Cosca Quotes

“Belief without evidence is the very hallmark of the savage.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Red Country

“Lorsen shook his head in amazement. 'You truly are disgusting.'
'I would be the last to disagree, but you fail to see that you are worse. No man capable of greater evil than the one who thinks himself in the right. No purpose more evil than the higher purpose. I freely admit I am a villain. That's why you hired me. But I am no hypocrite.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Red Country

“Inquisitor Lorsen's thin lip curled. "There is truly nothing in you of what separates man from animal, is there? You are bereft of conscience. An utter absence of morality. You have no principle beyond the selfish."
Cosca's face hardened as he leaned forwards. "Perhaps when you have faced as many disappointments and suffered as many betrayals as I, you will see it - there is no principle beyond the selfish, Inquisitor, and men are animals. Conscience is a burden we choose to bear. Morality is the lie we tell ourselves to make its bearing easier. There have been many times in my life when I have wished it was not so. But it is so.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Red Country

“The Inquisitor waited for silence. "Do you believe in anything?"

"Not if I can help it. Belief alone is nothing to be proud of, Inquisitor. Belief without evidence is the very hallmark of the savage.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Red Country

“i want...
i want a chance to do it all again. To do it... right.' Tears showed in the Old Man's eyes. 'How ever did it go so wrong, Temple? I had so many advantages. So many opportunities. All squandered. All slipped away like sand through a glass. So many disappointments...'
'Most of them you brought on yourself'
'Of course.' Cosca gave a ragged sigh. 'But they're the ones that hurt the worst.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Red Country

“Los Ascione y los Rossi eran algo así como los Capuleto y los
Montesco: rivales desde el día que nació cada cosca. Por eso este plan
era el doble de delicado y peligroso que los demás; si algo salía mal, ya
podíamos darnos por muertos.”
― Paquibel Sánchez Rueda, No existe el perdón

“He had sworn a thousand times to kill her, but Cosca had broken all manner of oaths in his life, and the sight of her brought no rage. Instead what welled up in him was a mixture of worn-out self-pity, sappy joy and, most of all, piercing shame at seeing in her face how far he had fallen. He felt the ache in his nose, behind his cheeks, tears welling in his stinging eyes. For once he was grateful that they were red as wounds at the best of times. If he wept, no once could tell the difference.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Best Served Cold

“My old friend. Why didn't you tell me? Damn but it's good to have you back."

"Are you sure?" Cosca ran him through smoothly through the chest with Rigrat's sword right up to the polished hilt.

Andiche's eyes bulged, his mouth dropped open, he dragged in a great long wheeze. His pockmarked face twisted trying to scream, but all that came out was a gentle cough.

"You think a man can turn on me, betray me, give my chair to another for a few pieces of silver then smile and be my friend? You mistake me Andiche, fatally. I may make men laugh, but I'm no clown.”
― Joe Abercrombie, Best Served Cold