---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his…"
description: "\"“Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life, I may do so in death.”\" — John Williams"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg"
---

#  Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life…

![“Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life, I may do so in death.” quote by John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg)

> ““Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life, I may do so in death.””

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

If friendship cannot survive in life, the speaker is willing to maintain it even in death, showing deep loyalty.

**In simple terms:** Friendship may continue beyond life.

Key Takeaway

Honor deep loyalty.

Themes

friendship loyalty death commitment

Mood

somber reflective

Type

dramatic philosophical

When to use this quote

- end‑of‑life care
- memorials
- deep friendships

Key Concepts

eternal bond sacrifice

Questions to Reflect On

- What does loyalty mean beyond life?
- How can we honor friendships while alive?

A Different Perspective

May romanticize death as a solution.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Friend Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-life/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Octavius Remain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/octavius-remain-1440052/) [Remain Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remain-friend-1440054/) [Tell Octavius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-octavius-1440053/)

## Related quotes

> [I understand you, and I shall not attempt to make you change your mind. I am too old to want to improve the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/i-understand-you-and-i-shall-not-attempt-to-make-you-change-your-mind/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [It is hard to remain friend with that person whom u love, because u can't care for them as a lover nor can act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/it-is-hard-to-remain-friend-with-that-person-whom-u-love-because-u/)

[Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/)

> [... As you wish. But I'd like to remain your friend. He put his hands in his pockets. Always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas-2/as-you-wish-but-i-d-like-to-remain-your-friend-he-put-his-hands-in/)

[Sarah J Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas-2/)

> [It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong, because you can remain the friend of the sufferer; who would want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/it-is-better-to-suffer-wrong-than-to-do-wrong-because-you-can-remain/)

[Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/)

> [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals-2/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“Mankind in the aggregate I have found to be brutish, ignorant and unkind, whether those qualities were covered by the coarse tunic of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/mankind-in-the-aggregate-i-have-found-to-be-brutish-ignorant-and/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“Six times during my life has this tomb of my soul led me to the brink of that eternal darkness into which all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/six-times-during-my-life-has-this-tomb-of-my-soul-led-me-to-the-brink/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [You are my best friend. You are everything in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-my-best-friend-you-are-everything-in-my-life/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“For the next week, every day, listen to the words of your friends or colleagues. Try to hear what others communicate as a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shinabarger/for-the-next-week-every-day-listen-to-the-words-of-your-friends-or/)

[Jeff Shinabarger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-shinabarger/)

> [If you look across the room and all it takes is a little smile to know what your friend is thinking, then you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-look-across-the-room-and-all-it-takes-is-a-little-smile-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [One thing I've learned is when you find a best friend in this life, you better hang on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nabors/one-thing-i-ve-learned-is-when-you-find-a-best-friend-in-this-life/)

[Jim Nabors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nabors/)

> [My friend, this life we live is not what we have, it's what we believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/3-doors-down/my-friend-this-life-we-live-is-not-what-we-have-it-s-what-we-believe/)

[3 Doors Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/3-doors-down/)

> [“Keep fighting my friend. Life is a journey, and while some days are not as good as others, everyday is an adventure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-m-rose/keep-fighting-my-friend-life-is-a-journey-and-while-some-days-are-not/)

[R.M. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-m-rose/)

> [If people give me a year or two of their best effort, then I am their friend for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/if-people-give-me-a-year-or-two-of-their-best-effort-then-i-am-their/)

[Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/)

> [What is there in life except one's ideas, Good air, good friend, what is there in life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/what-is-there-in-life-except-one-s-ideas-good-air-good-friend-what-is/)

[Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/)

## More by John Williams

> [“She was, he knew- and had known very early, he supposed- one of those rare and always lovely humans whose moral nature was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/she-was-he-knew-and-had-known-very-early-he-supposed-one-of-those/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old Republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“It's for us that the University exists, for the dispossessed of the world; not for the students, not for the selfless pursuit of knowledge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/it-s-for-us-that-the-university-exists-for-the-dispossessed-of-the/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [I don't make a particular distinction between 'high art' and 'low art.' Music is there for everybody. It's a river we can all put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/i-don-t-make-a-particular-distinction-between-high-art-and-low-art/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“Dispassionately, reasonably, he contemplated the failutre that his life must appear to be. He had wanted friendship and the closeness of friendship that might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/dispassionately-reasonably-he-contemplated-the-failutre-that-his-life/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“Six times during my life has this tomb of my soul led me to the brink of that eternal darkness into which all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/six-times-during-my-life-has-this-tomb-of-my-soul-led-me-to-the-brink/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“But I can see what has ensued. A war doesn’t merely kill off a few thousand or a few hundred thousand young men. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/but-i-can-see-what-has-ensued-a-war-doesn-t-merely-kill-off-a-few/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [I let it go. I have not looked at the 'Star Wars' films, and that's absolutely true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/i-let-it-go-i-have-not-looked-at-the-star-wars-films-and-that-s/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [You never write a theme for a movie thinking, 'This will live forever.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/you-never-write-a-theme-for-a-movie-thinking-this-will-live-forever/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“For a few moments in the evening, then, they talked quietly and casually, as if they were old friends or exhausted enemies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/for-a-few-moments-in-the-evening-then-they-talked-quietly-and/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [Composing music is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/composing-music-is-hard-work/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [I honestly haven't done all that counting. It always feels new and a wonderful honor to receive these things. It's a fresh feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/i-honestly-haven-t-done-all-that-counting-it-always-feels-new-and-a/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [In general, we continue to believe that local governments should not have a competitive advantage when competing with the private sector, and they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/in-general-we-continue-to-believe-that-local-governments-should-not/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [“Saying, ain’t doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/saying-ain-t-doing/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [There is no proof that carbon dioxide is causing or precedes global warming…All indications are that the minor warming cycle finished in 2001 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/there-is-no-proof-that-carbon-dioxide-is-causing-or-precedes-global/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

[Explore all 122 John Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

## More Augustus quotes

> [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [That pipe, just so happens to lead to the room where I make the most delicious flavored chocolate covered fudge." Then he will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/that-pipe-just-so-happens-to-lead-to-the-room-where-i-make-the-most/)

[Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/)

> [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/)

[Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/)

> [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/)

[S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/)

> [I am in the midst of a soliloquy! I wrote this out and memorized it and if you interrupt me I will completely screw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-in-the-midst-of-a-soliloquy-i-wrote-this-out-and-memorized-it/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [A man who wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough. --Augustus "Gus" McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/a-man-who-wouldn-t-cheat-for-a-poke-don-t-want-one-bad-enough/)

[Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/)

> [“As quick as boiled asparagus!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-quick-as-boiled-asparagus/)

[Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/)

> [WHEN AUGUSTUS CAME OUT on the porch the blue pigs were eating a rattlesnake—not a very big one. It had probably just been crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/when-augustus-came-out-on-the-porch-the-blue-pigs-were-eating-a/)

[Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/)

> [“Six times during my life has this tomb of my soul led me to the brink of that eternal darkness into which all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/six-times-during-my-life-has-this-tomb-of-my-soul-led-me-to-the-brink/)

[John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/)

> [According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/according-to-the-conventions-of-the-genre-augustus-waters-kept-his/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“His excitement was adorable. I couldn't resist. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. -Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault In Our Stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/his-excitement-was-adorable-i-couldn-t-resist-i-leaned-over-and/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“Out of nowhere, Augustus asked, "do you believe in an after life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/out-of-nowhere-augustus-asked-do-you-believe-in-an-after-life/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [ He \[Caesar Augustus\] found a city built of brick; he left it built of marble. \[Lat., Urbem lateritiam accepit, mamoream relinquit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suetonius/he-caesar-augustus-found-a-city-built-of-brick-he-left-it-built-of/)

[Suetonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suetonius/)

> [“Augustus was amazing, but he’d overdone everything at the picnic, right down to the sandwiches that were metaphorically resonant but tasted terrible and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-was-amazing-but-he-d-overdone-everything-at-the-picnic-right/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

[Browse all 137 Augustus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life, I may do so in death.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Williams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-his-friend-in-life-i-may-do-so/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Augustus"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-his-friend-in-life-i-may-do-so/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-williams-3311_augustus_tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-hi_2541731.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Tell Octavius that if I cannot remain his friend in life, I may do so in death.” — John Williams",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Williams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Tell Octavius that if I cannot...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-his-friend-in-life-i-may-do-so/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/tell-octavius-that-if-i-cannot-remain-his-friend-in-life-i-may-do-so/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
