Hollywood's version of General Patton did

Posted by TheFallen on September 21, 2004

In Reply to: Who said this posted by Jim Desai on September 21, 2004

: "as I look into ..... tis the age old strife I see.

: who wrote this & what is the complete sentence?

"Through the travail of ages,
Midst the pomp and toils of war,
Have I fought and strove and perished
Countless times upon a star.
As if through a glass, and darkly
The age-old strife I see -
Where I fought in many guises, many names -
but always me."

It's a quotation from the 1970 movie "Patton" about the life of General George S. Patton junior, played by George C. Scott. The line is spoken by the title character, but it's a piece of Hollywood flimflammery - the real Patton was far too down to earth to spout such new age reincarnationist claptrap.

I personally prefer the following pithier unrhymed alleged quotation of his from the movie that I think contains a far deeper philosophical truth.

"Now I want you to remember that no b*stard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb b*stard die for his country."

TF