September 17, 2024
Today we explore an inspirational figure not from history, but from literature. His name is Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan, and he’s the protagonist of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers.
The young D’Artagnan isn’t simply a swashbuckling adventurer — rather, he’s an archetype of heroism itself. His story is the blueprint for how to train ambitious young men to live a life of selfless virtue over selfish glory.
Today we explore his story to discover what adventurous, virtuous manhood looks like. Keep reading to dive in!
D’Artagnan’s story begins in Gascony, France. He’s a poor but ambitious young man, trained in swordsmanship with a dream of becoming a musketeer in the King’s bodyguard. As he departs for Paris on his mission, his father sends him off with words of wisdom:
“It is by courage alone that a gentleman can make his way nowadays. Whoever hesitates allows the bait of fortune to escape…Never fear quarrels, but seek adventures.”
With his Father’s encouragement, d’Artagnan sets out with high hopes and ambitions, but things don’t go as planned.
Once in Paris, D’Artagnan makes the mistake of offending three separate men (all of whom are musketeers) on three separate occasions. Then, despite his inexperience, he challenges all three of them to duels!
D’Artagnan fears for his life, but he’s saved by a stroke of luck — the police arrive right in time to break up the illegal duels. But their intervention is a double-edged sword, as they now threaten to arrest d’Artagnan and the other musketeers for partaking in illegal activity.
Finding a common enemy, d’Artagnan and the three musketeers rally together to fight off the police. Though it’s a mere street brawl, it’s this simple fight that changes everything for d’Artagnan.
The musketeers are so impressed by d’Artagnan’s boldness that they take him under their wing. The bonds between them quickly grow deeper than friendship, and come to represent something much greater — the rite of passage to manhood.
This rite of passage is what transforms d’Artagnan from a reckless youth to a virtuous hero. And its essence is embodied in the famous slogan:
“All for one and one for all!”
This slogan is more than a mere motto. It’s what fuels the spirit of a brotherhood united under shared love of virtue. It also informs the code of ethics that molds d’Artagnan into manhood. Here’s what that looks like broken down:
“All for one” means love the individual. The brotherhood looks out for every member of the group. It’s their job to push each member to be their best.
“One for all” is a call to duty. You can’t be a passive member of the Musketeers — you have to serve the brotherhood. This entails growing in strength, courage, and loyalty, learning to love your brothers more than yourself.
This motto is what helps d’Artagnan — and what continues to help men today — to thrive in the face of adversity.
D’Artagnan quickly learns that loyalty to the brotherhood is a matter of life and death. When he joins the Musketeers, he faces a maelstrom of evils:
Assassination attempts on his life
Political conspiracies against the King
Fighting on the frontlines at the Siege of La Rochelle
Through every adventure, his brothers are by his side. They push him beyond his limits, embolden him, and draw out the hero inside of him. D’Artagnan eventually goes on not only to defend the French Crown, but also to lead a heroic counterattack in the defense of Fort Saint Gervais.
But ultimately, being in the Musketeers is about more than becoming a warrior. Most importantly, the brotherhood teaches d’Artagnan a love of virtue. He originally left home seeking fame and glory for himself, but was changed by the Musketeers — in the end, he found true glory in serving the King, his brothers, and the virtue of justice.
This is the beacon of true heroism — possessing not just Herculean strength, but the heart of a sage. Nothing brings order to the world like a strong man who lays down his life for the good of others. Only by being willing to do so did d’Artagnan become immortalized as a true hero.
You are the company you keep! D’Artagnan learned heroism through the brotherhood of the Musketeers — men who were older, stronger, and wiser than him. As the Proverb goes, “iron sharpens iron, man sharpens man.” If you want to be virtuous, surround yourself with virtuous men.
D’Artagnan never backed down from a fight — starting with the three duels he accepted with the three musketeers. It seemed ludicrous at the time, but d’Artagnan’s boldness is what eventually led to him to join their ranks and arrive at his destiny. When seeking your life’s fortune, favor being daring over playing it safe — fortune scoffs at cowards.
D’Artagnan’s heroism was fueled by a love of virtue. He learned that it’s better to die honorably for a just cause — such as defending the King, noble women, or his brothers in arms — than to live a shameful life of cowardice. He realized that the paradox of courage is to love life so much that you’re willing to die to protect it in others.
No man can live heroically until he devotes himself to a noble cause he’s willing to die for. This is how legacy is built — it’s how true heroes are made.
My friend Sean Berube helped write a large portion of this email, so if you enjoyed this then be sure to follow him on X.
In the meantime, if you enjoy my work and want to show your support, the best way to do so is by purchasing a fresh bag of coffee from Imperium Coffee. All the proceeds go towards making more content like this and helping others learn from the examples of great men.
Thanks for making it this far, and I’ll see you on this week’s Spaces!
Ad finem fidelis,
Evan
