Agony Quote by Nicholas A. Basbanes
““For him that stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not, this book from its owner, Let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with palsy and all his members blasted. Let him languish in pain crying out for mercy, Let there be no surcease to his agony till he sink in dissolution. Let bookworms gnaw his entrails in token of the worm that dieth not. When at last he goeth to his final punishment, Let the flames of Hell consume him forever. [attributed to the Monastery of San Pedro in Barcelona, Spain]””
About This Quote
A curse condemns thieves of books to horrific suffering and eternal damnation.
In simple terms: Stealing books brings terrible punishment.
Key Takeaway
Respect others' property.
Themes
justice
retribution
morality
Mood
grim
warning
Type
moralistic
mythic
When to use this quote
- library theft
- digital piracy
- intellectual property theft
- academic plagiarism
Key Concepts
sin
punishment
eternal consequences
Questions to Reflect On
- Is punishment proportional to the crime?
- What alternative ways can we protect books?
A Different Perspective
The severity of the curse may be exaggerated for moral effect.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
