Ulysses Quotes
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Source: Ulysses
Author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Context
You've heard of Odysseus before, right? He's that guy who had a ton of adventures while making his way home from the Trojan War (he took the scenic route). And he goes by another name, too: Ulysses.
Which also happens to be the title of the Tennyson poem that features our quote.
These are the final lines of the poem, a monologue delivered by Ulysses after he has returned home. He's talking about his discontent and his longing to return to adventure, even in his old age.
Where you've heard it
Who says you have to slow down when you get older? Sure, Ulysses admits that he's not as strong as he used to be; he even talks about how his son Telemachos is a man now and will take his place. But his need for exploration hasn't lessened with age.
The final line of the poem is often taken out of context and used in a purely motivational way, ignoring the whole "made weak by time and fate" thing. But, as a whole, the poem isn't 100% inspirational. It's more like an attempt to reconcile the human passion for life and intrigue with the fact that we all get old and, uh, much less spry.
Oh, and you may recall this line from this epic scene in Skyfall. Dame Judy, indeed.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Rallying cries usually aren't pretentious, but, uh, you're quoting Tennyson.