He did not brew ails , but they attribute to him a sensible palindrome phrase in English, using (multiple use, of course) only the above bold letters.

Who was this person?
To what event does this sentence allude?

"Able was I, ere I saw Elba"

The palindrome, applied to Napolean, refers to Napolean's early successes that led to his coronation and reign as Emperor of France and penultimately his exile to the small island of Elba after the Sixth Coalition (the joined forces of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, and a number of German States) defeated his forces at Leipzig and invaded France.

Jyqm's preceding comment refers to the fact the Napolean's exile to Elba was temporary, as he escaped less than a year later and returned to France as its leader. Yet, shortly afterwards he was infamously defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and confined by the British on the island of Saint Helena where, after a few years, he died.

Posted by Dej Mar on 2013-06-06 23:11:52