‘Truth and falsehood are two different beasts, as different as the lion and the lizard. They are complex animals and they share many of the same features – they both have four legs, two eyes, and a tail. Yet you cannot mistake the one for the other. I know the truth when I see it, and I know the lie.‘
– Odysseus, to Hektor, Fall of Kings
‘Love is a mystery. We embrace it where we can. Mostly we do not choose whom we love. It just happens. A voice speaks to us, in ways the ear cannot hear. We recognize a beauty that the eye does not see. We experience a change in our hearts that no voice can describe. There is no evil in love.‘
– Odysseus, to Kalliope, Shield of Thunder
‘When the wolf slaughters the sheep we shrug and say, it is his nature. When the sheepdog turns on the flock it breaks our hearts, for his actions are treacherous.‘
– Gershom, to Helikaon, Shield of Thunder
‘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
‘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
‘Fear is an aid to the warrior. It is like a small fire burning. It heats the muscles, making us stronger. Panic comes when the fire is out of control, consuming all courage and pride.‘
– Andromache, to Kassandra, Lord of the Silver Bow
‘Warriors fear surrender. They are proud and defiant. They will fight to the death for what they believe in. They will struggle to conquer. Love is not about conquest. The truth is a man can only find true love when he surrenders to it. When he opens his heart to the partner of his soul and says: “Here it is! The very essence of me! It is yours to nurture or destroy.”‘
– Odysseus, to Andromache, Lord Of The Silver Bow
‘Listen to me, now is all there is. Yesterday is gone. Nothing we can do about it. Tomorrow is a mystery. Nothing we can do about that either, until we get there.‘
– Justinos, to Skorpios, Fall of Kings
‘I will not weep for the dead. I will hold them in my heart, and I will live my life to the full in honour of them.‘
– Odysseus, to Ganny, Shield of Thunder
‘Nothing of real worth can ever be bought. Love, friendship, honour, valour, respect. All these things have to be earned.‘
– Kalliades, to Kalliope, Shield of Thunder
