Humor Quote by Guy Gavriel Kay
““Thunderstorms were common in Sarantium on midsummer nights, sufficiently so to make plausible the oft-repeated tale that the Emperor Apius passed to the god in the midst of a towering storm, with lightning flashing and rolls of thunder besieging the Holy City. Even Pertennius of Eubulus, writing only twenty years after, told the story this way, adding a statue of the Emperor toppling before the bronze gates to the Imperial Precinct and an oak tree split asunder just outside the landward walls. Writers of history often seek the dramatic over the truth. It is a failing of the profession.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay, 1990
Historical writers often prioritize dramatic storytelling over factual accuracy, compromising truth for effect.
In simple terms: Writers favor drama over truth.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize factual integrity.
Themes
history
storytelling
truth
ethics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- journalism
- documentary filmmaking
- teaching history
Key Concepts
narrative bias
historical accuracy
mythmaking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance narrative appeal with factual fidelity?
- What responsibilities do historians have to truth?
A Different Perspective
Dramatic flair can engage audiences but may mislead.
![“[We let] the universality of fantasy, of once upon a time, allow escapist fiction to be more than just that - to also bring us home.” quote by Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dd1/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_fantasy_we-let-the-universality-of-fantasy-of-on_299833.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
