On the record
The ancient poet, longing to sing of Achilles and the house of Atreus, found that he could sing of love only; and he snatched from his lyre its bloody string.
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gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Sumner reflects on the challenges of expressing profound themes in times of conflict, using a poetic analogy.
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This will be the FREEDOM POWER, whose single object will be to resist the SLAVE POWER.
Out of this pernicious prejudice have proceeded that persecution and neglect which are the too frequent lot of the world's pioneers.
Their existence is a disgrace to civilization; for it implies the common consent of nations to the Arbitrament of War, as regulated by these laws.
In this contest, we may borrow from the ancient Greek, who, when his hands were cut off, fought with his stumps, and even with his teeth.
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