--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think that is true, but I assure you…" description: "\"“You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death is better than the sort of captivity they plan for you. I have been a captive, a toy for hea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg" --- # You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death… ![“You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death is better than the sort of captivity they plan for you. I have been a captive, a toy for heartless men. I made them fear me. It is why they sought to sell me. It was why your father could buy my freedom.' 'I do not know that tale.' 'It is a…” quote by Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg) > ““You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death is better than the sort of captivity they plan for you. I have been a captive, a toy for heartless men. I made them fear me. It is why they sought to sell me. It was why your father could buy my freedom.' 'I do not know that tale.' 'It is a dark and sad one.”” [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that death can be preferable to a life of oppression and exploitation, reflecting on personal trauma and betrayal. **In simple terms:** Death may seem preferable to captivity. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of freedom. Themes freedom oppression survival Mood somber thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - prison reform - human rights advocacy - personal healing - storytelling Key Concepts ethics psychology power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What does true freedom look like? - How can we support those feeling trapped? A Different Perspective Such views can romanticize death, ignoring alternatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Captive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captive/) [Captivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captivity/) [Captivity Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captivity-plan-3862110/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-better-575732/) [Fear Sought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-sought-3862111/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [“That was the thing about being a captive bird...You learned to adapt, and before you knew it your captivity seemed normal. If you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-fisher-staples/that-was-the-thing-about-being-a-captive-bird-you-learned-to-adapt/) [Suzanne Fisher Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-fisher-staples/) > [Death is better than slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/death-is-better-than-slavery/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [Sleep is good, death is better; but of course, the best thing would to have never been born at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/sleep-is-good-death-is-better-but-of-course-the-best-thing-would-to/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [If everybody were to eat the 'Wings of Death,' you'd have a better understanding of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/if-everybody-were-to-eat-the-wings-of-death-you-d-have-a-better/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [To be content with death may be better than to desire it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/to-be-content-with-death-may-be-better-than-to-desire-it/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Death is better than disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/death-is-better-than-disease/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [I want to show the world that we have the best fighters. Our motto is, 'Death is better than second place.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramzan-kadyrov/i-want-to-show-the-world-that-we-have-the-best-fighters-our-motto-is/) [Ramzan Kadyrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramzan-kadyrov/) > [This is how a man looks when he's deciding that the risk of death is better than the risk of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-is-how-a-man-looks-when-he-s-deciding-that-the-risk-of-death-is/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/after-your-death-you-were-better-have-a-bad-epitaph-than-their-ill/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To me death is better than the defensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/to-me-death-is-better-than-the-defensive/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) > [“Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it… So we kid ourselves about death… But there's a better approach. To know you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/everyone-knows-they-re-going-to-die-but-nobody-believes-it-so-we-kid/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You always think that 70 is the end of the road: 'Somebody died when they were 73; good life'. You're closer to death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-always-think-that-70-is-the-end-of-the-road-somebody-died-when/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [“You want these back, don't you? You want me out of here so you can come back and take over where you left off.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/you-want-these-back-don-t-you-you-want-me-out-of-here-so-you-can-come/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Who's to say that my light is better than your darkness? Who's to say death is better than your darkness? Who am I to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/who-s-to-say-that-my-light-is-better-than-your-darkness-who-s-to-say/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [I'm waiting for death for better hell than studying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarjayan/i-m-waiting-for-death-for-better-hell-than-studying/) [Amarjayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarjayan/) ## More by Robin Hobb > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“But that is not true for all folk. Some folk are meant to argue with fate. And win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/but-that-is-not-true-for-all-folk-some-folk-are-meant-to-argue-with/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I tried to leave you alone, Fitz. To find what peace you could, even if it excluded me from your life.” Ten years ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-tried-to-leave-you-alone-fitz-to-find-what-peace-you-could-even-if/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Do you think you're taking Etta out of here?" "Yes," Kennit called over his shoulder up the sairs. "What about all these dead men?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/do-you-think-you-re-taking-etta-out-of-here-yes-kennit-called-over/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“A way out is a way in. Then,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/a-way-out-is-a-way-in-then/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Die in your dreams, wake up insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/die-in-your-dreams-wake-up-insane/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I felt a familiar squeezing in what I thought must be my heart. I had heard of being "heartbroken" or "heavy-hearted" but I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-felt-a-familiar-squeezing-in-what-i-thought-must-be-my-heart-i-had/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“They spoke of a dream of a child who bore the heart of a wolf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/they-spoke-of-a-dream-of-a-child-who-bore-the-heart-of-a-wolf/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“There is always power in holding a secret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/there-is-always-power-in-holding-a-secret/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“... finally realizing that life was to be lived, rather than hoarded against an unseen tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/finally-realizing-that-life-was-to-be-lived-rather-than-hoarded/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Why, I suddenly wondered, had I wasted all those hours I could have spent with her? Why hadn’t I gone with them, to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/why-i-suddenly-wondered-had-i-wasted-all-those-hours-i-could-have/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf. Why not wait until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-think-i-made-a-better-boy-than-i-do-a-man-i-admitted-ruefully-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“So, with all the wide world to choose from, you didn't choose at all. You simply stopped wandering one day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/so-with-all-the-wide-world-to-choose-from-you-didn-t-choose-at-all/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I don't think I can stand it much longer,” he warned her. “Something will have to give way. And I fear it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-don-t-think-i-can-stand-it-much-longer-he-warned-her-something-will/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) [Explore all 500 Robin Hobb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## More Captive quotes > [“Looking out the rain-fogged window at the gray November day, Mary felt almost grateful for the snug warmth of her well-heated chamber. Escape, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-george/looking-out-the-rain-fogged-window-at-the-gray-november-day-mary-felt/) [Margaret George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-george/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/my-name-is-truth-and-i-am-the-most-elusive-captive-in-the-universe/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Make me a captive Lord, then I shall be truly free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/make-me-a-captive-lord-then-i-shall-be-truly-free/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“Trauma is personal. It does not disappear if it is not validated. When it is ignored or invalidated the silent screams continue internally heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bernock/trauma-is-personal-it-does-not-disappear-if-it-is-not-validated-when/) [Danielle Bernock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-bernock/) > [“He knew that no matter what, this woman, once his blood slave, then his greatest downfall, and finally his salvation would never fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-stevens/he-knew-that-no-matter-what-this-woman-once-his-blood-slave-then-his/) [Erica Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-stevens/) > [“Every person I save is another victory against the evil that festers in this world and I will not rest until every captive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinley-macgregor/every-person-i-save-is-another-victory-against-the-evil-that-festers/) [Kinley MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinley-macgregor/) > [“One of the worst cases of employee abuse that I witnessed in the workplace was a toxic manager holding employees captive in a remote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/one-of-the-worst-cases-of-employee-abuse-that-i-witnessed-in-the/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I wonder which one of us is more despicable.Is it the person relentlessly chasing after love or the person desperately holding it captive? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lu/i-wonder-which-one-of-us-is-more-despicable-is-it-the-person/) [Dahlia Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lu/) > [Our bodies are held captive, but our pursuit of freedom cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/our-bodies-are-held-captive-but-our-pursuit-of-freedom-cannot-be/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [The rise of digital technology put marketers in a bind. No longer a captive audience, consumers were splitting their time across devices, social networks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/the-rise-of-digital-technology-put-marketers-in-a-bind-no-longer-a/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [Oh, Jacques, we're used to each other, we're a pair of captive hawks caught in the same cage, and so we've grown used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/oh-jacques-we-re-used-to-each-other-we-re-a-pair-of-captive-hawks/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“Damn, Ian was already there. I braced myself as he came out from behind the RV. He sniffed, his nose wrinkling. Then he looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/damn-ian-was-already-there-i-braced-myself-as-he-came-out-from-behind/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [In 'Falling Skies,' I was playing a soldier and a fighter, and then, when I was taken captive, you're still in this post-apocalyptic world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/in-falling-skies-i-was-playing-a-soldier-and-a-fighter-and-then-when/) [Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/) > [Cage of freedom, that's our prison; we're the jailer and captive combined Cage of freedom, cast in power; all the trappings of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-anderson/cage-of-freedom-that-s-our-prison-we-re-the-jailer-and-captive/) [Jon Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-anderson/) [Browse all 138 Captive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death is better than the sort of captivity they plan for you. I have been a captive, a toy for heartless men. I made them fear me. It is why they sought to sell me. It was why your father could buy my freedom.' 'I do not know that tale.' 'It is a dark and sad one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robin Hobb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you-it-is-not-death-is-better/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Captive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you-it-is-not-death-is-better/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/robin-hobb-489_death_you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you_440367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You think that is true, but I assure you it is not. Death is better than the sort of captivity they plan for…” — Robin Hobb", "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": "Robin Hobb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You think that is true, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you-it-is-not-death-is-better/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/you-think-that-is-true-but-i-assure-you-it-is-not-death-is-better/#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 } } ] } ```