Cartography Quote by Ursula Vernon
““Maps? There are no maps. I go by dark ways, unclean ways. If such a map existed, it would be beyond price. Nameless cults would battle in the low places of the earth for such a price. Dreamers would starve themselves in endless visions seeking its location. Such a map would have to be drawn on the skin of a black he-goat, in virgin's blood, with a brush made of dragon's eyelashes. The cartographer would go mad, and it would profane the hands that touched it.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Darkest Minds by Ursula Vernon, 2015
The quote describes an unattainable, forbidden knowledge that drives obsession and madness, suggesting that some truths are too costly or dangerous to pursue.
In simple terms: Some knowledge is too dangerous to seek.
Key Takeaway
Beware chasing forbidden truths.
Themes
obsession
danger
forbidden knowledge
madness
mythic
Mood
dark
foreboding
intense
Type
cautionary
mythic
When to use this quote
- secret societies
- rituals
- dangerous quests
- intellectual curiosity
Key Concepts
mythology
psychology
power
entropy
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives people to seek the impossible?
- When does curiosity become harmful?
A Different Perspective
Pursuing such knowledge can lead to self-destruction and loss of humanity.
![“Folk like to pretend they know everything about the world. Rich folk especially. Maps are great for that. [...] You don't have blanks on your map, so the folks who draw them shade in a piece and write, 'The Eld.' You might as well burn a hole right through the map for what good that does.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/267/patrick-rothfuss-145_cartography_folk-like-to-pretend-they-know-everythin_2205937.jpg)
![“If I do manage to come up with a scheme [to naming], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named after gods-Loki and Athena, who are, respectively, absolutely straightforward and affectionate, and dumber than dirt. I learned my lesson. I will name my next cat 'Satan' or 'Marduk' or…” quote by Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/85d/ursula-vernon-21101_affectionate_if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme_100482.jpg)
