--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that…" description: "\"“We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that formal. A simultaneous decision to murder one another is more like it.”\" — Roger Zelazny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/roger-zelazny-1604_duel_we-fought-a-duel-nothing-that-formal-a-s_549017.png" --- # We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that formal. A simultaneous… ![“We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that formal. A simultaneous decision to murder one another is more like it.” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/roger-zelazny-1604_duel_we-fought-a-duel-nothing-that-formal-a-s_549017.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/roger-zelazny-1604_duel_we-fought-a-duel-nothing-that-formal-a-s_549017.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/roger-zelazny-1604_duel_we-fought-a-duel-nothing-that-formal-a-s_549017.png) > ““We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that formal. A simultaneous decision to murder one another is more like it.”” [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 duel can be a mutual decision to kill, blurring formal combat and personal intent. **In simple terms:** A fight may be a shared choice to kill. Key Takeaway Recognize the moral weight of mutual violence. Themes conflict morality intent duel Mood dark introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - war - personal disputes - legal confrontations - ethical debates Key Concepts mutual destruction ethical ambiguity personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What drives individuals to mutually decide on lethal actions? - How does framing a fight as a duel affect responsibility? A Different Perspective Violence may be rationalized, ignoring long‑term consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-murder-4574117/) [Duel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duel/) [Duel Formal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duel-formal-1912315/) [Fought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fought/) [Fought Duel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fought-duel-793068/) ## Related quotes > [DUEL, n. A formal ceremony preliminary to reconciliation of two enemies. Great skill is necessary to its satisfactory observance; if awkwardly performed . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/duel-n-a-formal-ceremony-preliminary-to-reconciliation-of-two-enemies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“why are you ending our engagement then?" "Because of the reason you fought it" (The duel) "I don't understand." "I know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-castle/why-are-you-ending-our-engagement-then-because-of-the-reason-you/) [Jayne Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-castle/) > [“Two against thirty two,” Niten said. “Good odds.” “I’ve never fought the Spartoi before,” Prometheus admitted. “I only know of them by their reputation—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/two-against-thirty-two-niten-said-good-odds-i-ve-never-fought-the/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [“Until the Civil War there was scarcely a man in public life in New Orleans or Louisiana who had not fought at least one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-asbury/until-the-civil-war-there-was-scarcely-a-man-in-public-life-in-new/) [Herbert Asbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-asbury/) > [In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open raft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/in-the-duel-of-sex-woman-fights-from-a-dreadnought-and-man-from-an/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [War is nothing but a duel on a larger scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-duel-on-a-larger-scale/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“Some young man has wronged you, hasn't he?' From a person who renounced on principle the possibility of transcendental morality, she thought, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/some-young-man-has-wronged-you-hasn-t-he-from-a-person-who-renounced/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-a-duel-to-the-death-which-no-man-of-honour-should-decline/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What do you want, MacGuffin, a duel?” “No.” Julian held out both hands, one palm flat, the other held over it in a fist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/what-do-you-want-macguffin-a-duel-no-julian-held-out-both-hands-one/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [I'm not going to accept your challenge. There will be no duel." "Why not? Because I'm a woman?" "No, because I've seen the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/i-m-not-going-to-accept-your-challenge-there-will-be-no-duel-why-not/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“Today I have come for a duel. Let's see which is greater - your depth or the depth of my sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-shirsat/today-i-have-come-for-a-duel-let-s-see-which-is-greater-your-depth-or/) [Akshay Shirsat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-shirsat/) > [Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-a-bad-shot-is-dignified-when-he-accepts-a-duel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-formed-in-early-life-two-purposes-to-which-i-have-inflexibly/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/i-wish-we-lived-in-the-day-where-you-could-challenge-a-person-to-a/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [“The time of testing, and of playing, was over. This was the final duel for one of them. Now they were fighting for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/the-time-of-testing-and-of-playing-was-over-this-was-the-final-duel/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) ## 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 Duel quotes > [“The time of testing, and of playing, was over. This was the final duel for one of them. Now they were fighting for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/the-time-of-testing-and-of-playing-was-over-this-was-the-final-duel/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) > [I wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/i-wish-we-lived-in-the-day-where-you-could-challenge-a-person-to-a/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [I formed, in early life, two purposes to which I have inflexibly adhered, under some very strong pressure from warm personal friends. They were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/i-formed-in-early-life-two-purposes-to-which-i-have-inflexibly/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [Even a bad shot is dignified when he accepts a duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-a-bad-shot-is-dignified-when-he-accepts-a-duel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Today I have come for a duel. Let's see which is greater - your depth or the depth of my sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-shirsat/today-i-have-come-for-a-duel-let-s-see-which-is-greater-your-depth-or/) [Akshay Shirsat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-shirsat/) > [I'm not going to accept your challenge. There will be no duel." "Why not? Because I'm a woman?" "No, because I've seen the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/i-m-not-going-to-accept-your-challenge-there-will-be-no-duel-why-not/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“What do you want, MacGuffin, a duel?” “No.” Julian held out both hands, one palm flat, the other held over it in a fist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/what-do-you-want-macguffin-a-duel-no-julian-held-out-both-hands-one/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-a-duel-to-the-death-which-no-man-of-honour-should-decline/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some young man has wronged you, hasn't he?' From a person who renounced on principle the possibility of transcendental morality, she thought, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/some-young-man-has-wronged-you-hasn-t-he-from-a-person-who-renounced/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [War is nothing but a duel on a larger scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-duel-on-a-larger-scale/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [In the duel of sex woman fights from a dreadnought and man from an open raft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/in-the-duel-of-sex-woman-fights-from-a-dreadnought-and-man-from-an/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“it was a duel in which two participants got up at crack of dawn, one armed with a rapier, the other with a blunderbuss,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-gordon-rupp/it-was-a-duel-in-which-two-participants-got-up-at-crack-of-dawn-one/) [E. Gordon Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-gordon-rupp/) > [To be the equal of one's opponent-this is the first condition of an honourable duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-be-the-equal-of-one-s-opponent-this-is-the-first-condition-of-an/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I just love things that serve a duel purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/i-just-love-things-that-serve-a-duel-purpose/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [Marriage is a duet or duel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-augier/marriage-is-a-duet-or-duel/) [Emile Augier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-augier/) [Browse all 79 Duel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We fought.' 'A duel?' 'Nothing that formal. 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