Belgarath the Sorcerer Quotes

“Is it my birthday again? Already? Where does the time go?"
"Behind us --or in front. It depends on which way you are looking.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“When you know that something's going to happen, you'll start trying to see signs of its approach in just about everything. Always try to remember that most of the things that happen in this world aren't signs. They happen because they happen, and their only real significance lies in normal cause and effect. You'll drive yourself crazy if you start trying to pry the meaning out of every gust of wind or rain squall. I'm not denying that there might actually be a few signs that you won't want to miss. Knowing the difference is the tricky part.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Have you ever noticed that? We base our assessment of the intelligence of others almost entirely on how closely their thinking matches our own. I'm sure that there are people out there who violently disagree with me on most things, and I'm broad-minded enough to conceded that they might possibly not be completely idiots, but I much prefer the company of people who agree with me.
You might want to think about that.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Now do you see why war irritates me? It's always the same. A lot of people get killed, but in the end, the whole thing is settled at the conference table. The notion of having the conference first doesn't seem to occur to people.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Once you've decided that something's absolutely true, you've closed your mind on it, and a closed mind doesn't go anywhere. Question everything. That's what education's all about.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“It's all very well to put the government in the hands of the perfect man, but what do you do when the perfect man gets a bellyache?”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“There are things we know for certain."
"Oh? Name one."
"The sun's going to come up tomorrow morning."
"Why?"
"It always has."
"Does that really mean that it always will?"
A faint look of consternation crossed her face. "It will, won't it?"
"Probably, but we can't be absolutely certain. Once you've decided that something's absolutely true, you've closed your mind on it, and a closed mind doesn't go anywhere. Question everything, Pol. That's what education's all about.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“There's a peculiar dichotomy in the nature of almost anyone who calls himself a historian. Such scholars all piously assure us that they're telling us the real truth about what really happened, but if you turn any competent historian over and look at his damp underside, you'll find a storyteller, and you can believe me when I tell you that no storyteller's ever going to tell a story without a few embellishments. Add to that the fact that we've all got assorted political and theological preconceptions that are going to color what we write, and you'll begin to realize that no history of any event is entirely reliable...”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“It's the nature of man to ask questions.
--Belgarath”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“When my sons told me about what they'd found, I went to the priests of Belar and had them examine the auguries. This is the year to go. The ice up there won't be as thick again for years and years. Then they cast my own auguries, and from what they say, this could be the most fortunate year in my whole life."
"Do you actually believe that superstitious nonsense?" I demanded. "Are you so gullible that you think that somebody can foretell the future by fondling a pile of sheep guts?"
He looked a little injured. "This was important, Belgarath. I certainly wouldn't trust sheep's entrails for something like this."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"We used a horse instead. Horse guts never lie.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“If you're going to maintain any kind of self-respect, you're going to have to keep secrets from yourself.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“My daughter accepted without comment the fact that she wasn't going to age. The peculiar thing about the whole business in her case was the fact that she really didn't. Beldin and the twins and I had all achieved the appearance of a certain maturity. We picked up wrinkles and grey hair and a distinguished look. Pol didn't...I guess a sorcerer is supposed to look distinguished and wise, and that implies wrinkles and grey hair. A woman with grey hair and wrinkles is called a crone, and I don't think Pol would have liked that very much. Maybe we all wound up looking the way we thought we ought to look. My brothers and I thought we should look wise and venerable. Pol didn't mind the wise part, but "venerable" wasn't in her vocabulary. I might want to investigate that someday. The notion that we somehow create ourselves in intriguing.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Isn't it odd how the little things can change a man's entire life?”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“...Zedar was gone...As an owl, though, I was able to drift silently from tree to tree until I caught up with him...He wasn't really hard to follow, since he'd conjured up a dim, greenish light to see by --and to hold off the boogiemen. Did I ever tell you that Zedar's afraid of the dark? That adds another dimension to his present situation, doesn't it?
He was bundled to the ears in furs, and he was muttering to himself as he floundered along through the snow. Zedar talks to himself a lot. He always has.
...I drifted to a nearby tree and watched him --owlishly.

Sorry. I couldn't resist that.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Vanity's ridiculous, be we all fall prey to it from time to time.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“When he reached out with both huge hands to grasp me, I ducked under them and stepped forward, smoothly pulling my knife out of my sleeve. Then, with one quick swipe, I sliced him across the belly. I wasn't certain enough of his anatomy to try stabbing him in the heart. As big as he was, his ribs were probably as thick as my wrist.
He stared at me in utter amazement. Then he looked down at the entrails that came boiling out of the gaping wounds that ran from hip to hip across his lower belly.
"I think you dropped something there, Grul," I suggested.
He clutched at his spilling entrails with both hands, a look of consternation on his brutish face. "'Grat cut Grul's belly," he said. "Make Grul's insides fall out."
"Yes, I noticed that. Did you want to fight some more, Grul? I think you could spend your time better by sewing yourself back together. You're not going to be able to move very fast with your guts tangled around your feet."
"'Grat is not nice," he accused mournfully, sitting down and holding his entrails in his lap.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“Salmissra was alone and unguarded. The palace eunuchs were sworn to protect her, but evidently a eunuch's oath doesn't mean all that much to him if it's going to involve bleeding.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“...You're going to stay here and help Daran in every way you can. Don't let him sink into melancholia the way his father has...Now, pull yourself together. Blow your nose and fix your face. Daran's talking to the Rivan Warder right now. I'll take you to where they are, and then I have to leave."
"You're not even going to stay for the funeral?"
"I've got the funeral in my heart, Pol, the same as you have. No amount of ceremony's going to make it go away. Now go fix your face. You look awful.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“The Orb is not of itself evil. Evil is a thing that lies only in the hearts and minds of men--and of Gods, also.
--Aldur”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer

“And how long dost thou expect this dying of thine to persist?' The voice seemed only mildly curious.
'I don't know' I replied through a sudden wave of self pity. 'I've never done it before.”
― David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer