‘There are, it seems to me, two kinds of pride. One urges a man to disguise his shortcomings for fear of looking foolish. The second spurs him on to eliminate those shortcomings.‘
– Owen Odell, to himself, Morningstar
Category Archives: Weekly Wisdom
‘The moves are the same, but the difference is wider than the Great Green. Love is like that. You can spend time with a whore, and laugh and know great pleasure. But when love strikes – ah, the difference is awesome. You will find more joy in the touch of a hand, or the sight of a smile, than you could ever experience in a hundred nights of passion with anyone else. The sky will be more blue, the sun more bright.‘
– Odysseus, to Helikaon, Lord of the Silver Bow
‘All things that live must die. Man alone, it seems, lives all his life in the knowledge of death. And yet there is more to life than merely waiting for death. For life to have meaning, there must be a purpose. A man must pass something on – otherwise he is useless.’‘
– Vintar, to Rek, Hogun and Bowman, Legend
‘A long time ago, when he was a child, a holy man had told him a story. It was about a man who came to the end of his days and, looking back, he saw his footprints in the sands of his life. And beside them was a second set, which he knew to be God’s. But when the man looked closely he saw that in the times of his greatest trouble there was only a single set. The man looked at God and asked, ‘Why is it that you left me when my need was greatest?’ And God replied, ‘I never left you, my son.’ And then the man asked, ‘Why then was there only one set of footprints?’ God smiled and replied, ‘Because those were the times when I carried you.’‘
– Jon Shannow, to himself, The Last Guardian
‘You’ll hear people say that pride is a sin. Ignore them. Pride is vital. Not excessive pride, mind you. That is merely arrogant stupidity. No, being proud of yourself is what counts. Do nothing that is mean and spiteful, petty or cruel. And never give way to evil, no matter what the cost. Be proud, girl. Stand tall.‘
– Keeva’s Uncle, to Keeva Taliana, Hero in the Shadows
‘For what it is worth, my friend, I think it is better to be unsure. It seems to me that most of the problems of this world have been caused by men who were too sure; men who always knew what was right. ‘
– Ekodas, to Vishna, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf
‘Fear is like a guard dog. It warns you when danger threatens. But if you run from all your fears the guard dog becomes a savage wolf, and will pursue you, snapping at your heels. Fear, if unopposed by courage, eats away at the heart. Once you run you will never stop.‘
– Malanek, to Jianna, White Wolf
‘Listen to me! Five years ago we hit rocks on the Penelope. Her hull was breached and she was shipping water. She rolled on the Great Green like a hog in a swamp. Her speed was gone and she almost sank. We kept her afloat and made it to port. Then she was repaired. I didn’t judge her as a bad ship. She was damaged in a storm. I judge her by how she sails when her hull is sound. You are like that ship. Your heart was breached when your mother died. And from the heart comes courage.‘
– Odysseus, to Helikaon, Lord of the Silver Bow
‘All lives end. A man can hide in a cave all his days, avoiding war, avoiding pestilence, and still he will one day die. Better the bright flame, the great joy.‘
– Revelation, to Cormac, Last Sword of Power
‘Fame is fleeting, but love and hate are eternal. I may be but a small leaf in the wind of history, but I will stand against evil wherever I find it, no matter the cost.‘
– Kysumu, to Waylander, Hero in the Shadows