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Ever since men began in time, time and

Time again they met in parliaments,

Where, in due turn, letting the next man speak,

With mouthfuls of soft air they tried to stop

Themselves from ravening their talking throats;

Hoping enunciated airs would fall

With verisimiltitude in different minds,

And bring some concord to those minds; only soft air

Between the hatred human animals

Monotonously bear towards themselves.

No work was more regarded in our times,

And nothing failed so often. Knowing this,

The army came to hear Achilles say;

‘Pax., Agamemnon.’ And Agamemnon’s: ‘Pax.’

from Homer: War Music

Christopher Logue

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translated from the Polish written by
Tomasz Różycki