Life, 1922-10-26 · page 36 of 36
Life — October 26, 1922 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **life insurance advertisement** disguised as historical narrative, not a political cartoon. The page uses **Themistocles**, the ancient Athenian general, as a moral exemplar. The text emphasizes that despite his personal vanity and eventual exile, Themistocles consistently ensured his wife and children were "provided for"—even when facing execution by the Persian King Xerxes. **The advertising pitch**: The ad argues that if an ancient warrior, facing death in a foreign land, prioritized his family's financial security, modern American men should certainly purchase life insurance during peacetime when "it's an easy matter." The tagline—"If every wife knew what every widow knows, every husband would be insured"—suggests widows understand too late the financial devastation of an uninsured husband's death. **The satire/persuasion**: By elevating life insurance to the level of classical virtue and patriotic duty, Prudential appeals to masculine pride and family responsibility—making insurance seem not merely practical but *morally necessary*.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HEMISTOCLES, the old Athenian warrior, seemed to have a hard time of it, and yet his place in history is everlasting. He started off with personal vanity at his mast- head, and carried pride through to his grave. When his followers would build triumphal memorials to his val- or he would insist on having cut therein “I, Themistocles, the Athe- nian, did this or did that.” After a while the people began to laugh at him, but he proved his right to pride at Marathon and at Salamis. Yet he was finally exiled. While in banish- ment Xerxes, the Persian, captured him. Despite his dismissal by his country Themistocles fervidly avowed his patriotism, refused the offers of his captor, declared anew “T, Themistocles, the Athenian, won at Marathon and at Salamis, and the evils that I have done to the Per- sians are numerous; my mind is suit- ed to my calamities; I am prepared alike for favors and for anger; my wife and my children have been pro- vided for—therefore, oh Persian King, I, Themistocles, the Athenian, am ready to die.” Sturdy old fighter that he was he included in his speech of defiance “My wife and my chil- dren have been provided for.” Throughout his campaigns, in all his struggles against his enemies, there was always a thought for his family’s future. Still in these peaceful times, with life insurance an easy matter, there are many who cannot say as much. Why is it so? The Prudential Insurance Company of America EDWARD D. DUFFIELD, President HOME OFFICE, NEWARK, N. J IF EVERY WIFE KNEW WHAT EVERY WIDOW KNOWS EVERY HUSBAND WOULD BE INSURED comicbooks.com