Spartan women would tell their husbands and sons to return - before they were to head off to war - "With your shield, or on it."

Honor in battle was cherished. Spartan warriors carried large shields into battle. If a man came home without his shield, it was obvious he had dropped it to run from the battle. If a man fell in battle, his friends carried him home on his shield.

The saying told the men that they were to return victorious (with their shield), or injured or dead (on it).

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''I think that not returning injured is somehow implied in the saying. Regarding software, that makes much sense. I wouldn't want a function returning 'injured'; not completely successful, but not completely unsuccessful either.''

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For the application of this principle, see the SamuraiPrinciple and DoOrDie.

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CategoryIdiom | CategoryException