Never retreat. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl.

Hear, O child of resolve, the iron words of Benjamin Jowett, master of Balliol and voice of uncompromising will: “Never retreat. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl.” These words are not whispered counsel but the roar of a commander, forged in the furnace of struggle and meant to steel the hearts of those who would act in a world of critics and doubters. They call us to stand unshaken, to do the work we are given, and to let the winds of opposition rage without fear.

To never retreat is to refuse surrender in the face of resistance. It does not mean blindness to wisdom nor ignorance of strategy, but it means that once the heart has discerned its righteous path, it must press forward. Retreat feeds the strength of the enemy—be that enemy fear, doubt, or the judgment of men. Advancement, though slow, breaks their hold. Jowett’s words call us to persevere with the stubbornness of mountains, unmoved by storm or siege.

To never explain is not to despise clarity, but to resist being enslaved by the endless need to justify one’s actions to the chorus of critics. For the world will always murmur, always question, always cast stones. If one pauses at every bark of the hound, the journey is never completed. Great souls have always been accused—Galileo, Lincoln, even Christ himself—yet their deeds, not their defenses, became their vindication. Explanation may soothe the moment, but results silence eternity.

And thus Jowett commands: “Get it done and let them howl.” The howling of the crowd is the background music of all progress. To act boldly is to invite resistance, for those who fear change will cry out against it. But let them howl! Wolves do not stop the traveler who keeps his path; winds do not halt the eagle who spreads his wings. When the work is finished, when the vision becomes reality, the howls fade, and the world is left transformed. The true reply to criticism is not words, but achievement.

Consider the life of Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady. Mocked, resisted, and hated by many, she bore the full force of howls both within her nation and without. Yet she pressed on with her convictions, refusing to retreat or drown in explanations. Whether one agrees with her politics or not, her steadfastness changed the destiny of Britain. She embodied Jowett’s teaching: she acted, she endured the howls, and her legacy was carved by deeds, not excuses.

The meaning is plain: if you live to avoid criticism, you will never live at all. The one who acts will always provoke the voices of opposition, but the one who hides will die with their song unsung. Better to endure the storm of howls than the silence of cowardice. Greatness is not measured by applause, but by endurance in the face of scorn.

Therefore, O listener, take this command into your soul. When you know your purpose, advance without retreat. Do not waste your breath explaining yourself to those who cannot see what you see. Instead, pour your energy into the work, into the deed, into the act itself. Let the results be your defense, your testimony, your crown.

Thus, the ancient lesson stands: Never retreat. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl. Act with courage, endure with dignity, and remember that the howls of critics are but the echoes of their fear. The world belongs not to those who complained, but to those who built. Be among the builders, and let your work be the answer that outlives the noise.