Charles Stross The Laundry Files
Source: The Laundry Files, The Labyrinth Index (2018), Chapter 8, “A Game of Vampires” (p. 244)
“History is written for the purpose of narration and not in order to give proof.”
Book X, Chapter I, 31
De Institutione Oratoria (c. 95 AD)
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Quintilian18
ancient Roman rhetor 35–96Related quotes
“History is almost always written by the victors and conquerors and gives their view.”
Jawaharlal Nehru book The Discovery of India
The Discovery of India (1946), pp. 287-8.
Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) 19th-20th century Spanish writer and philosopher
The Tragic Sense of Life (1913), VII : Love, Suffering, Pity
Richard Rodríguez (1944) American journalist and essayist
Brown : The Last Discovery of America (2003)
Context: The Indian refuses civilization; the African slave is rendered unfit for it.
But cher Monsieur: You saw the Indian sitting beside the African on a drape of baize. They were easy together. The sight of them together does not lead you to wonder about a history in which you are not the narrator?
These women are but parables of your interest in yourself. Rather than consider the nature of their intimacy, you are preoccupied alone with the meaning of your intrusion.
“The order of history is the history of order.”
Eric Voegelin (1901–1985) American philosopher
“History is written by the victors.”
Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) German literary critic, philosopher and social critic (1892-1940)
“History is written by the victor.”
Guillermo del Toro book The Night Eternal
Source: The Night Eternal
“History is written by the winners.”
George Orwell (1903–1950) English author and journalist
"As I Please" (1943–1947)
Context: During part of 1941 and 1942, when the Luftwaffe was busy in Russia, the German radio regaled its home audience with stories of devastating air raids on London. Now, we are aware that those raids did not happen. But what use would our knowledge be if the Germans conquered Britain? For the purpose of a future historian, did those raids happen, or didn't they? The answer is: If Hitler survives, they happened, and if he falls they didn't happen. So with innumerable other events of the past ten or twenty years. Is the Protocols of the Elders of Zion a genuine document? Did Trotsky plot with the Nazis? How many German aeroplanes were shot down in the Battle of Britain? Does Europe welcome the New Order? In no case do you get one answer which is universally accepted because it is true: in each case you get a number of totally incompatible answers, one of which is finally adopted as the result of a physical struggle. History is written by the winners.
