She stoops to conquer ... origin/meaning?

Posted by Bernadette August 23, 2000In reply to She stoops to conquer ... origin/meaning? posted by Bruce Kahl on February 28, 2000

Does anyone know where the phrase "she stoops to conquer" comes from, and what it originally meant?

Goldsmith, the playwright, obtained his title for his play by inverting a line from the poet Dryden ('But kneels to Conquer, and but stoops to Rise').