Books · 1712
What a pity is it That we can die but once to save our country!
— Joseph Addison ‧ Cato
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker laments, with earnest patriotic passion, that a person can die only once. Willingness to give one's life for the country is so complete that a single death feels too little, and the pity is that sacrifice has a limit.
Context reviewed