"I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name"

This quote by William Morris speaks with the concept of the futility of war and the power of fate. It recommends that even when males fight and lose a battle, the thing they defended still occurs, however it is not what they meant. Instead, it is something else, and other males have to fight for what the original guys meant, but under a various name. This speaks with the idea that war is frequently useless, as the outcome is typically fixed and out of the control of those who battle. It likewise speaks with the concept that history is cyclical, as the same fights are fought over and over again, simply under various names. Eventually, this quote functions as a tip that war is typically a wild-goose chase and resources, and that the result is frequently predetermined.