Navigators of Dune (Schools of Dune #3)

by Brian Herbert

All things begin, and all things end—there are no exceptions. Or, is this a myth? —Debating topic, the Mentat School

There are those who see influence and power as a reward rather than a responsibility. Such men do not make good leaders.

A promise broken once can be broken twice.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to write a comprehensive biography of Vorian Atreides. He has lived so long and experienced so much in so many places. He is like the wind, passing through and moving on for centuries. —HARUK ARI,

One should not enjoy revenge, even when it is justifiable and deserved. —PTOLEMY,

We live in a legendary time. History will prove this. —RAQUELLA BERTO-ANIRUL,

“Combat is neither a courtly dance nor a pleasant, springtime conversation.”

When immersed in the vivid memories of actions I have taken, I can revel in them or regret them, but I cannot undo them. —TULA HARKONNEN,

Wealth and power are measured by whether one can take an important thing away from those who desire it. —DIRECTEUR JOSEF VENPORT,

In any universe, nothing is perfect—be it human, machine … or other. —NORMA CENVA,

Those without a true sense of history fail to see how volatile and transient human leadership is, even on the scale of empires. When viewed from the perspective of a mere lifetime, we tend to see our governmental structures as permanent and unchangeable. This is entirely false. —FAYKAN CORRINO I,

Each life has numerous crossroads, paths taken and paths avoided. After each such crux-point, one should examine the thought processes that went into the significant decisions, the opportunities grasped, the successes and failures. The same is true with personal relationships. All important things in life can be distilled down to personal relationships. —Old Earth philosopher (name unknown)

Today, I feel as if the universe itself has been taken from me. —NORMA CENVA,

For our sanity and honor, as prisoners of war we must convince ourselves that we died on the battlefield the day we were captured. That mindset liberates us to do what we need to do. If we make it back to our loved ones afterward, that is an unexpected reward. —ADMIRAL UMBERTO HARTE,

One man’s demon is another man’s angel. —Ancient saying

Love does not make the world go around. Love is an obstruction in the gears of the universe. —MOTHER SUPERIOR VALYA HARKONNEN

Hard measures are required in order to accomplish anything of true significance. When sculpting a statue, much of the stone is thrown away. —MOTHER SUPERIOR VALYA HARKONNEN

One of the key aspects of being human is to experience and enjoy human contact—the meeting of hearts and minds, the touching of bodies, of skin. How I have missed that! I haven’t felt human in so long. —ANNA CORRINO,

While lashing out against an insult can provide a certain gratification, a long-anticipated and carefully planned revenge is far more satisfying. —DIRECTEUR JOSEPH VENPORT,

For every scientist who dedicates his life to helping humanity, there are ten thousand fools who are just as willing to destroy. —PTOLEMY,

A person who is willing to admit defeat is simply unskilled at redefining the situation. —DIRECTEUR JOSEF VENPORT,

A person’s sense of balance is measured by how he handles the unexpected. The ability and will to survive in the face of unforeseen challenges is one of the most admirable of all human traits.

The fall from complete triumph to abject defeat is a great distance, but can take very little time. —DIRECTEUR JOSEF VENPORT,

He couldn’t label it as a “commercial setback” or “disruption of trade activities.” This was completely different. The universe had gone mad, yet he refused to admit defeat.

One does not beg the universe for mercy. —TERF BRAKHERN, a wandering minstrel of the Jihad

No secret is kept forever, and a hiding place is often exposed through overconfidence. —Sisterhood axiom

The glory of love. The nature of love. The foolishness of love. —ERASMUS, attempts at poetry, New Laboratory Journals, volume 2

After expending a great deal of effort in searching for a thing, one may find that the reality is quite different from what was expected. —Mentat School admonition

The Sisterhood school teaches that love is dangerous, which I have always found puzzling. Obviously, there is a great deal about this emotion that I do not understand. —ERASMUS, final Denali Notebooks