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Take away the sword; States can be saved without it.
— Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton • Richelieu
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The first line orders a weapon removed; the second supplies the reason that makes the command more than a gesture. A state’s survival is separated from the use of a sword. The short exchange challenges the assumption that preservation must depend on force.
Context reviewed