In order to stop the torturing of Ensign Chekov by the Klingons, James Kirk agreed to let Kang take over the Enterprise. Chekov protested, referring to the Klingons as animals, but Commander Kang thought the epithet was misplaced. "Animals. Your captain crawls like one," he said. "A Klingon would never have surrendered."

Because of this Klingon trait, Klingon emissary K'Ehleyr argued against disabling a Klingon ship whose crew was unaware of the peace treaty between the Federation and the Empire. If the ship were merely disabled, she said, the ship's captain would "destroy it himself." Worf concurred by simply quoting the maxim: "Klingon do not surrender."

In Klingon, the for word for "surrender," "{jegh}," also can be translated as "give up," in the sense of abandoning a project. Thus, the saying also means that Klingons are persistent or even obstinate. As Worf put it, "Klingons do not give up easily."

This bit of advice is actually---and probably intentionally---ambiguous. It can be interpreted to mean "care about your student' progress and welfare," but it can also mean "care about who your students are"---that is, impart knowledge only to those whom you trust.

To Klingons, knowledge and expertise are matters of pride. This includes both the understanding of history, rituals, and legends, and also the mastery of various practical techniques, such as those needed to be a successful warrior. Education and drilling continue throughout a Klingon's life. There are even some ritualized forms of practice, such as the {moQbara',} a type of martial art, and the {qa'vaQ,} a hoop-and-stick maneuver that hones the skills of the hunt.

Complementing the value placed on learning is an emphasis on teaching, the recognition that, in order to continue as a culture, it is important to pass on expertise to future generations. At the same time, to grow as a culture, it is acknowledged that teachers will learn from their students, another reason to be sure that the student-teacher relationship is one of mutual trust and respect.

This does not mean that all warriors are young at heart. It is quite literal. Traditionally, if a captain becomes weak and incapable of serving, he is assassinated by his first officer. A similar arrangement is in effect for officers of lower rank. As Worf put it, "The Klingon system has operated successfully for centuries."

To speak of spirits escaping from Gre'thor is to speak of an impossibility. The phrase usually follows the statement of what it is that supposedly cannot happen:

{jIjegh ghe'torvo' narghDI' qa'pu'.}
I will surrender when spirits escape from Gre'thor.

These two maxims express the belief that fighting and winning define a Klingon's very being; everything else in life is secondary, if not superfluous. Unless they are engaged in battle or preparing for battle, Klingons become rather cantankerous (though, to those unfamiliar with Klingons, this might not be noticeable). As a result, Klingons are likely to, at the slightest provocation, instigate a battle of some sort.

Lieutenant Commander Worf is well aware of the Klingon predilection reflected in these two sayings. Though raised among humans, he has always prided himself on his knowledge of Klingon history and culture. He observed that a potentially dangerous situation involving the Dominion and the Cardassians, which the Klingons viewed as a threat, "has given my people an excuse to do what they were born to do: to fight and to conquer."

These two maxims express the belief that fighting and winning define a Klingon's very being; everything else in life is secondary, if not superfluous. Unless they are engaged in battle or preparing for battle, Klingons become rather cantankerous (though, to those unfamiliar with Klingons, this might not be noticeable). As a result, Klingons are likely to, at the slightest provocation, instigate a battle of some sort.

Lieutenant Commander Worf is well aware of the Klingon predilection reflected in these two sayings. Though raised among humans, he has always prided himself on his knowledge of Klingon history and culture. He observed that a potentially dangerous situation involving the Dominion and the Cardassians, which the Klingons viewed as a threat, "has given my people an excuse to do what they were born to do: to fight and to conquer."

Yridians are known as traders of information---that is, buyers and sellers. So if a Yridian offers something at no cost---a gift---something is surely amiss.

This Klingon maxim embodies the general belief: Those who violate the rules of their own culture and do not observe their own virtues are acting dishonorably and are not to be trusted.