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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Saturday is Heinlein Quote Day #18

Why the military trains hard:


"There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men. We’re trying to teach you to be dangerous — to the enemy. Dangerous even without a knife. Deadly as long as you still have one hand or one foot and are still alive. If you don’t know what I mean, go read ‘Horatius at the Bridge’ or ‘The Death of the Bon Homme Richard’; they’re both in the Camp library.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

I'll get you part way there - Horatius at the Bridge:
Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the gate:
“To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds . . .

3 comments:

  1. "...for the ashes of his fathers, and the alters of his Gods"

    Every school boy used to learn that one. Care to bet that it is now shunned by our education Zampolit?

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  2. Couldn't find the Bonhomme Richard piece either?

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    Replies
    1. Probably a bit of Heinlein's "future history," so no.

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