The Summer of the Danes Quotes

“Every Spring is the only Spring, a perpetual astonishment. It bursts upon a man every year, thought Cadfael, contemplating it with delight in spite of all anxieties, as though it had never happened before, but had just been shown by God how to do it, and tried, and found the impossible possible.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“It was a matter of principle, or perhaps of honour, with Brother Cadfael, when a door opened before him suddenly and unexpectedly, to accept the offer and walk through it. He did so with even more alacrity if the door opened on a prospect of Wales; it might even be said that he broke into a trot, in case the door slammed again on that enchanting view.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“The river was gilded in every ripple with capricious, scintillating light.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“Dublin of the Danish kings”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“Time to talk over every day of the time they had been apart, time to reach the companionable silences when all that needed to be said was said. And all this the gift of Brother Mark. Wonderful what riches a man can bestow who by choice and vocation possesses nothing! The world is full of small, beneficent miracles.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“But when it comes down to it,” said Cadfael, with profound content, “as roads go, the road home is as good as any.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“heavens, all sanctuaries of the blessed lie to westward, in every legend and every imagination, at least for men of Celtic stock; a suitable meditation for old men. Yet here in the royal llys of Gwynedd Cadfael did not feel old.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“undulations”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“notwithstanding”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“twining”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“integrity.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“Rather a tremor on the air than an audible sound.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“tranquilly”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“behoves”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“toehold”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“bestowal”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“alacrity”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“* At supper in Owain’s hall there was good food and plenteous mead and ale, and harp music of the best. Hywel ab Owain sang, improvising upon the beauty of Gwynedd and the splendour of her history, and Cadfael’s recalcitrant heart shed its habit for a half-hour, and followed the verses far into the mountains inland of Aber, and across the pale mirror of Lavan Sands to the royal burial-place of Llanfaes on Anglesey. In youth his adventurings had all looked eastward, now in his elder years eyes and heart turned westward. All heavens, all sanctuaries of the blessed lie to westward, in every legend and every imagination, at least for men of Celtic stock; a suitable meditation for old men. Yet here in the royal llys of Gwynedd Cadfael did not feel old.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“but made due west, over softly rolling hills and through well-treed valleys, by green trails sometimes clearly marked, sometimes less defined, but markedly keeping a direct line uphill and down alike, here where the lie of the land was open and the gradients gentle enough for pleasant riding. “An old, old road,” said Cadfael. “It starts from Chester, and makes straight for the head of Conwy’s tidal water, where once, they say, there was a fort the like of Chester. At low tide, if you know the sands, you can ford the river there, but with the tide boats can ply some way beyond.” “And after the river crossing?” asked Mark, attentive and glowing. “Then we climb. To look westward from there, you’d think no track could possibly pass, but pass it does, up and over the mountains, and down at last to the sea.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“of another, and he who received more accordingly must not preen himself on being supplied beyond his brothers, and he that received less but enough must not grudge the extra bestowed on his brothers. And above all, no grumbling, no envy.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“the 34th, gently explaining that the doctrine of equal shares for all could not always be maintained, since the needs of one might exceed the needs”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes

“It is as well to be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.”
― Ellis Peters, The Summer of the Danes