Original artwork, not a still
Absalom and Achitophel ‧ 1681
So over violent, or over civil, That every man with him was God or Devil.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The verse describes someone whose reactions swing between excessive hostility and excessive courtesy. In this person’s judgement, everyone becomes either a god or a devil. The paired extremes suggest an inability to see other people with moderation, replacing mixed human qualities with total praise or condemnation.
Context reviewed
