The gods of the hills and valleys

“Rather than fail I will retire with my hardy Green Mountains Boys to the desolate caverns of the mountains, and wage war with human nature at large.’’

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“The gods of the valley are not the gods of the hills, and you shall understand it.’’

—- Ethan Allen (1737-1789), leader of the “Green Mountains Boys,’’ who fought the British in the Revolutionary War. He was the prime founder of Vermont, a politician, farmer, land speculator, philosopher, writer and lay theologian. He most famous military exploit was his role, along with Benedict Arnold, in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775.

Ethen Allen’s resting place, in Green Mount Cemetery in Burlington, Vt.

Looking south over the Green Mountains from the summit of Mt. Mansfield, at 4,396 feet above sea level the highest mountain in the state.