A Doubt of Mine

[MrFlibble]

In Chapter House Dune, the very first chapter opens with words like "Those who wish the past to repeat itself, should teach history" or something similiar. Could anyone please give me the exact quote from original English text because this is my own back translation from Russian.

The doubt is about the content of this quote, a single word missing could alter the meaning (say, "Those who wish the past NOT to repeat itself, should teach history").

[Dante]

"Those who would repeat the past must control the teaching of history."

That's what my version has. Makes sense.

[MrFlibble]

Yeah. Thanx.

[Inoculator9]

My original english text is the same as your translation MrF, and is as far as I know not missing a "NOT." Perhaps it was a typo, Frank is confirmed once more as being deeper then us, or he believed that recalling past actions just gives people bad ideas :D

[Khan]

I have an original english edition and it has the same as Dante.

[tag]

I wish I had a copy of Chapterhouse, myself, to refer to but basing on what has been written in this thread it seems to me that both quotations say the same thing.  Both give reference to the idea that an important ingredient in manipulating a people is the importance of apearing to be in posession of the Truth.

MrFibble's "should teach history" does not necessarily state an -unbiased- history whereas Dante's version directly announces the importance of "control".  By controlling/teaching history you can limit to your own design people's ability to draw upon experiences outside of their own.  Therefore, you would teach history in such a light that it gives credence to events similar to those you -wish- to repeat while damning those that you do not.  Aside, teaching/controlling history gives you the very, very useful ability of being able to create a social "Identity" which people can associate themselves with, thereby disassociating themselves of other Identies rival to your own purposes.

Or ...

... perhaps not.  I don't claim to know what Frank Herbert was thinking when he wrote Chapterhouse, only that the two quotes when stated in context with one another can be perceived to have the same meaning, though I think Dante's version is clearer.

--Bashar