Better mendacities Than the classics in paraphrase! Some quick to arm, some for adventure, some from fear of weakness, some from fear of censure, some for love of slaughter, in imagination, learning later. . . some in fear, learning love of slaughter; Died some, pro patria, non "dulce" non "et decor". walked eye-deep in hell believing in old men's lies, the unbelieving came home, home to a lie.
War is sweet to those who haven't tasted it. Dulce bellum inexpertis.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-- My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.
Dulce is one of the Philippines' natural treasures.