They better say they ran away from here than died here

The popular saying that says "It is better to say that he fled here that he died here" expresses that the coward prefers to see his reputation compromised rather than die, that is, rather than fight a battle that he cannot win. This expression has its origin in Spanish culture, from where it spread to all Spanish-speaking countries.

Its content revolves around the problem of personal reputation. The expression, in fact, shows that whoever invokes the saying is aware of the weight of historical memory, which is expressed in the stories that go from generation to generation.

The saying shows that the coward invests the values ​​agreed upon by the society of which he is a part. Indeed, for Western society, a just cause deserves the fight, even if it is known in advance that it can be lost. Therefore, this saying highlights the confrontation between two essential values: the value of honor versus the value of life.

In a deeper sense and in accordance with the image of the saying, a hero or a brave person is one who offers his life in sacrifice for a good cause, and his retribution will be that his story will be told generation after generation.

For the coward, it is preferable to save his life and live with a bad reputation, than to enter the memorial of the deceased. This means that for the coward, his survival, which can be seen as a symbol of his own tranquility in the face of conflict, is above what they will say.

See also Dog that barks does not bite.