Who said how goes the battle

I am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of any thing when blood is their argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it, whom to disobey were against all proportion of subjection. We quote this play because of its timeless importance. How Goes the Battle A casual acquaintance said these words to me recently, "How goes the battle? What exactly was he asking me?

I guess it depends on the context. So I answered with an equally, vague, yet loaded reply, "The battle rages. It takes place in Exodus Moses and the Israelites are warring with Amalek. Moses appoints Joshua as his general and then goes to a nearby hill with a purpose in mind. While ostensibly a reward, the creatures were tremendously expensive to feed and house, and caring for one often drove the recipient into financial ruin.

Whether any specific rulers actually bestowed such a passive-aggressive gift is uncertain, but the term has since come to refer to any burdensome possession—pachyderm or otherwise.

In its earliest incarnation in the s, the expression described condemned men who struggled the longest when they were executed by hanging. The idea of resting on your laurels dates back to leaders and athletic stars of ancient Greece. In Hellenic times, laurel leaves were closely tied to Apollo, the god of music, prophecy and poetry.

Apollo was usually depicted with a crown of laurel leaves, and the plant eventually became a symbol of status and achievement. Victorious athletes at the ancient Pythian Games received wreaths made of laurel branches, and the Romans later adopted the practice and presented wreaths to generals who won important battles. Only later did the phrase take on a negative connotation, and since the s it has been used for those who are overly satisfied with past triumphs.

But in 18th-century England, the Riot Act was a very real document, and it was often recited aloud to angry mobs.