--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Apothecary was surprised. “You would…" description: "\"“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?” “If it would save my daughters,” the parson said. “I’d give up everythin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg" --- # The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up… ![“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?” “If it would save my daughters,” the parson said. “I’d give up everything.” quote by Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg) > ““The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?” “If it would save my daughters,” the parson said. “I’d give up everything.”” [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A parent is willing to sacrifice everything, even core beliefs, for a child's safety. **In simple terms:** Parental love drives extreme sacrifice. Key Takeaway Recognize the depth of love in dire choices. Themes parental sacrifice love moral dilemmas Mood dramatic thoughtful Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - life‑threatening illness - protecting a child Key Concepts ethics family loyalty Questions to Reflect On - What would you give up for a loved one? - When does sacrifice become self‑destruction? A Different Perspective Sacrifice can conflict with personal convictions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apothecary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apothecary/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ## Related quotes > [“Along the edge of this green lived a man. His name is not important, as no one ever used it. The villagers only ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/along-the-edge-of-this-green-lived-a-man-his-name-is-not-important-as/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [The longer I live, the more I am convinced that the apothecary is of more importance than Seneca; and that half the unhappiness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-am-convinced-that-the-apothecary-is-of/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [The Apothecaries morter spoiles the Luters musick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-apothecaries-morter-spoiles-the-luters-musick/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Our medicines are not something you'll find at the drugstore, but at the bookshop, in the library, or downloaded onto your electronic reading device.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-berthoud-susan-elderkin/our-medicines-are-not-something-you-ll-find-at-the-drugstore-but-at/) Ella Berthoud & Susan Elderkin > [“Spanish rain, A maiden’s dress, Apothecary pills And ancient thrills; Melancholy kills A girl’s caress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/spanish-rain-a-maiden-s-dress-apothecary-pills-and-ancient-thrills-2/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [If odours may worke satisfaction, they are so soveraigne in plants and so comfortable that no confection of the apothecaries can equall their excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerard/if-odours-may-worke-satisfaction-they-are-so-soveraigne-in-plants-and/) [John Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerard/) > [true apothecary thy drugs art quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/true-apothecary-thy-drugs-art-quick/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [APOTHECARY, n. The physician's accomplice, undertaker's benefactor and grave worm's provider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/apothecary-n-the-physician-s-accomplice-undertaker-s-benefactor-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [For my second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, my editor encouraged me to think of another unusual profession for a woman to have. That led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klassen/for-my-second-novel-the-apothecary-s-daughter-my-editor-encouraged-me/) [Julie Klassen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klassen/) > [Death. The certain prospect of death could sweeten every life with a precious and fragrant drop of levity- and now you strange apothecary souls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/death-the-certain-prospect-of-death-could-sweeten-every-life-with-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Spanish rain, A maiden’s dress, Apothecary pills And ancient thrills; Melancholy kills A girl’s caress. (—Roman Payne; Valencia, Spain, November 2nd 2012)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/spanish-rain-a-maiden-s-dress-apothecary-pills-and-ancient-thrills/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [An apothecary should never be out of spirits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/an-apothecary-should-never-be-out-of-spirits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [As the few adepts in such things well know, universal morality is to be found in little everyday penny-events just as much as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/as-the-few-adepts-in-such-things-well-know-universal-morality-is-to/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [This is alchemy, and this is the office of Vulcan; he is the apothecary and chemist of the medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/this-is-alchemy-and-this-is-the-office-of-vulcan-he-is-the-apothecary/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) > [No families take so little medicine as those of doctors, except those of apothecaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/no-families-take-so-little-medicine-as-those-of-doctors-except-those/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) ## More by Patrick Ness > [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“This is it. This is goodbye. A goodbye I wasn't even looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-is-it-this-is-goodbye-a-goodbye-i-wasn-t-even-looking-for/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“And I feel her against me - And I think Viola - I think VIOLA! - I think VIOLA!!!! ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-feel-her-against-me-and-i-think-viola-i-think-viola-i-think/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“But I'm still thinking about being born on a spaceship, an honest to badness spaceship. Growing up while flying along the stars, able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-i-m-still-thinking-about-being-born-on-a-spaceship-an-honest-to/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“When luck ain't with you, it's against you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/when-luck-ain-t-with-you-it-s-against-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You starting to feel hope yet?" Viola asks, her voice curious. "No," I say, fuddling my noise. "You?" Her eyebrows are up but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-starting-to-feel-hope-yet-viola-asks-her-voice-curious-no-i-say/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“I have two maxims that I believe, dear girl. One, if you can control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-have-two-maxims-that-i-believe-dear-girl-one-if-you-can-control/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [To live is to fight, to preserve life is to fight everything that man stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/to-live-is-to-fight-to-preserve-life-is-to-fight-everything-that-man/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“This was a kingdom. (“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”) (The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-was-a-kingdom-what-conor-said-looking-around-his-backyard-here/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [If you ever see a war," she says, not looking up from her clipboard, "you'll learn that war only destroys. No one escapes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/if-you-ever-see-a-war-she-says-not-looking-up-from-her-clipboard-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) [Explore all 527 Patrick Ness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## More Apothecary quotes > [No families take so little medicine as those of doctors, except those of apothecaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/no-families-take-so-little-medicine-as-those-of-doctors-except-those/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [This is alchemy, and this is the office of Vulcan; he is the apothecary and chemist of the medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/this-is-alchemy-and-this-is-the-office-of-vulcan-he-is-the-apothecary/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) > [As the few adepts in such things well know, universal morality is to be found in little everyday penny-events just as much as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/as-the-few-adepts-in-such-things-well-know-universal-morality-is-to/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [An apothecary should never be out of spirits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/an-apothecary-should-never-be-out-of-spirits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [“Spanish rain, A maiden’s dress, Apothecary pills And ancient thrills; Melancholy kills A girl’s caress. (—Roman Payne; Valencia, Spain, November 2nd 2012)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/spanish-rain-a-maiden-s-dress-apothecary-pills-and-ancient-thrills/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Death. The certain prospect of death could sweeten every life with a precious and fragrant drop of levity- and now you strange apothecary souls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/death-the-certain-prospect-of-death-could-sweeten-every-life-with-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [For my second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, my editor encouraged me to think of another unusual profession for a woman to have. That led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klassen/for-my-second-novel-the-apothecary-s-daughter-my-editor-encouraged-me/) [Julie Klassen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klassen/) > [APOTHECARY, n. The physician's accomplice, undertaker's benefactor and grave worm's provider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/apothecary-n-the-physician-s-accomplice-undertaker-s-benefactor-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [true apothecary thy drugs art quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/true-apothecary-thy-drugs-art-quick/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If odours may worke satisfaction, they are so soveraigne in plants and so comfortable that no confection of the apothecaries can equall their excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerard/if-odours-may-worke-satisfaction-they-are-so-soveraigne-in-plants-and/) [John Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerard/) > [“Spanish rain, A maiden’s dress, Apothecary pills And ancient thrills; Melancholy kills A girl’s caress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/spanish-rain-a-maiden-s-dress-apothecary-pills-and-ancient-thrills-2/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Our medicines are not something you'll find at the drugstore, but at the bookshop, in the library, or downloaded onto your electronic reading device.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-berthoud-susan-elderkin/our-medicines-are-not-something-you-ll-find-at-the-drugstore-but-at/) Ella Berthoud & Susan Elderkin > [The Apothecaries morter spoiles the Luters musick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-apothecaries-morter-spoiles-the-luters-musick/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The longer I live, the more I am convinced that the apothecary is of more importance than Seneca; and that half the unhappiness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-am-convinced-that-the-apothecary-is-of/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [One afternoon late in October of the year 1697, Euclide Auclair, the philosopher apothecary of Quebec, stood on the top of Cap Diamant gazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/one-afternoon-late-in-october-of-the-year-1697-euclide-auclair-the/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) [Browse all 23 Apothecary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apothecary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?” “If it would save my daughters,” the parson said. “I’d give up everything.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Ness" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-give-up-everything-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apothecary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-give-up-everything-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/patrick-ness-449_children_the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-g_1835253.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?” “If it would save my…” — Patrick Ness", "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": "Patrick Ness", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-give-up-everything-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-apothecary-was-surprised-you-would-give-up-everything-you/#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 } } ] } ```