Legend Quote by Richard K. Morgan
““ ...you and I will be dust and half-remembered tales before they even start to build that city. But it will come, and when it does, this sword will still be there to see it. Kiriath steel — built to harm, built to last. When all the damage it’s done and the grief it’s caused have been forgotten, even by the gods, when the Kiriath themselves have passed into discredited myth, this murderous fucking ... thing ... will hang unused, and harmless, and gaped at by children. That’s how it ends, Gil. With no one to remember, or care, or understand what this thing could do when you set it free. ””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan, 2008
Powerful weapons outlive their creators, becoming relics forgotten by history and myth.
In simple terms: Weapons outlast those who wield them.
Key Takeaway
Remember the consequences of creating lasting harm.
Themes
power
legacy
forgetfulness
myth
war
technology
Mood
melancholic
reflective
ominous
Type
literary
philosophical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- military history
- archaeology
- family heirloom
- post‑war reconstruction
- children’s playground
Key Concepts
weaponry
memory
historical decay
mythmaking
Questions to Reflect On
- Who will inherit the burdens we leave behind?
- Can we ever fully erase the impact of our creations?
A Different Perspective
Even unused, such objects can inspire fear or curiosity.
