Conn Iggulden Quotes

Courage cannot be left like bones in a bag. It must be brought out and shown the light again and again, growing stronger each time. If you think it will keep for the times you need it, you are wrong. It is like any other part of your strength. If you ignore it, the bag will be empty when you need it most.

Men respect the silent; they despise the garrulous. - Marius

Your brother beat him almost to death, Temujin. He held him and kicked him until he cried like a child. He is afraid of you, so he hates you. It would be wrong to hurt him again. It would be like beating a dog after it has loosed it's bladder. The spirit is already broken in him.

When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that matters, the only thing, is that you had courage and honour. Lose those things and you won’t die any quicker, but you’ll be less than the dirt on our boots. You’ll still be dust, but you’ll have wasted your short time in the light.

No worthy goal should come easily, he told himself. Suffering created value.

I am the land, the bones of the hills," he said fiercely, "I am the winter. When I am dead, I will come for you all in the coldest nights.

It's all you can say, when the end comes: 'I did not waste my time.' I think that matters. I think it may be all that matters.

No man could be a khan to his mother.

We are nothing but the oath we give.

If a man has gold, he lives with the terror that someone will take it away from him, so he builds walls around it. Then everyone knows where the gold is, so they come and take it. That’s the way it always goes, brother. Fools and gold, together.

Know the enemy and you will know how to kill him.

The wisdom of age is bitter when those you have failed have gone.

We are not here to earn riches with a bow. The wolf does not think of fine things, only that his pack is strong and no other wolf dares to cross his path. That is enough.

He was the khan of Wolves and he feared no man. They would pay dearly for his skin.

There was no justice in the world, but he had known that ever since the death of his father. The spirits took no part in the lives of men once they had been born. A man either endured what the world sent his way, or was crushed.

When I am gone, I do not want men to say Look at his piles of wealth, his cities, his palaces and fine clothes.” Genghis paused for a moment. “Instead I want them to say Make sure he is truly dead. He is a vicious old man and he conquered half the world.

We are all fools with our sons. We wipe them and suckle them and all we expect is for them to be grateful to the end of their days.

I have been distracted from my duty as a father to some extent, but there is no greater exercise to a man’s talents than the upbringing of his son.

There is a price for all things, my son, for all men. I have merely to find his.

The point of war is to win, Kachiun. It does not matter how we do it, or how long it takes.

What we make can survive us.

A man should always care about pleasing his wife.

Genghis nodded drunkenly. "Writing," he replied, scornfully. "It traps words." "It makes them real, lord. It makes them last.

We are from a line of khans, brother. We rule wherever we are placed.

Be careful in your life, Tolui. I want you fit and strong for when I come for you.

A man must always have the final choice in life and in death. Anything else can be taken from him, but never that.

Temujin snorted. "Never lose faith in me, little brother. My word is iron and I will always come home.

Perhaps he needs the money. Some of the men live too richly for their purses, if you understand me. Fame would allow him large debts, but everything has to be paid back in the end.

You do not placate a tiger by feeding it your own flesh.

He chuckled to himself as he walked. A warm woman and a battle to come. To be alive on such a night was a wondrous thing.

Winter is our time. They shut up their cities for the cold months. They put their horses in stables and sit around great fires in enormous houses of stone. If you want a bearskin, do you attack in summer when it is strong and fast, or cut its throat as it sleeps?

All men die,” Jelme went on, ignoring the outburst. “It could be tonight, next year, or in forty years, when you are toothless and weak. All you can do is choose how you stand when it comes.

He had a vision of a nation. The incredible martial skills of the Mongol tribes had always been wasted against each other. From nothing, surrounded by enemies, Temujin rose to unite them all. What came next would shake the world.

Your gold buys my service, pleasure of seeing Spartans in battle. It is a rare gift and worth more than mere coins. After all, most men see it only once and never again.

The eyes showed the soul and they were always hardest to mask.

What is the purpose of life if not to conquer? To steal women and land? I would rather be here and see this than live out my life in peace.

We will not stop until the sea bounds us in every direction. I am Genghis who say this and my word is iron.

If you are asking if my family will take what they want, of course they will. The strong rule, Chen Yi. Those who are not strong dream of it.

It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.

A multitude of rulers is not a good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.

We are the silver people, the Mongols. When they ask, tell them there are no tribes. Tell them I am khan of the sea of grass, and they will know me by that name, as Genghis. Yes, tell them that. Tell them that I am Genghis and I will ride.

You have a powerful army, Kublai, but the best force is one you do not have to use.

The world cannot be full of lead dogs, or the pack would pull itself apart.

He would never understand women, he thought. They were life’s great mystery.

There is no escape from me, not even in death.

The eagles ruled the air as the tribes ruled the land.

My son's name is Temujin," he said. "He will be iron.

A knowledge isn't dangerous. Only the man is dangerous.

What is a first line, but a door flung open by an unseen hand?

...holding to rage is like holding a piece of glowing coal. It burns only him.

No man can think about everything;we can only be ready for everything

Only memories stay the same, young lad. Everything else changes

Get up,” she said. “Get up, my lord. If you do not have long, there is still much to do. You must not waste another day, another morning! Take hold of your life with both hands and crush it to you, my lord. You will not have another in this world.

The Buddha said, ‘Gripped by fear, men go to the sacred mountains and sacred groves, sacred trees and shrines.’ I am not afraid of death, my lady. I need no god to comfort me in my fear.

As he prepared to ride on, he chuckled at the thought of the wolf entering the sheepfold. He would not ride with fire and destruction. The shepherd did not frighten his own pretty lambs.

Be careful of raising me too high, brother. I have no special strength, unless it is in choosing good men to follow me. The great lie of cities is that we are all too weak to stand against those who oppress us. All I have done is see through that lie. I always fight, Kachiun. Kings and shahs depend on people remaining sheep, too afraid to rise up. All I ever did was realize I can be a wolf to them.

My word is Iron

My word is iron," Kublai said to the guards, as Meng Guang was led away. "Your people will come to know this, in time.

I will finish what I have begun. I have said it. This is my khanate.

Predators did not need mercy.

He wanted his enemies proud and strong, so that he could cast them further down in his vengeance.

All information can be bought, my son, if you are willing to pay the price.

A little guilt has made more than a few men live better than they would have done—trying to even the scales before they cross the river.

The suffering of my enemies will be a feast to the spirits. When I am old, I will remember the tears they have shed and it will ease my bones.

For the khan, we will take their cities, their women, and their lands. This is the great raid, the farthest strike in the history of the nation of Genghis. We will not be stopped.

A man needs to feel a little fear, Tolui, if only to have the pride of conquering it.

If my brother was made to kneel... you will never walk again.

It is done. We are a nation and we will ride. Tonight, let no man think of his tribe and mourn. We are a greater family and all lands are ours to take.

This is my empire, Uriang-Khadai. I will not be made to leave. Ready the tumans for battle, Orlok. I will face my enemies and I will destroy them.

He holds blood in his right hand," she whispered. "He will walk with death all his life.

Every man can break, after certain time period. It's only necessary to find the levers that move his soul

Every man, who has fought in a battle, is now ash, every sword has been eaten by rust, but the lessons still must be learned

To defeat the enemy, we must know him first

No worthy goal can be achieved easily. A virtue is born in suffering.

Every man has it's price, but it's almost never the gold

You have a mighty army, but the greatest force is the one that you don't have to use.

Vengeance is a fine thing, but forgiveness can be just as cruel.

You can't just wound the bear and run. He'll come after you.

Sometimes it's better to just let the wave overcome you and then pick up the shards when it passes

To be strong - that's the first thing the man must learn. If you don't have strength, others can take you everything you have or make

A good general is ready for every option.

Hawks and eagles don't fly together. They are of totally different kind.

The decision took a moment, but it lasted a lifetime

It does not matter what others think of how I lived my life. It does not matter if we go down in Temuge’s histories as tyrants or even cowards. All that matters is what we do now. We are our only judges, Kachiun. Remember that. Those who come after will have other trials, other battles to worry about.

It was a revelation as important as any other in its way – that expert men love their subject. Show them interest, show them fascination, and they see themselves reflected – and then they will move the world for you. The

There are no rules in life. Whether it is written down, or spoken by shamans, nothing binds a man beyond himself. Nothing, save the chains he accepts for himself. Laws and traditions mean nothing, if you have the strength.

From this day, you are no longer children. If you have to fight, even if it is a friend, put him down as fast and hard as you possibly can. Kill if you have to, or spare him—but beware putting any man in your debt. Of all things, that causes resentment. Any warrior who raises his fist to you must know he is gambling with his life and that he will lose. If you cannot win at first, take revenge if it is the last thing you do. You are traveling with men who respect only strength greater than theirs, men harder than themselves. Above everything else, they respect success. Remember it.

No congratulations?’ Derry said cheerfully. ‘No “well done, Derry”? I am disappointed in you, William Pole. There’s not many men could have pulled this off in such a time, but I have, haven’t I? The French looked for foxes and found only innocent chickens, just like we wanted. The marriage will go ahead and all we need to do now is mention casually to the English living in Maine and Anjou that their service is no longer appreciated by the Crown. In short, that they can fuck off.

The Assassin fortress in Alamut came under attack by Hulegu’s forces around 1256. The head of the Muslim sect that held the fortress of Alamut was, in fact, Ala Ad-Din. I avoided his true name because of the similarity to “Aladdin” and because

Why do you hurt me? What more do you want?” she asked, tears shining in her eyes. “Power over you, little one,” he said, smiling. “What does any man want but that? It is something in the blood of every one of us. We would all be a tyrant if we could.

Those who cannot conquer must bend the knee. They must find strength, or serve those of us who have. You are my generals. I will send you out: my hunting dogs, my wolves with iron teeth. When a city closes its gates in fear, you will destroy it. When they make roads and walls, you will cut them, pull down the stones. When a man raises a sword or bow against your men, you will hang him from a tree. Keep Karakorum in your minds as you go. This white city is the heart of the nation, but you are the right arm, the burning brand. Find me new lands, gentlemen. Cut a new path. Let their women weep a sea of tears and I will drink it all.

The greatest joy a man can know is to conquer his enemies and drive them before him. To ride their horses and take away their possessions, to see the faces of those who were dear to them bedewed with tears, and to clasp their wives and daughters in his arms.

To be betrayed by those he trusted seems to have ignited a spark of vengeance in Temujin, a desire for power that never left him. His childhood experiences created the man he would become, who would not bend or allow fear or weakness in any form. He cared nothing for possessions or wealth, only that his enemies fall.

All men die, Genghis. All. Think what it means for a moment. None of us are remembered for more than one or two generations." He raised a hand as Genghis opened his mouth to speak again. "Oh, I know we chant the names of great khans by the fireside and the Chin have libraries running back for thousands of years. What of it? Do you think it matters to the dead that their names are read aloud? They don’t care, Genghis. They are gone. The only thing that matters is what they did while they were alive.

It behooves us ill to look back and point fingers, saying, ‘Ah, that should not have happened. That should not have been allowed.’ Such a perspective is granted only to men staring backward, Sir William. For those of us with the will to go forward, it is as if we walk blindfolded into a dark room. Not every false step or stumble can be judged after the moment has passed, nor should it be.

-Dentro de cem anos ninguém que você conhece estará vivo. Então o que vai importar se lutamos ou simplesmente passamos os dias dormindo ao sol? Zhenjin piscou para ele, incapaz de entender o humor estranho do pai. -Se não importa, então por que vamos lutar contra seu irmão? -Talvez eu não tenha dito direito. Quero dizer que não importa se mudamos o mundo. O mundo vai em frente, e novas vidas chegam e partem. O próprio Gêngis disse que seria esquecido, e, acredite, ele deixou uma sombra longa. O modo como vivemos importa, Zhenjin! Importa que usemos o que recebemos, durante apenas o breve tempo que temos ao sol. - Ele sorriu ao ver o filho lutando com a ideia. -É só isso o que se pode alegar, quando o fim chegar: "Não desperdicei meu tempo." Acho que isso importa. Acho que talvez só isso importe.

I will kill them,” Temujin promised, rage kindling in him. “I will burn them and eat their flesh if they do.” “That will bring you peace, but it will not change anything for Borte,” Hoelun said. “What else can I do? She cannot kill them as I could, or force them to kill her, even. Nothing that happens is her fault.” He found himself crying and wiped angrily at bloody tears on his cheeks. “She trusted me.” “You cannot make this right, my son. Not if they escape your brothers. If you find her alive, you will have to be patient and kind.” “I know that! I love her; that is enough.” “It was,” Hoelun persisted. “It may not be enough any longer.

We feed the soil with our blood, our endless feuding,” he said after a time. “We always have, but that does not mean we always should. I have shown that a tribe can come from the Quirai, the Wolves, the Woyela, the Naimans. We are one people, Arslan. When we are strong enough, I will make them come to me, or I will break them one at a time. I tell you we are one people. We are Mongols, Arslan. We are the silver people and one khan can lead us all.” “You are drunk, or dreaming,” Arslan replied, ignoring his son’s discomfort. “What makes you think they would ever accept you?” “I am the land,” Temujin replied. “And the land sees no difference in the families of our people.

Keep a line of retreat,’ Warwick ordered. To his disgust, his voice trembled and he cleared his throat loudly before going on with his orders. ‘They are traitors all. We go in, kill as many as we can in the surprise, then pull back into …’ He looked around, seeing a small wooden signpost. He leaned closer to read it and for an instant raised his eyes to heaven. ‘Back into Shiteburn Lane.’ It helped to explain what he had sunk ankle-deep into, at least. He spent a moment longing for wooden overshoes to raise him up above the slop, though he could hardly have fought in those. His boots would just have to be burned afterwards.

The man attempted to salute and Renius forced himself to smile, biting back his temper at the sloppy manners. He watched the fat figure run away into the buildings and wiped the first beads of sweat from his brow. Strange that such men as that should understand loyalty where so many others threw it aside at the first hint of freedom.