“History isn't the lies of the victors, as I once glibly assured Old Joe Hunt; I know that now. It's more the memories of the survivors, most of whom are neither victorious or defeated.”
“If history is written by the victorious, what if the victors lied?”
“History: the lies of the victors, the self-delusions of the defeated.”
“What is history? Any thoughts, Webster?''History is the lies of the victors,' I replied, a little too quickly.'Yes, I was rather afraid you'd say that. Well, as long as you remember that it is also the self-delusions of the defeated. ...'Finn?''"History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation." (quoting Patrick Lagrange)”
“A history of literature, unlike history as such, ought to list only victories, for its defeats are no victory for anyone.”
“Once any tyranny becomes accepted as ordinary, its victory is assured.”