--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any man would be forsworn to gain a…" description: "\"Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.\" — Roger Zelazny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png" --- # Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom. ![“Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png) > “Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man is willing to betray everything to obtain a kingdom. **In simple terms:** Desire for power can lead to betrayal. Key Takeaway Beware of power’s corrupting influence. Themes power betrayal ambition kingdom human nature Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical dramatic When to use this quote - royal succession - political coups - corporate takeovers - personal relationships Key Concepts political intrigue ethical dilemmas personal sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What drives a person to sacrifice morals for power? - Can loyalty survive ambition? A Different Perspective Not all power seekers are villainous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kingdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdom/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“Yet swear not, lest ye be forsworn again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yet-swear-not-lest-ye-be-forsworn-again/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ “\[I would\] rather discover one cause than gain the kingdom of Persia.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/i-would-rather-discover-one-cause-than-gain-the-kingdom-of-persia/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [I would rather discover one true cause than gain the kingdom of Persia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/i-would-rather-discover-one-true-cause-than-gain-the-kingdom-of-persia/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [i really like kingdom hearts its like the best book ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiro-amano/i-really-like-kingdom-hearts-its-like-the-best-book-ever/) [Shiro Amano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiro-amano/) > [Jesus says, "Keep your heart on the kingdom first. Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Kingdom obedience is kingdom abundance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/kingdom-obedience-is-kingdom-abundance/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/this-is-what-god-s-kingdom-is-like-a-bunch-of-outcasts-and-oddballs/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [What makes a kingdom great is its being like a down-flowing river,--the central point towards which all the smaller streams under Heaven converge; or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-makes-a-kingdom-great-is-its-being-like-a-down-flowing-river-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [May Allah guide us to the good of the kingdom of Bahrain and its loyal people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/may-allah-guide-us-to-the-good-of-the-kingdom-of-bahrain-and-its/) [Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/) > [ \[T\]he kingdom of God... is to be a political institution that shall hold sway over all the earth; to which all other governments will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-roberts/t-he-kingdom-of-god-is-to-be-a-political-institution-that-shall-hold/) [B. H. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-roberts/) > [Mind is a kingdom to the man who gathereth his pleasure from ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-farquhar-tupper/mind-is-a-kingdom-to-the-man-who-gathereth-his-pleasure-from-ideas/) [Martin Farquhar Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-farquhar-tupper/) > [Every man carries his kingdom within, and no one knows what is taking place in another's kingdom. 'No one understands me!' Of course they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/every-man-carries-his-kingdom-within-and-no-one-knows-what-is-taking/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. If Jesus is king, reign on earth then the Kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-jesus-is-king-in-heaven-then-the-kingdom-of-god-is-in-heaven-if/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Roger Zelazny > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/time-too-is-a-function-of-shadow-and-even-dworkin-did-not-know-all-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I've always been impulsive. My thinking is usually pretty good, but I always seem to do it after I do my talking — by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-ve-always-been-impulsive-my-thinking-is-usually-pretty-good-but-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“And again, damn. Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/and-again-damn-of-troubles-i-considered-myself-amply-possessed-but/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Far below, the ocean was a bluegray rug being pulled out from beneath us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/far-below-the-ocean-was-a-bluegray-rug-being-pulled-out-from-beneath/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [A powerful flight of the imagination . . . an entirely enjoyable reading experience, wrought by a pair of writers noted for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/a-powerful-flight-of-the-imagination-an-entirely-enjoyable-reading/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The function of criticism should not be confused with the function of reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-function-of-criticism-should-not-be-confused-with-the-function-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. I started writing at the age of 11. All I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-always-wanted-to-write-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-started-writing-at/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [While I had often said that I wanted to die in bed, what I really meant was that in my old age I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/while-i-had-often-said-that-i-wanted-to-die-in-bed-what-i-really/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“That was the first time in my life that I knew the meaning of despair. I read, I worked, I drank, I whored, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/that-was-the-first-time-in-my-life-that-i-knew-the-meaning-of-despair/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I watched until the sizzlecloud drew its legs up into itself, hung like a burning cocoon, then died like an ember retreating into ash.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-until-the-sizzlecloud-drew-its-legs-up-into-itself-hung/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [To waste! You are unknown and unwanted, save by me. This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More Gains quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people enjoy taking a light stroll in the morning and that gives them relief and that sort of feeling. That is what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/some-people-enjoy-taking-a-light-stroll-in-the-morning-and-that-gives/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [How you educate the people around you, what steps you take toward making it better, what sacrifices you make. The equation of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hawkins/how-you-educate-the-people-around-you-what-steps-you-take-toward/) [Andrew Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hawkins/) Browse all 3,001 Gains quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Zelazny" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-kingdom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gains" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-kingdom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/roger-zelazny-1604_gains_any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-king_2939134.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.” — Roger Zelazny", "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": "Roger Zelazny", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any man would be forsworn to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-kingdom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/any-man-would-be-forsworn-to-gain-a-kingdom/#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 } } ] } ```