IT IS always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: –
"We invaded you last night – we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: –
"Though we know we should defeat you,
we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that plays it is lost!"
Kipling. One of the 'global issues' during the founding era of the US was 'paying Barbary Pirates' . The "Global powers of the day" all ... pay ransom.
Americans said "Fuck that." Enter: Marines, US Navy (USS Constitution, in particular)
Levi writes about an attack by the Gauls on Rome. The city was caught unawares. The healthy Roman citizens went to the high ground and temple in the middle to mount a defense while the elderly and infirm sat quietly in their homes to be killed by the Gauls. After an extended siege, the Romans agreed to pay a ransom to the Gauls for their freedom.
They built a great balancing scale and filled it with the agreed amount of gold. Once full, the Gaul leader said to the Romans: "That's not enough. We need more. Our weights differ from yours." When the Romans protested, the Gaul took off his sword and threw it on his end of the scale, saying: "Vae Victus!" Meaning "Woe to the conquered!"
After this humiliation the Romans made sure not to end up in such a situation a second time....
Most are “academia idiots” all they know was ‘learned’ in college class— I was reading Kipling and more at 10 — no degree but very well versed..also artist who was taught old world techniques at 8-15 - no degree needed— my profession is vendor sales but have a lot to fall back on to make extra bucks—
If this is the edition I'm thinking of, there isn't a 'safety warning' even in the book - and they're discussing handing a class of 32 9th-grade hoolligans knives.
IT IS always a temptation to an armed and agile nation To call upon a neighbour and to say: – "We invaded you last night – we are quite prepared to fight, Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld, And the people who ask it explain That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation, To puff and look important and to say: – "Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you. We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld; But we've proved it again and again, That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation, For fear they should succumb and go astray; So when you are requested to pay up or be molested, You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld, No matter how trifling the cost; For the end of that game is oppression and shame, And the nation that plays it is lost!"
Kipling. One of the 'global issues' during the founding era of the US was 'paying Barbary Pirates' . The "Global powers of the day" all ... pay ransom.
Americans said "Fuck that." Enter: Marines, US Navy (USS Constitution, in particular)
Levi writes about an attack by the Gauls on Rome. The city was caught unawares. The healthy Roman citizens went to the high ground and temple in the middle to mount a defense while the elderly and infirm sat quietly in their homes to be killed by the Gauls. After an extended siege, the Romans agreed to pay a ransom to the Gauls for their freedom.
They built a great balancing scale and filled it with the agreed amount of gold. Once full, the Gaul leader said to the Romans: "That's not enough. We need more. Our weights differ from yours." When the Romans protested, the Gaul took off his sword and threw it on his end of the scale, saying: "Vae Victus!" Meaning "Woe to the conquered!"
After this humiliation the Romans made sure not to end up in such a situation a second time....
(Falls entirely out of chair thinking about the CHAZ bunch and 'Roman Boot Camp' in the same decade.)
Lived most of my 67 years citing Kipling— thank you
There's a lot of people with "paper" that don't know a darn thing. It boggles.
Most are “academia idiots” all they know was ‘learned’ in college class— I was reading Kipling and more at 10 — no degree but very well versed..also artist who was taught old world techniques at 8-15 - no degree needed— my profession is vendor sales but have a lot to fall back on to make extra bucks—
Shrike Education Department: "Free copy of Harvard Classics Library 1909"
Oh, and things like: https://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/05/23/knife-work-in-the-school-room/
If this is the edition I'm thinking of, there isn't a 'safety warning' even in the book - and they're discussing handing a class of 32 9th-grade hoolligans knives.
What a different world.
And my Dad was a Marine
Thomas Jefferson had everything to do with that. He completely changed his tune on Muslims in the US once he gained a little experience
Well the Barbary’s were muslim
Yup! "To the shores of Tripoli"
The U.S. gives me such a raging boner.