Final answer:
Eli recites an extended version of the initial prayer for victory, described in Mark Twain's "The War Prayer," which graphically details the horrific consequences of war. It is both a powerful commentary on the duality of such prayers and a moral challenge to the reader.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prayer Eli recites after the described event is an explicit and graphic extension of the spoken prayer, "Grant us the victory, O Lord our God." This extended prayer, articulated by Mark Twain in "The War Prayer," reveals the implicit ramifications of the initial prayer for victory. The delivered message is a powerful and provocative commentary on the nature of prayers for victory in warfare, starkly illustrating the unseen consequences that accompany the desired triumph. The utterance paints vivid and disturbing pictures of the horrors of war, moving from a plea for support and victory to a detailed imagining of the violence and suffering inflicted upon the enemy, questioning the morality of such prayers.
Through this passage, Twain forces the reader to confront the duality and consequence of pleas made in times of conflict, inviting a deeper reflection on the ethics and empathy, or lack thereof, involved in such supplications. It is designed to make people consider the full implications of their desires during wartime and serves as a cautionary tale on the power of words and prayers.