The term victory (from
Latin ''victoria'') originally applied to
warfare, and denotes
success
Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of expectations. It may be viewed as the opposite of failure. The criteria for success depend on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One person mig ...
achieved in personal
combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
, after
military operations in general or, by extension, in any
competition. Success in a
military campaign
A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. The term derives from the ...
constitutes a
strategic victory
A strategic victory is a victory that brings long-term advantage to the victor and disturbs the enemy's ability to wage a war. When historians speak of a victory in general, they usually refer to a strategic victory. Usually it comes together with ...
, while the success in a
military engagement is a
tactical victory.
In terms of human
emotion, victory accompanies strong feelings of elation, and in
human behaviour often exhibits movements and poses paralleling
threat display preceding the combat, which are associated with the excess
endorphin built up preceding and during combat.
Victory dances and victory cries similarly parallel
war dances and
war cries performed before the outbreak of physical violence.
Examples of victory behaviour reported in Roman antiquity, where the term ''victoria'' originated, include: the victory songs of the
Batavi mercenaries serving under
Gaius Julius Civilis after the victory over
Quintus Petillius Cerialis
Quintus Petillius Cerialis Caesius Rufus ( AD 30 — after AD 83), otherwise known as Quintus Petillius Cerialis, was a Roman general and administrator who served in Britain during Boudica's rebellion and went on to participate in the civil wars af ...
in the
Batavian rebellion of 69 AD (according to
Tacitus); and also the "abominable song" to
Wodan, sung by the
Lombards at their victory celebration in 579. The sacrificial animal was a goat, around whose head the Langobards danced in a circle while singing their victory hymn.
The
Roman Republic and
Empire celebrated victories with
triumph ceremonies and with monuments such as
victory columns (e.g.
Trajan's Column) and arches. A
trophy
A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, and serves as a recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics. In many sports medals (or, in ...
is a token of victory taken from the defeated party, such as the enemy's weapons (''
spolia''), or body parts (as in the case of
head hunters).
Mythology often deifies victory, as in the cases of the Greek
Nike or the Roman
Victoria. The victorious agent is a
hero, often portrayed as engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a
monster
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
(as
Saint George slaying the dragon,
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
slaying Ahi,
Thor slaying the
Midgard Serpent etc.).
Sol Invictus ("the Invincible Sun") of Roman mythology became an epithet of
Christ in
Christianity.
Paul of Tarsus
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
presents the
resurrection of Christ as a victory over Death and
Sin (
1 Corinthians
The First Epistle to the Corinthians ( grc, Α΄ ᾽Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους) is one of the Pauline epistles, part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-aut ...
15:55).
The Latinate English-language word ''victory'' (from the 14th century) replaced the
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
equivalent term ''sige'' (cognate with Gothic ''sigis'', Old High German ''sigu'' and ''Sieg'' in modern German), a frequent element in
Germanic names (as in
Sigibert Sigebert (which means roughly "magnificent victory"), also spelled Sigibert, Sigobert, Sigeberht, or Siegeberht, is the name of:
Frankish and Anglo-Saxon kings
* Sigobert the Lame (died c. 509), a king of the Franks
* Sigebert I, King of Austrasi ...
,
Sigurd etc.), cognate to Celtic ''sego'' and Sanskrit ''sahas''.
The universal sign for victory
The age-old "V sign" comes in two formats: one with the palm faced outwards, and one with the palm inwards. In the United States, the two hand signals mean the same thing – "victory".
Religion
Buddha emphasized the immortality that exists within ourself, to act to conquer ourself is his victory and ours; "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell." Buddha's victory is ours, it rests forever in the seat of the mind, unfolding in numerous lives.
In Ch.2 Verse 38 of the ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
'' equanimity is ordained by
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna; "Know That, by which all this (universe) is pervaded, to be indestructible. No one can destroy the indestructible (
Atma)." and later Krishna states after instructing Arjuna to act with newly found clarity "Treating alike victory and defeat, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, Get ready for the battle. Fighting thus you will not incur sin." Sin-virtue are matters of the mind, and aren't of the body.
A battle, whether won or lost, or whether escaping the battle, it doesn't change the nature and the purity of ourself, any battle, for all eternity. Perceiving loss is a reason for the unhappiness and sadness, perceiving all gain and loss as the same, this is to be free from the sin of believing the accruement of gain and loss is the same as our own gain and loss.
In the
New Testament, the victory of
Jesus Christ over death and the sharing of that victory with the
Christian believer are referred to in the writings of
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
and
Saint John (e.g.
1 Corinthians 15:57,
1 John 5:4).
See also
*
Aggression
Aggression is overt or covert, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other harm upon another individual; although it can be channeled into creative and practical outlets for some. It may occur either reacti ...
*
Competition (biology)
Competition is an interaction between organisms or species in which both require a resource that is in limited supply (such as food, water, or territory). Competition lowers the fitness of both organisms involved since the presence of one of th ...
*
Conquest (military)
*''
Endsieg
''Endsieg'' () is German for "ultimate victory". It is generally used to denote a victory at the end of a war or conflict. Adolf Hitler used ''Endsieg'' in his book ''Mein Kampf'' ("My Struggle") in 1925 where he ironically asks if fate wanted th ...
''
*
Fight-or-flight response
*
Human aggression
*
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory ( ) is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. Such a victory negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress.
The phrase originates from a quote from P ...
*
Surrender (military)
Surrender, in military terms, is the relinquishment of control over territory, combatants, fortifications, ships or armament to another power. A surrender may be accomplished peacefully or it may be the result of defeat in battle. A sovereig ...
*
Victoria Memorial, London
*''
Victory'', 1902 statue in New York City by
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
*
Victory Day
*
War
*''
Winged Victory of Samothrace''
References
External links
{{Wiktionary
Victory: Definition, Idea and Phenomenon
Articles containing video clips