The King Beyond the Gate Quotes

“There are times, Sember, when I could believe your mother had a secret lover. Looking at you makes me wonder if it was one of my goats.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Death haunts everyone and never fails”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Tell me, what are the Cheiam?"
"We are the drinkers of blood, the sons of Joachim. We worship only one god: Shalli, the spirit of death."
"How many of you are there?"
"One hundred only, Lord Earl. But judge us not by our number. Rather, watch the numbers of dead we leave behind us.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Are we allowed to go armed?" asked Pagan
"If you like," said Belder, "though I cannot see even you fighting your way through a thousand Sathuli!"
"I don't want to die without a weapon in my hand."
"Bravely spoken!" said Scaler. "I will take this apple. I don't want to die without a piece of fruit in my hand. Will you put a stop to this talk of dying? It's extremely unsettling!”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Renya “Why did you save me today?”
Ananais “What kind of question is that? Am I not the man who traveled hundreds of leagues to rescue a Lentrian princiess?”
“I am not a princess.”
“And I am no hero.”
“You took on a Joining.”
“Yes. But then from my first blow he was dying. I have poison spikes in my gauntlets. He's the second fastest man I've ever known.”
“The [i]second?[/i]”
“You mean you have never heard of Decado?”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Their faces were set, determined; there was no give in them. For countless centuries men like these had held the Drenai Empire together.”
― david gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Evil lives in a pit.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Love was what mattered. Love of one for one. The touching of hands, the touching of hearts. The warmth of belonging, the joy of sharing. There would always be tyrants. Man seemed incapable of existing without them. For without tyrants there would be no heroes. And man could not live without heroes. Renya”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“- I am a stranger. You do not need to lie to me or pretend. Only with friends do you need masks

- Surely it is only with friends that one can be at peace.

- It is easier with strangers, for they touch your life but for an instant. You will not disappoint them, for you owe them nothing; neither do they expect anything. Friends you can hurt, for they expect everything.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“8 THE JOURNEY TO Skoda took three days, for the company traveled warily. Acuas told Decado that following the slaying of the soldiers, the Delnoch fortress commander had sent patrols throughout Skultik and the surrounding countryside, while to the south legion riders scouted the lands for rebels. Tenaka took time to speak with the leaders of the Thirty, for despite the many legends, he knew little of their order. According to the stories, the Thirty were semigods with awesome powers who chose to die in wars against evil. The last time they had appeared had been at Dros Delnoch, when the albino Serbitar had stood beside the Earl of Bronze and defied the hordes of Ulric, the greatest Nadir warlord of all time. But though Tenaka questioned the leaders, he learned little. They were courteous and polite—even distantly friendly—but their answers floated above his head like clouds beyond the grasp of common men. Decado was no different; he would merely smile and change the subject. Tenaka was not a religious man, yet he felt ill at ease among these warrior-priests and his mind constantly returned to the words of the blind seeker. “Of gold and ice and shadow …” The man had predicted that the trio would come together. And they had. He had also foreseen the danger of the Templars. On the first night of their journey Tenaka approached the elderly Abaddon, and the two walked away from the fire together. “I saw you in Skultik,” said Tenaka. “You were being attacked by a Joining.” “Yes. I apologize for the deceit.” “What was the reason for it?” “It was a test, my son. But not merely of you—of ourselves.” “I do not understand,” said Tenaka. “It is not necessary that you should. Do not fear us, Tenaka. We are here to help you in whatever way we can.” “Why?” “Because it serves the Source.” “Can you not answer me without religious riddles? You are men. What do you gain from this war?” “Nothing in this world.” “You know why I came here?” “Yes, my son. To purge your mind of guilt and grief, to drown it in Ceska’s blood.” “And now?” “Now you are caught up in forces beyond your control. Your grief is assuaged by your love for Renya, but the guilt remains. You did not obey the call—you left your friends to be butchered by the Joinings of Ceska. You ask yourself if it would have been different had you come. Could you have defeated the Joinings? You torment yourself thus.” “Could I have defeated the Joinings?” “No,”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Thorn knew women. There was no point in rushing in ... Gentle talk, that was the answer. Ask them questions about themselves ... Be interested. Most men traveled through life determined to rut as swiftly as the woman would allow. Senseless! Talk first. Learn. The touch gently, lovingly. Care. Then love and linger. Thorn had learned early, for he had always been ugly. Other men disliked him for his success, but they could never be bothered to learn from it. Fools!”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“ـ بهتره آدم سگ شکاری یک سلطان باشه تا یک سلطان در بین شغال‌ها.
ـ چرا؟
ـ منظورت چیه، چرا؟ واضح نیست؟ زندگی چیه جز یک خیانت؟ ما در جوونی و با یک دنیا امید شروع می‌کنیم. افتاب عالیه و دنیا در انتظار ماست. اما هر سالی که می‌گذره به ما نشون می‌ده که چقدر کوچک هستیم و در مقابل عظمت و قدرت فصل‌ها، چه قدر بی‌اهمیت و خوار. بعد پیر می‌شیم. قدرت ما از بین می‌ره و دنیا به ریش ما می‌خنده. جوون‌ها ما رو مسخره می‌کنن. و می‌میریم. تنها. ناکام. اما بعضی وقتا... بعضی وقتا مردی به وجود میاد که دیگه بی‌اهمیت نیست. می‌تونه دنیا رو تغییر بده، قدرت فصل‌ها رو ازشون بگیره. اون آفتابه. خود خورشیده.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“شانس دست خود آدمه. هر کسی خودش شانس خودشو می‌سازه. من به هیچ کسی اعتقاد ندارم، لیک. هیچ‌وقت هم نداشتم. اگر هم کسی وجود داشته باشه، خیلی کم به فانی‌های معمولی اهمیت می‌ده ـ البته اگر اصلا اهمیتی بده. من فقط به خودم اعتقاد دارم ـ و می‌دونی چرا؟ چون هرگز تا حالا شکست نخوردم! به من نیزه زدن، چاقو زدن، مسمومم کردن. منو به یک اسب وحشی بستن و کشیدن. گاو وحشی بهم شاخ زده و خرس بهم حمله کرده. اما هیچ‌وقت بازنده نبودم. حتی یک پیوندی صورت منو داغون کرد و از بین برد، ولی هنوز این جا هستم. برنده شدن یه عادته.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“سه جور آدم توی دنیا وجود داره: برنده‌ها، بازنده‌ها و جنگنده‌ها. برنده‌ها با تکبر و غرور خودشون حال اونو به هم می‌زنن. بازنده‌ها با نق‌نق و غر‌غرشون و جنگنده‌ها هم با حماقت‌شون.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“تمام مردم احمق هستن. پر از ترس و ناامنی ـ و این اون‌ها رو ضعیف می‌کنه. همیشه طرف مقابل به نظر قوی‌تر میاد، مطمئن‌تر و قادرتر. این یک دروغه. بدترین نوع دروغ، برای این که ما به خودمون دروغ می‌گیم.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“ـ زن‌ها دنیای مردها رو چه قدر ساده می‌بینن.
ـ نه، اصلا، ولی فقط مردها می‌تونن کاری کنن که آسون‌ترین کارها پیچیده به نظر بیاد.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“مرگ هیچ مفهومی نداره، اما فقدان شادی و لذت در زندگی از مرگ بدتره.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“مرگ به دنبال همه ست و هیچ‌وقت هم شکست نمی‌خوره و دست خالی بر نمی‌گرده.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“A sense of calm settled over Tenaka. An inner peace seemed to pulse from the very earth at his feet, from the distant blue mountain, to whisper in the long grass of the Steppes. He closed his eyes and opened his ears to the music of silence.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Well,” said Decado, “the great Tertullian was once asked what he would do if he was attacked by a man stronger, faster, and infinitely more skillful than he.” “What did he say?” “He said he would cut off his damned head for being a liar.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“You are of the blood, Arvan. It will carry you through, he said

Words! Just words. Blood was merely dark liquid — it carried no secrets, no mysteries. Courage was a thing of the soul and not a gift that a man could bestow on his sons”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“All things in the world are created for Man, yet all have two purposes. The waters run that we might drink of them, but they are also symbols of the futility of Man. They reflect our lives in rushing beauty, birthed in the purity of the mountains. As babes they babble and run, gushing and growing as they mature into strong young rivers. Then they widen and slow until at last they meander, like old men, to join with the sea. And like the soles of men in the Nethervoid, they mix and mingle until the sun lifts them again as raindrops to fall upon the mountains.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“All things in the world are created for Man, yet all have two purposes. The waters run that we might drink of them, but they are also symbols of the futility of Man. They reflect our lives in rushing beauty, birthed in the purity of the mountains. As babes they babble and run, gushing and growing as they mature into strong young rivers. Then they widen and slow until at last they meander, like old men, to join with the sea. And like the souls of men in the Nethervoid, they mix and mingle until the sun lifts them again as raindrops to fall upon the mountains.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Women were strange creatures. They fell in love with a man and then sought to change him. Mostly they succeed – to spend the rest of their lives wondering how they could have married such boring conformists.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Alone now, Rayvan bowed her head. And wept for the dead.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“he used the only emotion he could be sure they had known as men. Love. Love of a mother in a cold frightening night; love of a wife when all around one proved false; love of a daughter given so freely in a swift hug, in the first smile of a babe; love of a friend.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“There is no justice,” spit Rayvan. Silence greeted her comment, a silence that spread the length of the wall.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“The legion was being pushed back. The women of Skoda had arrived!”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“My father used to say that you can’t stop a man who knows he is right. At first I thought it was nonsense. An arrow through the gizzard stops anyone. But now I know what he meant. Ceska is unnatural, like a snowstorm in July. He cannot succeed just so long as enough people stand up to oppose him. All over the empire word of the Skoda rebellion will be spreading, and other groups will rise up. Regiments will mutiny; honest men will take up their swords. He cannot win.” “He can win here.” “It will be short-lived.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate

“Why did he let himself get killed for us?” Ananais had no answer, but Katan stepped forward. “Because he was a hero. And that is what heroes do. You understand?” Ceorl nodded. “I didn’t know he was a hero—he didn’t say.” “Maybe he didn’t know,” said Katan.”
― David Gemmell, The King Beyond the Gate