Talk:The Dogs of War
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The military order Havoc! was a signal given to the English military forces in the Middle Ages to direct the soldiery (in Shakespeare's parlance 'the dogs of war') to pillage and chaos.
Origin
The Black Book of the Admiralty of 1385 is a collection of laws, in French and Latin, relating to the English Navy. In the 'Ordinances of War of Richard II' in that book we find:
"Item, qe nul soit si hardy de crier havok sur peine davoir la test coupe."
I text in English that comes nearer to defining the term is Grose's 'History of the English Army', circa 1525:
"Likewise be all manner of beasts, when they be brought into the field and cried havoke, then every man to take his part."
Shakespeare was well aware of the use of the meaning of havoc and he used 'cry havoc' in several of his plays. The 'cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war' form of the phrase is from his Julius Caesar, 1601. After Caesar's murder Anthony regrets the course he has taken and predicts that war is sure to follow.
ANTONY: Blood and destruction shall be so in use And dreadful objects so familiar That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial.
The term also appears in The Life and Death of King John - "Cry 'havoc!' kings; back to the stained field..." and in Coriolanus - "Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt with modest warrant."
The term is the predessor of 'play havoc' (with). This is now more common than 'cry havoc' but has lost the force of the earlier phrase - just meaning 'cause disorder and confusion'.
FROM phrases.org.uk
[edit] Genghis khan
The phrase the dogs of war comes from a line in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar: "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!" Several works have been named in its honor:
How is the fact that genghis khan named his favorite generals "dogs of war" something in the honor of shakespeares play ????? Genghis khan lived in the 12th century, way before shakespeare was born. Just remove it from the list or say that this is a list of people, groups etc where the phrase "dogs of war" is used. I'm sorry if i did something wrong and should not have done it this way.I dont know how this all works. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 62.163.11.239 (talk • contribs) .
