If two stand shoulder to shoulder against the gods, Happy together, the gods themselves are helpless Against them while they stand so.

The lines assert that solidarity—two people united in purpose and affection—can rival even “the gods,” a traditional symbol for fate, power, or the impersonal forces that govern human life. Anderson frames happiness not as private comfort but as a shared stance: standing “shoulder to shoulder” suggests mutual loyalty, courage, and a refusal to be isolated. The claim that the gods are “helpless” is deliberately hyperbolic, emphasizing that what most defeats individuals (fear, destiny, authority) loses its force when confronted by steadfast companionship. The passage thus celebrates human alliance as a counterweight to inevitability and as a source of moral and emotional strength.