--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war…" description: "\"“Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, \"once more unto the breach dear friends.\" But you've never been ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/matt-damon-3371_best-friend_sean-and-i-d-ask-you-about-war-you-d-pro_812929.jpg" --- # Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw… ![“Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd…” quote by Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/matt-damon-3371_best-friend_sean-and-i-d-ask-you-about-war-you-d-pro_812929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/matt-damon-3371_best-friend_sean-and-i-d-ask-you-about-war-you-d-pro_812929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/matt-damon-3371_best-friend_sean-and-i-d-ask-you-about-war-you-d-pro_812929.jpg) > ““Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my life apart. You're an orphan right? \[Will nods\] Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.”” [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker challenges another's presumed understanding of deep personal pain, arguing that lived experience, especially love and loss, cannot be fully grasped through literature alone. **In simple terms:** Real suffering can't be learned from books alone. Key Takeaway Seek genuine empathy, not assumptions. Themes empathy experience vulnerability misunderstanding identity Mood intense reflective conflicted Type dialogue philosophical dramatic When to use this quote - hospital caregiving - grief - romantic love - personal trauma - self‑reflection Key Concepts existentialism psychology human connection Questions to Reflect On - How can we truly understand another's pain? - What does it mean to love beyond oneself? A Different Perspective Assuming knowledge without lived experience can alienate and invalidate others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Because I Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because-i-read/) [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Confident Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confident-man/) [Dear friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-friend/) [Dear friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Last breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-breath/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-yourself/) [Oliver twist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oliver-twist/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall with our English dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/once-more-unto-the-breach-dear-friends-once-more-or-close-the-wall/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead! In peace there's nothing so becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/once-more-unto-the-breach-dear-friends-once-more-or-close-the-wall-up/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If I ever asked you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked a woman and been totally vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/if-i-ever-asked-you-about-love-you-d-probably-quote-me-a-sonnet-but/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead. In peace there's nothing so becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/once-more-unto-the-breach-dear-friends-once-more-or-close-the-wall-up-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Once more unto the breach," Wellington grumbled in the stillness of the carriage. Eliza looked up from the address Douglas had given her. "Sorry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-ballantine/once-more-unto-the-breach-wellington-grumbled-in-the-stillness-of-the/) [Philippa Ballantine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-ballantine/) > [By the time I was in high school, I was big enough to beat the hell out of everybody who said anything to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-leung/by-the-time-i-was-in-high-school-i-was-big-enough-to-beat-the-hell/) [Alvin Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-leung/) > [People appreciate a confident man. They love a strong man, and when it comes to a woman, I don't know if people just expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/people-appreciate-a-confident-man-they-love-a-strong-man-and-when-it/) [LeToya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) > [When we think how narrow and devious this path of nature is, how dimly we can trace it, for all our lamps of science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/when-we-think-how-narrow-and-devious-this-path-of-nature-is-how-dimly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Was it his looks? Perhaps his smell, or more than likely his maturity. There's something so very arousing about a calm, controlled, confident man—qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-finn/was-it-his-looks-perhaps-his-smell-or-more-than-likely-his-maturity/) [Elizabeth Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-finn/) > [First learn look people eyes, reepscting yourself, believe people see see ourselves, see yourself someone confident 's project.here exercise need time before bed picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly/first-learn-look-people-eyes-reepscting-yourself-believe-people-see/) Dolly > [“The modern philosopher claims, like a sort of confident man, that if we will grant him this, the rest will be easy; he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesterton-g-k/the-modern-philosopher-claims-like-a-sort-of-confident-man-that-if-we/) Chesterton, G.K > [In judgement be ye not too confident, Even as a man who will appraise his corn When standing in a field, ere it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-judgement-be-ye-not-too-confident-even-as-a-man-who-will-appraise/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I'm very uncomfortable about the way I look but confident as a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-goss/i-m-very-uncomfortable-about-the-way-i-look-but-confident-as-a-man/) [Luke Goss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-goss/) > [I was never the most confident man in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/i-was-never-the-most-confident-man-in-the-world/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) > [I like a confident man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-lindsay/i-like-a-confident-man/) [Rachel Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-lindsay/) ## More by Matt Damon > [I'm actively trying to get away from the over-exposure that happened eight years ago. The only thing a celebrity can do in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-m-actively-trying-to-get-away-from-the-over-exposure-that-happened/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [ \[Americans\] can't understand that the water in our toilet is cleaner than 880 million have access to. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/americans-can-t-understand-that-the-water-in-our-toilet-is-cleaner/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Now that I have kids, I'm probably more overprotective than I've ever been. My wife's nickname for me is 'red alert.' I sometimes check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/now-that-i-have-kids-i-m-probably-more-overprotective-than-i-ve-ever/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I didn't grow up with great privilege, nor did I grow up wanting for anything. I was a middle-class kid and, relative to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-didn-t-grow-up-with-great-privilege-nor-did-i-grow-up-wanting-for/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [We're here for such a short time. When your great-great-grandkids study history, don't you want them to be proud that you were part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-time-when-your-great-great-grandkids/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [If you're just an actor you're reactive. You're saying, "Well, I hope Hollywood gives me a role, or gives me a chance at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/if-you-re-just-an-actor-you-re-reactive-you-re-saying-well-i-hope/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Clint Eastwood expects you to know what you're doing. He's going to take two giant steps back and let you do it. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/clint-eastwood-expects-you-to-know-what-you-re-doing-he-s-going-to/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [As actors, we react to the material that's out there, and I probably just react more strongly to things that I feel will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-actors-we-react-to-the-material-that-s-out-there-and-i-probably/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [The only sci-fi movie that I've ever been offered that, had circumstances been different, I would have definitely done, was 'Avatar.' And I literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/the-only-sci-fi-movie-that-i-ve-ever-been-offered-that-had/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [And you know, we were talking about American identity, and where we've come from and where we are and where we're headed. We knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/and-you-know-we-were-talking-about-american-identity-and-where-we-ve/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [He's famous for being obsessive about details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/he-s-famous-for-being-obsessive-about-details/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Generally, the bigger the budget, the less interesting the characters become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/generally-the-bigger-the-budget-the-less-interesting-the-characters/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/listen-here-s-the-thing-if-you-can-t-spot-the-sucker-in-the-first/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) [Explore all 132 Matt Damon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) Aviation > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) Lisa's Voice [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sean: …………And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, \"once more unto the breach dear friends.\" But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms \"visiting hours\" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my life apart. You're an orphan right? [Will nods] Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. 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