Defeat

DEFEAT 9 5

decisively defeated by the fleet of Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus).

Soon he would be overtaken; but warm in the circle of Leila's arms, as if he were

Antony at Actium, he could hardly bring himself to feel fear.

LAWRENCE DURRELL Mountolive, 1958

Alamo The Alamo was a fort (formerly a Christian mission) in San Antonio, Texas, which in 1836 was besieged by the Mexican army during the war between Texas and Mexico. It was defended by a small group of soldiers and civilians all of whom (including the frontiersman and politician Davy Crockett) died. 'The Alamo' can refer to a last stand that fails.

He still had what Donald once described as that 'last Texican at the Alamo look':

ready, willing, and able to go down fighting.

TOM CLANCY and STEVE PIECZENIK Op-Center, 1995

Austerlitz The battle of Austerlitz took place in 1805 near the village of Austerlitz (now Slavkov in the Czech Republic). It was a victory for Napoleon but a serious defeat for the allied Austrians and Russians.

That dinner at the King's Arms with his friends had been Henchard's Austerlitz: he had had his successes since, but his course had not been upward.

THOMAS HARDY The Mayor of Casterbridge, 1886

Little Bighorn The Battle of Little Bighorn, also referred to as 'Custer's last stand', was a defeat for George Custer and his troops at the hands of Sioux warriors. The battle took place in the valley of the Little Bighorn river in what is now Montana.

Vietnam The Vietnam War was a lengthy conflict between South Vietnam and the Communist North Vietnam. The US became militarily involved on the side of the South in the 1960s, but the war became unpopular and the US withdrew its troops in 1973 under the presidency of Richard Nixon, ceding victory to the North. References to Vietnam often suggest the idea of a worsening disaster.

Anderson Country is Forgan's Vietnam: she's committed to it and can't get out.

The Independent, 1994

Waterloo The battle between the French on one side and the British, Dutch, and Prussians on the other near the village of Waterloo (now in Belgium) in 1815 was the final battle in the Napoleonic wars and marked the end of Napoleon's rule in Europe. The name can allude to a decisive defeat from which recovery is impossible.

He frowned and flipped the cigaret against the wall at the back of the cell. He was conscious of a dull burning resentment at having been sold by a lousy frail. He didn't claim to be smart but he didn't usually act that dumb. Well, a jane had been many a con's Waterloo, but that didn't ease the choking, self-contemptuous intensity of the chagrin.

CHESTER HIMES His Last Day, 1933

9 6 DEPARTURE

Departure

This theme concentrates on the act of leaving a place, either individually or in numbers. Vanishing from a place, especially mysteriously, is covered at Disappearance and Absence. •See also Appearing.

ExodllS Exodus is the second book of the Bible, relating the departure of the Israelites under the leadership of Moses from their slavery in Egypt and their journey towards the promised land of Canaan. This journey is ascribed by scholars to various dates within the limits C.1580-C.1200 BC An exodus is a mass departure of people, especially emigrants. • See special entry n MOSES AND

THE BOOK OF EXODUS 0/7 p. 264.

The English Department had changed its quarters since his arrival at Rummidge. .. .

The changeover had taken place in the Easter vacation amid much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Oy, oy, Exodus was nothing in comparison.

DAVID LODGE Changing Places, 1975

Lot The Book of Genesis relates how Lot, seen by God to be a righteous man, was led by angels out of the city of Sodom before God destroyed it.

What the deuce is the hurry? Just so must Lot have left Sodom, when he expected fire to pour down upon it out of burning brass clouds.

CHARLOTTE BRONTE The Professor, 1857

Captain Oates Captain Lawrence Oates (1880-1912) was an English explorer on Scott's expedition to the South Pole. Believing that his severe frostbite would jeopardize his companions' survival, he deliberately went out into a blizzard to sacrifice his own life. His famous last words were: T am just going outside and may be some time.' His epitaph reads: 'Hereabouts died a very gallant gentleman, Captain L. E. G. Oates of the Inniskilling Dragoons. In March 1912, returning from the Pole, he walked willingly to his death in a blizzard, to try and save his comrades, beset by hardship. This note is left by the Relief Expedition. 1912.'

He didn't believe her. But he said, 'I suppose I'm a bit of a burden on you, Dora, these days. Perhaps I ought to go off and die.' Like Oates at the south Pole.

MURIEL SPARK 'The Father's Daughters' in The Collected Stories, 1961

Parthian The Parthians lived and ruled in an area of western Asia in ancient times and were governed by a military aristocracy. They held out against the encroaching Romans until the second century AD and were famous for their cavalry, who had perfected the art of shooting backwards at an enemy from whom they were in retreat, the 'Parthian shot'. The term has come to be applied to a hostile remark delivered by someone at the moment of departure.

'I command you to leave this room at once! 'Very well. Since all I have ever experienced in it is hypocrisy, I shall do so with the greatest pleasure.' With this Parthian shaft Sarah turned to go.

JOHN FOWLES The French Lieutenant's Woman, 1969

DESERTED PLACES 9 7

Deserted Places

This theme deals with the idea of deserted or abandoned places, sometimes suggested by reference to the ruins of ancient cities. •See also

Disappearance and Absence, Illusion.

Beau Geste Beau Geste (1924) by P. C. Wren is an adventure story dealing with the exploits of the French Foreign Legion. It contains a famous scene in which, with hardly any soldiers left alive to defend a fort, the corpses of the dead are arranged on the fort's battlements to give the illusion of a strongly armed presence.

Caz got back to John Street for half past two. There were a couple of voices in the back office behind the front desk, but other than that, the place was still a cheap version of Beau Geste meets the Marie Celeste.

ALEX KEECAN Kingfisher, 1995

Karnac Karnac is a village in Egypt, on the Nile near Luxor. It is the site of ancient Thebes, whose ruins, including the great temple of Amun, still survive there.

Half-past ten in the morning was about her hour for seeking this spot—a time when the town avenues were deserted as the avenues of Karnac.

THOMAS HARDY The Mayor of Casterbridge, 1886

Mary Celeste The Mary Celeste (often erroneously referred to as the Marie Celeste) was an American brig that set sail from New York for Genoa and was found drifting in the North Atlantic in December 1872, abandoned but with evidence of very recent occupation. It was never discovered what had happened to the crew.

She boarded the lift, stuffing the booklet back into the folder. By the tenth and final floor, she was alone in the lift, and she emerged into a corridor that seemed about as lively as the deck of the Marie Celeste.

VAL MCDERMID Union Jack, 1993

And, anyway, it won't always be like this, with all her things around. She'll clear it out soon, and the Marie Celestial air about the place—the half-read Julian Barnes paperback on the bedside table and the knickers in the dirty clothes basket—will vanish.

NICK HORNBY High Fidelity, 1995

Petra Petra is an ancient ruined city in Jordan. It was the capital of the Nabataeans from 312 BC until 63 BC, when they became subject to Rome. The city's extensive ruins include temples and tombs carved in the sandstone cliffs. The poet John Burgon famously described Petra as 'A rose-red city—"half as old as time".'

Think of it. Of a Sunday, Wall Street is deserted as Petra; and every night of every

day it is an emptiness.

HERMAN MELVILLE Bartleby 1856