--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Slowly, he raised himself onto his…" description: "\"“Slowly, he raised himself onto his elbows. “If I could afford to be completely selfish, I wouldn’t let you go after the king. I would take you far awa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elly-blake-49762_quote_slowly-he-raised-himself-onto-his-elbows_1110211.jpg" --- # Slowly, he raised himself onto his elbows. “If I could… ![“Slowly, he raised himself onto his elbows. “If I could afford to be completely selfish, I wouldn’t let you go after the king. I would take you far away from this land and keep you safe.” quote by Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elly-blake-49762_quote_slowly-he-raised-himself-onto-his-elbows_1110211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elly-blake-49762_quote_slowly-he-raised-himself-onto-his-elbows_1110211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elly-blake-49762_quote_slowly-he-raised-himself-onto-his-elbows_1110211.jpg) > ““Slowly, he raised himself onto his elbows. “If I could afford to be completely selfish, I wouldn’t let you go after the king. I would take you far away from this land and keep you safe.”” [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character contemplates selfishness versus protecting a loved one, revealing inner conflict between desire and duty. **In simple terms:** He wrestles with selfishness and protecting love. Key Takeaway Balance self‑interest with caring for others. Themes love selfishness protection Mood reflective emotional Type philosophical dramatic When to use this quote - family crises - heroic quests - personal sacrifice - relationship decisions Key Concepts moral dilemma character development Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for love? - How do you reconcile personal desire with responsibility? A Different Perspective Selfish motives can harm relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Completely Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-selfish-2954288/) [Let King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-king-1157214/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfish Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-wouldn-1962437/) [Slowly Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly-raised-2954289/) ## Related quotes > [If I had children, I would be very selfish. I wouldn't be out doing things. But by not having kids, it makes me freer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-blair/if-i-had-children-i-would-be-very-selfish-i-wouldn-t-be-out-doing/) [Linda Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-blair/) > [“Well, people who acknowledge their faults aren't so angry about them. 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You're coming to Evermore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/let-go-of-me-king-i-am-king-riko-agreed-and-you-are-going-to-spend/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [If a king's adviser is wiser than him, let him be the king!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-a-king-s-adviser-is-wiser-than-him-let-him-be-the-king/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“a people may let a King fall, yet still remain a people, but if a King let his people slip from him, he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/a-people-may-let-a-king-fall-yet-still-remain-a-people-but-if-a-king/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) ## More by Elly Blake > [“While I appreciate your help, you don’t have to drown me.” “Fine,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/while-i-appreciate-your-help-you-don-t-have-to-drown-me-fine/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) > [“him. It almost sounded like he’d said, I fear you are becoming one of mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/him-it-almost-sounded-like-he-d-said-i-fear-you-are-becoming-one-of/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) > [“Frostbloods are fully capable of feeling in every way. The danger is that those emotions, while powerful and deep, may be covered with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/frostbloods-are-fully-capable-of-feeling-in-every-way-the-danger-is/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) > [“Ruthlessness is not power. Tyranny is not strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/ruthlessness-is-not-power-tyranny-is-not-strength/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) > [“You’re quite amusing when you’re not lashing me with that sharp tongue. Although” -his eyes turned sultry- “I might not mind the violence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/you-re-quite-amusing-when-you-re-not-lashing-me-with-that-sharp/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) > [“You are a flame, Ruby, and fire can either be free or it will be smothered. The last thing I want..." His voice broke,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-blake/you-are-a-flame-ruby-and-fire-can-either-be-free-or-it-will-be/) [Elly Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) [Explore all 7 Elly Blake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-blake/) ## More Selfish quotes > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [I don't surround myself with a lower quality of human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-don-t-surround-myself-with-a-lower-quality-of-human/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [It amazes me how selfish some people are and how rude people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-amazes-me-how-selfish-some-people-are-and-how-rude-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They say we all die alone, but I say we die together as one, with every selfish act, piece by piece, smack by smack...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-erlandson/they-say-we-all-die-alone-but-i-say-we-die-together-as-one-with-every/) [Eric Erlandson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-erlandson/) > [Selfish people make me sick to my stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/selfish-people-make-me-sick-to-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A love to Christ which is so cowardly and selfish that it is unwilling to proclaim by a public confession its faith in Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/a-love-to-christ-which-is-so-cowardly-and-selfish-that-it-is/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [I'm not a selfish guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romelu-lukaku/i-m-not-a-selfish-guy/) [Romelu Lukaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romelu-lukaku/) > [There is no man at once so unselfish and selfish as a man in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/there-is-no-man-at-once-so-unselfish-and-selfish-as-a-man-in-love/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [I will no longer surround myself around selfish people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-no-longer-surround-myself-around-selfish-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,822 Selfish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Slowly, he raised himself onto his elbows. “If I could afford to be completely selfish, I wouldn’t let you go after the king. 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