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January 17, 2010
the true war is the religious war
War in general appears to me to be a poetical effect. People think they must fight each other for some paltry possession; and they are not aware that the romantic spirit excites them in order to annihilate useless evils along with themselves. They bear weapons for the cause of poetry, and both armies follow a single invisible banner.
In war primal sea stirs. New continents are to arise, new races to come forth out of the great dissolution. The true war is the religious war; it positively aims at self-destruction, and in it the madness of men appears in its perfect form. Many wars especially those that spring from national hatred belong in this class and are genuine poetic creations. Here is the native soil of true heroes, they who are the noblest counterpart of the poets, nothing else than the world forces involuntarily permeated with poetry. A poet who should at the same time be a hero is an envoy from heaven, but our poetry is not capable of portraying him.
Novalis - Henry Von Ofterdingen
Posted by amin at January 17, 2010 2:30 PM