Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (It is sweet and proper to die for one's country.)
| Before the Great War, these Latin words, by the Roman poet Horace in 1st Century BC, evoked deep emotion and patriotism. You can still find the phrase carved in stone on monuments and in national cemeteries worldwide.
For Americans in the 19th Century, those words held prideful memories of friends and loved ones who died for our country, in our country. From the Revolution to the Spanish American War, between 1774 and 1899, over 800,000 American citizens died in battle. Most of them saving the Nation from ourselves.
By 1900, the phrase evolved to a more cautious and optimistic toast to the new Century.
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, sed dulcius pro patria vivere, et dulcissimum pro patria bibere. Ergo, bibamus pro salute patriae. (It is sweet and fair to die for one's country, but sweeter to live for one's country, and to drink the sweetest for one's country. Therefore, let us drink for the safety of the country.)
In 1921, on the heels of World War I, the poem Dulce et Decorum est, written by English soldier and poet Wilfred Owen who died in battle, was published posthumously. The poem describes and condemns the horrors of war, giving vivid imagery describing a chlorine gas attack on his unit. He ends the poem with:
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Describing the often-used Latin phrase as "The old Lie," Owen touched on the sentiment of many who decried what they saw as war propaganda. Still, plenty of patriots held true to the intent when our nation was attacked in 1941, bringing us into the second world war. Since 1900, over 620,000 more Americans have perished in War. With the military draft of yesteryear, it's safe to assume not all those held that death was sweet and proper. But many did. And laid down their lives in honor of Country.
What would our Nation be without those who still give credence to those words, "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country"? Men and women, who have paid the ultimate price to serve, gave our nation the honor of being a world power, a beacon of freedom and hope. If not for those actively willing to trade their lives in the pursuit of freedom, would we have the facility to toast the safety of the country?
Take time this Memorial Day to truly appreciate these American heroes. If not for their sacrifice, I could be writing this newsletter in German. (Keine Beleidigung für unsere deutschen Freunde)
With profound gratitude, Dave & Kathy
| | | | Initially created to honor Union soldiers killed during the Civil War, national cemeteries have become memorials to all United States veterans. | | | | Here are some of the recent additions since our last newsletter | | Coral Court Motel - Vanished From St. Louis, Missouri - The Coral Court Motel in Marlborough, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, was an exceptional example of art deco and streamlined modern architectural styles of the 1930s and 1940s on Route 66.
Buckroe Beach in Hampton, Virginia - Buckroe Beach, a neighborhood of Hampton, Virginia, is north of Fort Monroe on the Chesapeake Bay. The amusement park that was once here is gone today.
John Margolies - Roadside Photographer - John Margolies was a fantastic photographer, author, and architectural critic who captured thousands of photographs of buildings and roadside attractions between 1969 and 2008.
| | Potlach Ceremony of Native Americans - The ceremony celebrated a change of rank or status with dancing, feasting, and gifts. Those of the Northwest Coast associated prestige with wealth, and the potlatcher gained prestige according to how liberally he gave.
Tlingit Tribe of the Northwest - The Tlingit tribe once controlled all the land that extends more than 500 miles from Yakutat Bay to the British Columbia border south of present-day Ketchikan, Alaska. Their name for themselves is Lingít, meaning “people of the tides.”
Missouri Pacific Railroad - The Missouri Pacific Railroad, also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River.
| | | | From vintage photos of the Old West, Native Americans, Nostalgic American Scenes, and Advertising to current photos of Route 66 and travel destinations across America, Legends Of America's Photo Print Shop features hundreds of vintage and current photos available in prints and digital downloads.
| | | | | Signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830, the Indian Removal Act paved the way for the reluctant and often forcible emigration of tens of thousands of American Indians to the West.
| | | Landmarks Along the Oregon Trail | | As hopeful travelers set out on their journey across the overland trails in the 1840s and 50s, they looked forward to the fertile farmland of Oregon and the start of a new life. Although their eyes were focused on their goal, they experienced hardships and saw landmarks that lived in their memories for the rest of their lives.
| | | Route 66 Postcards from Legends' General Store | | Our collection of Route 66 postcards includes new, custom, and vintage postcards of America's Mother Road. Includes postcards from every state on the Route - Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
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| | | | | The often romanticized Mother Road inspires in many of us a nostalgic bone that niggles at something buried deep within us. While some may see Route 66 as a link to our parents and grandparents, others may feel the freedom the road provided to those early travelers. And then, for those who live continuously in the nostalgic past, the Mother Road is the next adventure beyond the Santa Fe Trail. Whatever the reason, the Mother Road is an experience, a feeling, a perception, a taste of sight and sound, and a mystery that can only be resolved by driving the pavement itself.
| | | | | | Popular Stories on Facebook | | In case you missed it, here are some of the articles that have been popular on our Facebook Fan Pages recently. | | | The ghost town of Langtry started when the Galveston, Harrisburg, & San Antonio Railroad was built in 1881. It was first called Eagle Nest for the nearby creek.
Let's Explore Langtry, Texas – Home of the Only Law West of the Pecos
[photo: Built in 1883, Judge Roy Bean called his saloon and courtroom the "Jersey Lilly," after the well-known British stage actress Lillie Langtry. Her real name was Emilie Le Breton, and she was not related to George Langtry, for whom the town is named. Photo by Kathy Alexander.] | | | The Cree are indigenous people originally living in Manitoba, Canada. One of the largest native groups in North America, the name “Cree” comes from “Kristineaux,” or “Kri” for short, a name given to them by French fur traders.
[photo; Cree Indian Man by G.e. Fleming, 1903] | | | | | | Walnut City was renamed on May 16, 1870, when a post office was established, becoming Arkansas City. The site had previously been called home to a Wichita Indian village called Etzanoa, which flourished from 1450 to 1700.
[Photo: Summit Street, Arkansas City, Kansas, 1890, colorized]
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