Firemen are going to get killed. When they join the department they face that fact. When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work. They were not thinking of getting killed when they went where death lurked. They went there to put the fire out, and got killed. Firefighters do not regard themselves as heroes because they do what the business requires.
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The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because read more
The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper
In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.
In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately read more
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!
Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate read more
Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.
Listen, my friend, there are two races of beings. The masses teeming and happy -- common clay, if you like read more
Listen, my friend, there are two races of beings. The masses teeming and happy -- common clay, if you like -- eating, breeding, working, counting their pennies; people who just live; ordinary people; people you can't imagine dead. And then there are the others -- the noble ones, the heroes. The ones you can quite well imagine lying shot, pale and tragic; one minute triumphant with a guard of honor, and the next being marched away between two gendarmes.
True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but read more
True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.
The more characteristic American hero in the earlier day, and the more beloved type at all times, was not the read more
The more characteristic American hero in the earlier day, and the more beloved type at all times, was not the hustler but the whittler.
Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.
Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.
The brave find a home in every land.
[Lat., Omne solum forti patria est.]
The brave find a home in every land.
[Lat., Omne solum forti patria est.]
