And then this best and meekest woman bore
With such serenity her husband's woes,
Just as the Spartan ladies did of yore,
Who saw their spouses kill'd, and nobly chose
Never to say a word about them more–
Calmly she heard each calumny that rose,
And saw his agonies with such sublimity,
That all the world exclaim'd, "What magnanimity!"
. . .
And if our quarrels should rip up old stories,
And help them with a lie or two additional,
I'm not to blame, as you well know–no more is
Any one else–they were become traditional;
Besides, their resurrection aids our glories
By contrast, which is what we just were wishing all:
And science profits by this resurrection–
Dead scandals form good subjects for dissection.

In this passage from "Don Juan," Byron satirizes the tendency of society to thrive on gossip and scandal. Donna Inez's serene acceptance of her husband's flaws—much like the stoic Spartan women—is ironically portrayed as an act of nobility, laced with an undercurrent of hypocrisy. Her so-called magnanimity becomes a spectacle for the crowd, all the while catalyzing the resurgence of old rumors, complete with embellishments. The verse cleverly points out the cyclical nature of gossip; past scandals resurface, bolstered by new fabrications, to entertain and satisfy the voyeuristic inclinations of society. Byron suggests that such "resurrections" of scandal serve not only to contrast with current affairs, thereby enhancing their appeal, but also to provide material for social "dissection"—an ironic nod to the human proclivity for analysis over moral substance.