--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the wise men mounted their camels now…" description: "\"“If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could escape, no question. But Balthazar hadn’t ridden into Bethlehem to run. He’d come to kill every l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/seth-grahame-smith-2321_balthazar_if-the-wise-men-mounted-their-camels-now_815163.png" --- # If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could… ![“If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could escape, no question. But Balthazar hadn’t ridden into Bethlehem to run. He’d come to kill every last one of them, or die trying.” quote by Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/seth-grahame-smith-2321_balthazar_if-the-wise-men-mounted-their-camels-now_815163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/seth-grahame-smith-2321_balthazar_if-the-wise-men-mounted-their-camels-now_815163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/seth-grahame-smith-2321_balthazar_if-the-wise-men-mounted-their-camels-now_815163.png) > ““If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could escape, no question. But Balthazar hadn’t ridden into Bethlehem to run. He’d come to kill every last one of them, or die trying.”” [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even wise leaders may choose a destructive path rather than a safe one, driven by purpose. **In simple terms:** Wise men could flee, but he chose to fight. Key Takeaway Consider motives behind risky actions. Themes courage destiny conflict Mood dramatic serious Type fictional narrative When to use this quote - military strategy - personal vendetta - ethical debate - leadership decisions Key Concepts heroism fatalism moral dilemma Questions to Reflect On - Why would someone choose to stay and fight? - What are the costs of confronting evil directly? A Different Perspective Heroic intent can cause collateral damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balthazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balthazar/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing would surprise him. Nothing could anymore. But it didn’t matter. Even if it meant the most painful, hideous death a human being had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/nothing-would-surprise-him-nothing-could-anymore-but-it-didn-t-matter/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“As you can see, it´s More with one o, not two - pet peeve of mine". "More as in give me more". Madison´s crush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/as-you-can-see-it-s-more-with-one-o-not-two-pet-peeve-of-mine-more-as/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [I'm not dating Balthazar. I'm pretend dating him. Which involves some not pretend hand-holding. And maybe some not pretend kissing. But it's all actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/i-m-not-dating-balthazar-i-m-pretend-dating-him-which-involves-some/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [Brothers always. Balthazar is with us too. We make this work,' Finnikin said fiercely. 'We bring peace to these kingdoms. We deserve it. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/brothers-always-balthazar-is-with-us-too-we-make-this-work-finnikin/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“Okay, so, how did you know to show up in the woods like that? Do you just go around finding people in trouble like...vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/okay-so-how-did-you-know-to-show-up-in-the-woods-like-that-do-you/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“There's one way. Only one. Mine." Balthazar stepped closer, using every inch he had on Lucas, who was tall but not that tall. "Charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/there-s-one-way-only-one-mine-balthazar-stepped-closer-using-every/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [Balthazar Balsan is not a self-portrait. If he was, I'd have made the character more flattering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/balthazar-balsan-is-not-a-self-portrait-if-he-was-i-d-have-made-the/) [Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/) > [The only one taking a risk here is me, if I get too attached to you. It’s not risky for you, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/the-only-one-taking-a-risk-here-is-me-if-i-get-too-attached-to-you-it/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Cover your face. I´m going to break through the external wall With what? she looked around and he couldn´t resist a smile With me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/cover-your-face-i-m-going-to-break-through-the-external-wall-with/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Skye, we can´t be anything more than friends" "I heard you" Skye sent back, which seemed surprisingly reasonable - until the next line arrived.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/skye-we-can-t-be-anything-more-than-friends-i-heard-you-skye-sent/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Balthazar sighed and said "Truth naked and unashamed. That's a splendid phrase. But we always see her as she seems, never as she is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/balthazar-sighed-and-said-truth-naked-and-unashamed-that-s-a-splendid/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [“I thought you were good. That some part of you was good.” In a blink of an eye, Balthazar stood right in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-evangelista/i-thought-you-were-good-that-some-part-of-you-was-good-in-a-blink-of/) [Kate Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-evangelista/) > [“Balthazar was disappointed by all the walking, but he was accustomed to such disappointment. -Hellhound”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-mckinley/balthazar-was-disappointed-by-all-the-walking-but-he-was-accustomed/) [Robin McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-mckinley/) > [That buy is totally cracked out," Vic said one day, as we walked past Balthazar in the great hall. I don't think he's on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/that-buy-is-totally-cracked-out-vic-said-one-day-as-we-walked-past/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [I couldn't have been a waiter at Balthazar. You have to be really professional, know all the wines. I could barely say my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-gordon/i-couldn-t-have-been-a-waiter-at-balthazar-you-have-to-be-really/) [Molly Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-gordon/) ## More by Seth Grahame-Smith > [I think zombies have always been an easy metaphor for hard times. Because they're this big, faceless, brainless group of evil things that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/i-think-zombies-have-always-been-an-easy-metaphor-for-hard-times/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [put the car in "d" set the compass to "n" and get the "f"out of there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/put-the-car-in-d-set-the-compass-to-n-and-get-the-f-out-of-there/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“I think common-looking people are the best in the world. That's why the Lord makes so many of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/i-think-common-looking-people-are-the-best-in-the-world-that-s-why/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [If you write really good material, the rest just falls into place. There's really no trick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/if-you-write-really-good-material-the-rest-just-falls-into-place/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [No ninjas! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without any ninjas! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/no-ninjas-how-was-that-possible-five-daughters-brought-up-at-home/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Elisabeth and Darcy merely looked at one another in awkward silence, until the latter reached both arms around her. She was frozen. "What does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/elisabeth-and-darcy-merely-looked-at-one-another-in-awkward-silence/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“The one thing people loved more than an outlaw was seeing him punished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/the-one-thing-people-loved-more-than-an-outlaw-was-seeing-him-punished/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Minions of Satan don’t react well to the Eucharist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/minions-of-satan-don-t-react-well-to-the-eucharist/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“She remembered the lead ammunition in her pocket and offered it to him. 'Your balls, Mr. Darcey?'He reached out and closed her hand around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/she-remembered-the-lead-ammunition-in-her-pocket-and-offered-it-to/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“An empty theater is a promise unfulfilled.In a few hours, everything around him would be light and noise. Laughter and applause. Colorful people packed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/an-empty-theater-is-a-promise-unfulfilled-in-a-few-hours-everything/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“For every rod of wet bamboo upon the student's back, the teacher deserves two.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/for-every-rod-of-wet-bamboo-upon-the-student-s-back-the-teacher/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Depart then, impious one! Depart, accursed one! Depart with all your deceits, for God has willed that man should be his temple!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/depart-then-impious-one-depart-accursed-one-depart-with-all-your/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [I want to be judged harshly because that forces me to really sit down and focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/i-want-to-be-judged-harshly-because-that-forces-me-to-really-sit-down/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [If you're Stephen King and you have a massive body of huge-selling well-respected work, you can pivot and do whatever you want. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/if-you-re-stephen-king-and-you-have-a-massive-body-of-huge-selling/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Without death life is meaningless. It is a story that can never be told. A song that could never be sung. For how would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/without-death-life-is-meaningless-it-is-a-story-that-can-never-be/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) [Explore all 169 Seth Grahame-Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) ## More Balthazar quotes > [“As you can see, it´s More with one o, not two - pet peeve of mine". "More as in give me more". Madison´s crush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/as-you-can-see-it-s-more-with-one-o-not-two-pet-peeve-of-mine-more-as/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [That buy is totally cracked out," Vic said one day, as we walked past Balthazar in the great hall. I don't think he's on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/that-buy-is-totally-cracked-out-vic-said-one-day-as-we-walked-past/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Balthazar was disappointed by all the walking, but he was accustomed to such disappointment. -Hellhound”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-mckinley/balthazar-was-disappointed-by-all-the-walking-but-he-was-accustomed/) [Robin McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-mckinley/) > [“Nothing would surprise him. Nothing could anymore. But it didn’t matter. Even if it meant the most painful, hideous death a human being had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/nothing-would-surprise-him-nothing-could-anymore-but-it-didn-t-matter/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“I thought you were good. That some part of you was good.” In a blink of an eye, Balthazar stood right in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-evangelista/i-thought-you-were-good-that-some-part-of-you-was-good-in-a-blink-of/) [Kate Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-evangelista/) > [“Balthazar sighed and said "Truth naked and unashamed. That's a splendid phrase. But we always see her as she seems, never as she is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/balthazar-sighed-and-said-truth-naked-and-unashamed-that-s-a-splendid/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [“Skye, we can´t be anything more than friends" "I heard you" Skye sent back, which seemed surprisingly reasonable - until the next line arrived.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/skye-we-can-t-be-anything-more-than-friends-i-heard-you-skye-sent/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Cover your face. I´m going to break through the external wall With what? she looked around and he couldn´t resist a smile With me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/cover-your-face-i-m-going-to-break-through-the-external-wall-with/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [The only one taking a risk here is me, if I get too attached to you. It’s not risky for you, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/the-only-one-taking-a-risk-here-is-me-if-i-get-too-attached-to-you-it/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [Balthazar Balsan is not a self-portrait. If he was, I'd have made the character more flattering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/balthazar-balsan-is-not-a-self-portrait-if-he-was-i-d-have-made-the/) [Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/) > [“There's one way. Only one. Mine." Balthazar stepped closer, using every inch he had on Lucas, who was tall but not that tall. "Charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/there-s-one-way-only-one-mine-balthazar-stepped-closer-using-every/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Okay, so, how did you know to show up in the woods like that? Do you just go around finding people in trouble like...vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/okay-so-how-did-you-know-to-show-up-in-the-woods-like-that-do-you/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [Brothers always. Balthazar is with us too. We make this work,' Finnikin said fiercely. 'We bring peace to these kingdoms. We deserve it. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/brothers-always-balthazar-is-with-us-too-we-make-this-work-finnikin/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I'm not dating Balthazar. I'm pretend dating him. Which involves some not pretend hand-holding. And maybe some not pretend kissing. But it's all actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/i-m-not-dating-balthazar-i-m-pretend-dating-him-which-involves-some/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [I couldn't have been a waiter at Balthazar. You have to be really professional, know all the wines. I could barely say my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-gordon/i-couldn-t-have-been-a-waiter-at-balthazar-you-have-to-be-really/) [Molly Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-gordon/) [Browse all 22 Balthazar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balthazar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could escape, no question. But Balthazar hadn’t ridden into Bethlehem to run. 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