Literary notes about FORCES (AI summary)
The word “forces” in literature is remarkably versatile, serving both concrete and abstract functions. In historical narratives, it often denotes tangible military might and strategic movement, as illustrated by Gibbon’s accounts of Bajazet amassing his forces for battle [1] and descriptions of armies in classic epics such as Homer's works [2, 3]. In contrast, philosophical and sociological texts employ the term to capture intangible influences—those mysterious or pervasive energies shaping human behavior and social order, as seen in Tolstoy’s reflection on the forces that move humanity [4] or in discussions of economic and social dynamics [5]. This dual usage enriches literary discourse, allowing "forces" to signify both the brute mechanics of war and the subtle currents that underlie human affairs.
- During this diversion of the Mogul arms, Bajazet had two years to collect his forces for a more serious encounter.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - There is no strong city within reach, whence we may draw fresh forces to turn the scales in our favour.
— from The Iliad by Homer - To conquer Troy, with ours thy forces join, And count Atrides' fairest daughter thine.
— from The Iliad by Homer - But the mysterious forces that move humanity (mysterious because the laws of their motion are unknown to us) continued to operate.
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy - To what extent are the social forces making for segregation ( a ) economic, ( b ) sentimental?
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park
