The defeated soldiers had to pass under the yoke.
pass under the yoke
idiomOf a defeated army, to be humiliated by the victors.
Origin
disputed originThe practice of passing under the yoke (Latin: sub iugum) was a ritual humiliation of enemies practiced by the people of ancient Italy, most notably the Romans and Samnites. Hence, the modern English word subjugate stems from the Latin "sub iugum", meaning under the yoke.
After the long siege ended, the surviving troops were forced to pass under the yoke as a sign of their total submission.
The conquering general demanded that the entire captured battalion pass under the yoke, ensuring their humiliation was witnessed by the cheering crowds.
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come to pass
To happen; to occur.
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hard pass
An unequivocal rejection with no possibility of a later change of mind.
- 03
let this cup pass from me
An appeal to God or another authority to take away one's present or future suffering.
- 04
pass away
To die.
- 05
pass muster
To meet or exceed a particular standard.
- 06
pass on
To die.
- 07
pass the bottle of smoke
To acquiesce in some falsehood; to make pretence.
- 08
pass the buck
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.