--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Excuse me, please. You do not understand…" description: "\"“Excuse me, please. You do not understand. You do not really understand who it was we talked with in the tent that night. He may have seemed an ordinar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/roger-zelazny-1604_benedict_excuse-me-please-you-do-not-understand-y_1837596.jpg" --- # Excuse me, please. You do not understand. You do not… ![“Excuse me, please. You do not understand. You do not really understand who it was we talked with in the tent that night. He may have seemed an ordinary man to you – a handicapped one, at that. But this is not so. I fear Benedict. He is the Master of Arms for Amber. Can you conceive of a…” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/roger-zelazny-1604_benedict_excuse-me-please-you-do-not-understand-y_1837596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/roger-zelazny-1604_benedict_excuse-me-please-you-do-not-understand-y_1837596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/roger-zelazny-1604_benedict_excuse-me-please-you-do-not-understand-y_1837596.jpg) > ““Excuse me, please. You do not understand. You do not really understand who it was we talked with in the tent that night. He may have seemed an ordinary man to you – a handicapped one, at that. But this is not so. I fear Benedict. He is the Master of Arms for Amber. Can you conceive of a millennium? A thousand years? Several of them? Can you understand a man who, for almost every day of a lifetime like that, has spent some time dwelling with weapons, tactics, strategy? All that there is of military science thunders in his head. He has often journeyed from shadow to shadow, witnessing variation after variation on the same battle, with but slightly altered circumstances, in order to test his theories of warfare. He has commanded armies so vast that you could watch them march by day after day and see no end to the columns. Although he is inconvenienced by the loss of his arm, I would not wish to fight with him either with weapons or barehanded. It is fortunate that he has no designs upon the throne, or he would be occupying it right now. If he were, I believe that I would give up at this moment and pay him homage. I fear Benedict.”” [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 character describes fear of a powerful, battle‑savvy adversary whose strategic mind and experience make him formidable despite physical loss. **In simple terms:** Fear of a strategic, battle‑experienced opponent despite his disability. Key Takeaway Respect and caution when confronting seasoned strategists. Themes fear strategy warfare Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - military planning - political intrigue - personal confrontation - historical analysis Key Concepts military theory leadership disability power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What makes a strategist truly dangerous? - How does physical loss affect authority? A Different Perspective Even great strategists can be vulnerable to moral choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [“It was almost a mystical experience. I do not know how else to put it. My mind outran time as he neared, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/it-was-almost-a-mystical-experience-i-do-not-know-how-else-to-put-it/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Mr. Benedict’s amusement sent him right off to sleep, for he had a condition called narcolepsy that caused him to nod off at unexpected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/mr-benedict-s-amusement-sent-him-right-off-to-sleep-for-he-had-a/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [“Xav tugged Yves off me and handed me the call button. “You’ll be needing this, Phee, when my irritating little squirt of a brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/xav-tugged-yves-off-me-and-handed-me-the-call-button-you-ll-be/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“Out from behind the desk where he’d been sitting, hidden by the piles of books, appeared a bespectacled, green-eyed man in a green plaid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/out-from-behind-the-desk-where-he-d-been-sitting-hidden-by-the-piles/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > ['Benedict' means 'blessed.' My parents liked the sound of the name and felt slightly blessed because they'd been trying for a child for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/benedict-means-blessed-my-parents-liked-the-sound-of-the-name-and/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“Here's how to get started with the antipolitical politics of the Benedict Option. Secede culturally from the mainstream. Turn off the television. Put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/here-s-how-to-get-started-with-the-antipolitical-politics-of-the/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > [“Oh my gosh, don’t you both look pretty!” We looked like rejects from the auditions for The Sound of Music. “I will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/oh-my-gosh-don-t-you-both-look-pretty-we-looked-like-rejects-from-the/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [Bruce Benedict is so slow he'd finish third in a race with a pregnant woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/bruce-benedict-is-so-slow-he-d-finish-third-in-a-race-with-a-pregnant/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) > [People call me Benny. And as long as they put Benedict on my paycheck, I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-wong/people-call-me-benny-and-as-long-as-they-put-benedict-on-my-paycheck/) [Benedict Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-wong/) > [“Hospitality is a prized virtue of monastic communities. Benedict's rule says: 'All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-shigematsu/hospitality-is-a-prized-virtue-of-monastic-communities-benedict-s/) [Ken Shigematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-shigematsu/) > [“How am I going to help you?” “You are going to jump.” “Ha.” “You are.” “Have you done this before?” “Yeah, with fruit.” That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/how-am-i-going-to-help-you-you-are-going-to-jump-ha-you-are-have-you/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“I daily discover so much baseness and ingratitude among mankind that I almost blush at being of the same species, and could quit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-sterne-randall/i-daily-discover-so-much-baseness-and-ingratitude-among-mankind-that/) [Willard Sterne Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-sterne-randall/) > [“Saul tapped his wife's obstinate chin. "Mrs. Benedict, you certainly are. You promised to obey." "That was thirty years ago! Before the wedding ceremony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/saul-tapped-his-wife-s-obstinate-chin-mrs-benedict-you-certainly-are/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [Benedict may not be as hurt as he really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-coleman/benedict-may-not-be-as-hurt-as-he-really-is/) [Jerry Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-coleman/) > [“Zed and Sky had stayed behind and were chatting with Will, Sky sitting on Zed's knee as if nothing was going to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/zed-and-sky-had-stayed-behind-and-were-chatting-with-will-sky-sitting/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) ## 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 Benedict quotes > [“Zed and Sky had stayed behind and were chatting with Will, Sky sitting on Zed's knee as if nothing was going to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/zed-and-sky-had-stayed-behind-and-were-chatting-with-will-sky-sitting/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [Benedict may not be as hurt as he really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-coleman/benedict-may-not-be-as-hurt-as-he-really-is/) [Jerry Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-coleman/) > [“Saul tapped his wife's obstinate chin. "Mrs. Benedict, you certainly are. You promised to obey." "That was thirty years ago! Before the wedding ceremony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/saul-tapped-his-wife-s-obstinate-chin-mrs-benedict-you-certainly-are/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“I daily discover so much baseness and ingratitude among mankind that I almost blush at being of the same species, and could quit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-sterne-randall/i-daily-discover-so-much-baseness-and-ingratitude-among-mankind-that/) [Willard Sterne Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-sterne-randall/) > [“How am I going to help you?” “You are going to jump.” “Ha.” “You are.” “Have you done this before?” “Yeah, with fruit.” That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/how-am-i-going-to-help-you-you-are-going-to-jump-ha-you-are-have-you/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“Hospitality is a prized virtue of monastic communities. Benedict's rule says: 'All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-shigematsu/hospitality-is-a-prized-virtue-of-monastic-communities-benedict-s/) [Ken Shigematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-shigematsu/) > [People call me Benny. And as long as they put Benedict on my paycheck, I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-wong/people-call-me-benny-and-as-long-as-they-put-benedict-on-my-paycheck/) [Benedict Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-wong/) > [Bruce Benedict is so slow he'd finish third in a race with a pregnant woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/bruce-benedict-is-so-slow-he-d-finish-third-in-a-race-with-a-pregnant/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) > [“Oh my gosh, don’t you both look pretty!” We looked like rejects from the auditions for The Sound of Music. “I will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/oh-my-gosh-don-t-you-both-look-pretty-we-looked-like-rejects-from-the/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“Here's how to get started with the antipolitical politics of the Benedict Option. Secede culturally from the mainstream. Turn off the television. Put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/here-s-how-to-get-started-with-the-antipolitical-politics-of-the/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > ['Benedict' means 'blessed.' My parents liked the sound of the name and felt slightly blessed because they'd been trying for a child for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/benedict-means-blessed-my-parents-liked-the-sound-of-the-name-and/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“Out from behind the desk where he’d been sitting, hidden by the piles of books, appeared a bespectacled, green-eyed man in a green plaid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/out-from-behind-the-desk-where-he-d-been-sitting-hidden-by-the-piles/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [“Xav tugged Yves off me and handed me the call button. “You’ll be needing this, Phee, when my irritating little squirt of a brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/xav-tugged-yves-off-me-and-handed-me-the-call-button-you-ll-be/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“Mr. Benedict’s amusement sent him right off to sleep, for he had a condition called narcolepsy that caused him to nod off at unexpected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/mr-benedict-s-amusement-sent-him-right-off-to-sleep-for-he-had-a/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [The one and only time I met Pope Benedict XVI was when he was Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-novak/the-one-and-only-time-i-met-pope-benedict-xvi-was-when-he-was-joseph/) [David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-novak/) Browse all 63 Benedict quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Excuse me, please. You do not understand. You do not really understand who it was we talked with in the tent that night. He may have seemed an ordinary man to you – a handicapped one, at that. But this is not so. I fear Benedict. He is the Master of Arms for Amber. Can you conceive of a millennium? A thousand years? Several of them? Can you understand a man who, for almost every day of a lifetime like that, has spent some time dwelling with weapons, tactics, strategy? All that there is of military science thunders in his head. He has often journeyed from shadow to shadow, witnessing variation after variation on the same battle, with but slightly altered circumstances, in order to test his theories of warfare. He has commanded armies so vast that you could watch them march by day after day and see no end to the columns. Although he is inconvenienced by the loss of his arm, I would not wish to fight with him either with weapons or barehanded. 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