As a boy, Ogion like all boys had thought it would be a…
““As a boy, Ogion like all boys had thought it would be a very pleasant game to take by art-magic whatever shape one liked, man or beast, tree or cloud, and so to play at a thousand beings. But as a wizard he had learned the price of the game, which is the peril of losing one's self, playing away the truth. The longer a man stays in a form not his own, the greater this peril. Every prentice-sorcerer learns the tale of the wizard Bordger of Way, who delighted in taking bear's shape, and did so more and more often until the bear grew in him and the man died away, and he became a bear, and killed his own little son in the forests, and was hunted down and slain. And no one knows how many of the dolphins that leap in the waters of the Inmost Sea were men once, wise men, who forgot their wisdom and their name in the joy of the restless sea.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Assuming false identities erodes self and truth, leading to loss of humanity.
In simple terms: Pretending harms self.
Key Takeaway
Stay true to your core self.
Themes
identity
truth
self
knowledge
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
literary
mythic
When to use this quote
- career changes
- social media personas
- acting
- political masks
Key Concepts
self delusion
roleplaying
existential risk
Questions to Reflect On
- What masks do you wear?
- When have you lost yourself in a role?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue role-play can foster empathy.