Death Quote by Steven Erikson
““We’d thought the same, once. We’d deceived ourselves into thinking we were the masters, that every force bowed to our command. And what happened? They destroyed everything!’ ‘I don’t-’ ‘Understand! I see that! They are conjurations — manifestations — they exist to warn you. They are the proof that all that you think to enslave will turn on you.’ And it backed away. ‘The end begins again, it begins again.’ Cotillion stepped forward. ‘Light, Dark and Shadow — these three — are you saying-’ ‘Three?’ Tulas Shorn laughed with savage bitterness. ‘What then of Life? Fire and Stone and Wind? What, you fools, of the Hounds of Death? Manifestations, I said. They will turn — they are telling you that! That is why they exist! The fangs, the fury — all that is implacable in nature — each aspect but a variation, a hue in the maelstrom of destruction!””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, 2000
A character reflects on humanity’s hubris, seeing that forces we try to control become our undoing, and that destruction is inherent in nature’s cycles.
In simple terms: Human pride leads to downfall; nature is destructive.
Key Takeaway
Respect limits, adapt to change.
Themes
hubris
power
nature
destruction
Mood
cautionary
epic
Type
philosophical
mythic
When to use this quote
- leadership
- strategic planning
- environmental awareness
Key Concepts
mythic symbolism
philosophical insight
Questions to Reflect On
- What forces do we underestimate?
- How can humility guide decisions?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex causes of collapse.
![“[comrades] are ashes, entrails, dung, stove smoke, clay, and they’ll all return to clay. They’re full of dirt, candle oil, droppings, dust. You, O Book, my pure, shining precious, my golden singing promise, my dream, a distant call— O tender specter, happy chance, Again I heed the ancient lore…” quote by Tatyana Tolstaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/437/tatyana-tolstaya-25610_books_comrades-are-ashes-entrails-dung-stove-s_2528700.jpg)
