Stand Firm

ὤ μοι ἐγὼ τί πάθω; μέγα μὲν κακὸν αἴ κε φέβωμαι
πληθὺν ταρβήσας: τὸ δὲ ῥίγιον αἴ κεν ἁλώω
μοῦνος: τοὺς δ᾽ ἄλλους Δαναοὺς ἐφόβησε Κρονίων.
ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;
οἶδα γὰρ ὅττι κακοὶ μὲν ἀποίχονται πολέμοιο,
ὃς δέ κ᾽ ἀριστεύῃσι μάχῃ ἔνι τὸν δὲ μάλα χρεὼ
ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς, ἤ τ᾽ ἔβλητ᾽ ἤ τ᾽ ἔβαλ᾽ ἄλλον.

"What to do? It'd be a big disgrace to run,
afraid of so many; but it would be worse to be captured
alone, since Zeus scared off all my men.
But why am I arguing with myself?
I know better than anyone that losers wimp out,
but whoever would be a hero must
stand firm, win or lose."

(Odusseus speaking. Homer, Iliad XI 404–10, as loosely translated—hopefully not too badly!—by yours truly.)

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Remember that Odusseus had eleven more long years of "standing firm" as a hero (ἀριστεύῃσι μάχῃ "to be the best at fighting") before he became a Hero (ἥρω "ascended human soul"). Nobody said it would be easy, but what's the alternative?