-the-centre-adjoining-the-shrine-to-jupiter/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Silvanus, the camp prefect, took a step forward. I heard his voice every morning after parade, but had never listened to the tones of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/silvanus-the-camp-prefect-took-a-step-forward-i-heard-his-voice-every/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“In the centre of our line, eighty paces to my left, I felt Cadus raise his hand; I did not need to look. ‘Sound,’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/in-the-centre-of-our-line-eighty-paces-to-my-left-i-felt-cadus-raise/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“I nursed that flame as if it were my only son, and all round the ram nineteen other men did likewise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/i-nursed-that-flame-as-if-it-were-my-only-son-and-all-round-the-ram/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) [Explore all 37 M.C. Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) ## More Ancient rome quotes > [“The truth is heavier than a sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/the-truth-is-heavier-than-a-sword/) [Naiyem Chowdhury Rony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/) > [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old Republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [“Governor Paetus...’ Lupus closed his eyes that we might not read the rage in them. ‘Governor Paetus has informed us that he will return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/governor-paetus-lupus-closed-his-eyes-that-we-might-not-read-the-rage/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Cum dignitate otium”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/cum-dignitate-otium/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [From food trucks to hot dog stands to county fair favorites, 'street food' has enjoyed a rich and storied history in American cuisine. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/from-food-trucks-to-hot-dog-stands-to-county-fair-favorites-street/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [“The hermit, without access to the news of the day, owes it to himself to be up to date on the doings of ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-tesson/the-hermit-without-access-to-the-news-of-the-day-owes-it-to-himself/) [Sylvain Tesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-tesson/) > [“Marcus woke again to find Sanga lying asleep on his bed, and he quietly climbed off his own mattress, standing still for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/marcus-woke-again-to-find-sanga-lying-asleep-on-his-bed-and-he/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [If we were living in ancient Rome or Greece, I would be considered sickly and unattractive. 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Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [ “My tongue tasted like a gladiator's jockstrap \[Marcus Corvinus after a night out\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wishart/my-tongue-tasted-like-a-gladiator-s-jockstrap-marcus-corvinus-after-a/) [David Wishart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wishart/) > [I write about times and places I would visit in a time machine, like ancient Rome or the Wild West.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lawrence/i-write-about-times-and-places-i-would-visit-in-a-time-machine-like/) [Caroline Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lawrence/) > [I was born in England and went to school there. That's when I discovered my undying passion for history - not just for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/i-was-born-in-england-and-went-to-school-there-that-s-when-i/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [“The fervor and single-mindedness of this deification probably have no precedent in history. It's not like Duvalier or Assad passing the torch to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-fervor-and-single-mindedness-of-this-deification-probably-have-no/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 142 Ancient rome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-rome/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Harder! Harder! Strike at it, for the gods’ sake! It’s a Parthian, not your grandmother! I swear if you don’t put some effort into— What?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "M.C. 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