The Sweet Smell of Victory

In 1812, the French general Napoleon Bonaparte led his armies into the Russian city of Smolensk. The Russians chose to abandon the city, but before they did, they set it on fire.

Napoleon watched the city burn with satisfaction. He asked one of his aides what he thought of the sight.

"Horrible, sir," the man answered.

Napoleon snorted. "Remember gentlemen," he said, "as one of the Roman emperors remarked, 'The corpse of an enemy always smells sweet.'"