Beast Quote by David Gemmell
“There is a darkness in you. In all of us, probably. Beasts we keep chained. Ordinary men have to keep the chains strong, for if we let the beast loose then society will turn upon us with fiery vengeance. Kings though...well, who is there to turn upon them? So the chains are made of straw. It is the curse of kings, Helikaon, that they can become monsters. And they invariably do.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Legend of the Guardians by David Gemmell, 1995
Human nature contains inner darkness; societies must restrain destructive impulses, especially those in power, lest chaos erupt.
In simple terms: Control inner beasts.
Key Takeaway
Maintain strong safeguards.
Themes
power
corruption
human nature
Mood
cautionary
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- leadership
- justice systems
- personal growth
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
authority
self‑control
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms keep power in check?
- How do we recognize our own inner darkness?
A Different Perspective
Absolute power can corrupt even well‑intentioned leaders.
![“We are full of dreams [...] We long for the unattainable. We believe in the nonsense of fables. There is no pure love; there is lust and there is need.” quote by David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/david-gemmell-1821_believe_we-are-full-of-dreams-we-long-for-the-un_94239.jpg)
![“No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb [Earth] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic beasts.” quote by Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d65/olaf-stapledon-9950_angel_no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-anoth_12107.jpg)
