One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
If the day comes when you would find me again, give that coin to any man from Braavos, and say these words to him--valar morghulis.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes themes of fate and the cyclical nature of life and death.
In this quote from George R. R. Martin, the phrase 'valar morghulis' translates to 'all men must die,' suggesting the inevitability of mortality. The act of giving a coin to a man from Braavos symbolizes the notion of seeking help or guidance in navigating one's fate, and it underlines the importance of remembering those we have lost while also accepting the transient nature of life.
Themes
MortalityFateBraavosValar MorghulisLifeDeath
In practice
Example use cases
In a eulogy, to connect with the audience about the inevitability of death.
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes βI hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: βNot today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.β He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. βI wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
George R. R. MartinRead
I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
George R. R. MartinRead
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