G. K. Chesterton, The Ballad of the White Horse (1911), Book VII : Ethandune: The Last Charge.
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For dire was Alfred in his hour The pale scribe witnesseth, More mighty in defeat was he Than all men else in victory, And behind, his men came murderously, Dry-throated, drinking death.
— G. K. Chesterton
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "For dire was Alfred in his hour The pale scribe witnesseth, More mighty in defeat was he Than all men else in victory, And behind, his men came murderously, Dry-throated, drinking death." in the context of "G. K. Chesterton, The Ballad of the White Horse (1911), Book VII : Ethandune: The Last Charge." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Alfred the Great" (Quotes about Alfred)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Alfred the Great
Ælfrēd or Alfred the Great (849–26 October 899), king of Wessex from 871 to 899, was responsible for turning back the Danish invasion of Wessex and for promoting a revival of education, scholarship, law and administration. His translations of theological and philosophical works into Old English are sometimes said to have laid the foundations of English prose.
About Alfred the Great
Ælfrēd or Alfred the Great (849–26 October 899), king of Wessex from 871 to 899, was responsible for turning back the Danish invasion of Wessex and for promoting a revival of education, scholarship, law and administration. His translations of theological and philosophical works into Old English are sometimes said to have laid the foundations of English prose.
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