The Robots Of Dawn Quotes
"I hate sweating," he said to no one, throwing it out as a cosmic law.
"One never perspired (unless one wished to, of course) in the City."
"It always amazed Baley that a relatively small cloud could cover the sun completely."
"To the horizon on Baley’s right--eastward, as one could tell by the position of the late-afternoon sun--he could see the blunt, many-fingered domes of the City, enclosing all that made life worthwhile."
"The Earth’s surface, outside the Cities, was the domain of robots, not of human beings."
"Automatically, his eyes turned back toward the hoeing star-dreamers."
"He said, „It makes sense to get under a tree once in a while when the sun’s too bright."
"Once a week, I have an afternoon off and I spend it here. That’s my privilege."
"I tell you, Ben, it would do your mother good to come out here herself."
"That hyperwave thing was nonsense. I’ve told you that a thousand times."
"Any accident involving a robot-driven car would set off another antirobot riot."
"And yet can we say that the ending of robotic life by the deliberate violent action of a human being is also ‘murder’?"
"Auroran robots are deft enough to immobilize a human being without hurting him."
"For Auroran robots are regarded more highly than on Earth and are, in general, more complex, versatile, and valuable."
"History was interesting to the extent that it was catastrophic."
"It is my programming, Partner Elijah, yet somehow it seems to me that, even were it not for my programming, saving you makes the loss of my own existence seem quite trivial in comparison."
"To have Giskard do it and present it as an idea of his simpleminded own was a touch of delicacy on Daneel’s part."
"Breathing rather stertorously (perhaps to convince himself he was actually breathing), he stared about curiously in all directions."
"I felt as though I were a disembodied spirit or--er--as I imagine I would feel if I were dead but were consciously existing in some sort of immaterial afterlife."
"There was no luminous arrow, going on and off, pointing to it. There was no carefully lettered inscription arced over it."
"The sensation was worse than simple nakedness--he was an unaccompanied personality, the essence of identity totally uncovered, a living point, a singularity surrounded by an open and infinite world, and he was falling."
"Otherwise--Daneel said calmly, „We have, Partner Elijah. And, incidentally, we have landed. We are now resting on the surface of Aurora.""
"But there was no Outside. Fastolfe climbed into the front seat and, as the door closed behind him, the windows blanked out and a soft, artificial light suffused the interior."
"„I don’t generally drive this way, Mr. Baley, but I don’t mind a great deal and you may find it more comfortable.""
"„I understand, but we will inflict the Outside on you only when it is necessary. That is not now the case, so please consent to be enclosed.""
"„I shall assume you are not a walking sack of infection, Mr. Baley.""
"„I am as determined as you are to prevent your failure. Believe me.""
"„At the moment, no such young man exists. Eventually, one will; perhaps many will. At the moment, none!""
"„I can demonstrate it mathematically, but of those who could follow the mathematics, not all would agree that the reasoning was valid.""
"„Random positronic drift must have ended Jander and may, someday, end me. There is always an element of chance in the Universe.""
"The touch was so fugitive and there was no way in which the physical sensation was different from what it would have been if I had touched my husband or any other man--or, perhaps, even any woman. But there was more to it than the physical sensation."
"It was as though I had touched gentle fire that made its way up my hand and arm instantaneously and set me all in flame."
"I didn’t know how long it lasted--it couldn’t be for more than a moment or two--but for me time stood still."
"Something happened to me that had never happened to me before and, looking back on it long afterward, when I had learned about it, I realized that I had very nearly experienced an orgasm."
"You taught me what I might imagine. Not the mechanics of it, but something that I could never have conceived as having anything to do with it."
"The look on a face, the sparkle in an eye, the feeling of--gentleness--kindness--something I can’t even describe--acceptance--a lowering of the terrible barrier between individuals. Love, I suppose--a convenient word to encompass all of that and more."
"It meant everything to me. It changed my life. Remember, Elijah, that until then, after my few years of childhood, I had never touched a man--or any human being, actually--except for my husband."
"I learned to go through with it, to follow their lead, to accept their guidance--and it all still meant nothing. I gained not even the urge to do it to myself and by myself."
"Dr. Fastolfe protected me against the lack of understanding on the part of Aurorans and against their general contempt for Solarians."
"I saw no need. --And no, it was not because I felt shame."
"I wanted only Jander. --And do you understand, now, what I have lost?"
"I wish now I had stayed with him every second. I didn’t know our time would be so short."
"It is even possible that I hold the key to the answer in my hand."
"I do not borrow the names of others. You may call me Dr. Vasilia. It is the name by which I am commonly known at the Institute."
"I am not here to do anything but uncover the truth in the matter of the dead humaniform robot, Jander Panell."
"I use one syllable in preference to phrases such as ‘rendered inoperative.’ Does saying ‘dead’ confuse you?"
"I think, Dr. Vasilia, you would be well-advised to allow me to manage this interview as I wish."
"The show was overdramatic and exaggerated my personality in every direction."
"I am sixty-six metric. I expect to live three metric centuries more at least--if I am careful."
"You are using a biological term. I share genes with him in a manner characteristic of what on Earth would be considered a father-daughter relationship."
"If I have offended against custom, it is through ignorance and I apologize."
"Then it is time for you to tell me about Gremionis."
"Please do so, Giskard. I’ve never stopped missing you."
"I have never met an Earthman and it might be interesting to see how closely you resemble the actor who played your role."
"Dr. Han Fastolfe lives in the City of the Dawn on the World of the Dawn, but he is not himself a believer in the Dawn."
"Every once in a long while, people have commented on her resemblance to me, but it hasn’t bothered me."
"I don’t want to be falsely accused of anything."
"I nearly didn’t," said the Spacer. „They tried to stop me and I only had one robot with me."
"I don’t think I’d have the nerve to-- He’s such an important scientist."
"It isn’t one of the fancier ones here. I’m not one of your high executives."
"I’ve got to make sure you don’t think I’ve had anything to do with that robot."
"It’s for people," said Gremionis. „Either sex? Surely you can’t mean that."
"But this is something I want to talk about privately, man to man."
"She asked me about that robot and said you had asked about me."
"I don’t want to be falsely accused of anything--and especially where such a false accusation would affect my relationship with Gladia."
"To outer space with it. What the Aurorans did and how they dealt with their problems was their affair and he would bother his head no more with them."
"It dawned on Baley, in a rather sad way, that if his exposure to Auroran food was to continue for any length of time, he would return to Earth missing that distinctiveness of flavor."
"Perhaps, when Earthpeople established themselves on other worlds, this Spacer-fashion food would be the mark of the new diet."
"Nothing is less attractive than a facial desert."
"It’s what I want. I’ve looked for it for years."
"I would rather be with Gladia and be rejected than be with anyone else and be accepted."
"I’ve attacked no one. Of course I haven’t. I’ve had the urge to do so on a number of occasions, to be sure."
"But then, no one ever called me--that before."
"I suppose it wouldn’t be entirely normal if I hadn’t, but until this moment, I’ve been able to control it."
"The fact is, that I gathered from what Dr. Vasilia told me, in bits and pieces, that she is a virgin."
"I can’t explain how much that meant to me. It made her look gloriously beautiful in my eyes and I just wanted her so much."
"It’s a kind of madness, except that I think it’s the best kind of insanity."
"People who dream of justice are so apt to be disappointed--and they are usually such wonderful people that one hates to see that happen."
"The greatest minds--working singly, even for centuries--cannot progress rapidly if they refuse to communicate their findings."
"We are proudly human on Aurora, rather than being huddled sheep on Earth."
"It is just that you are up against Auroran standards now. We treasure reputation with unbelievable intensity."
"Robots can neither father nor mother children."
"In the end, we will not worry whether a new world is settled by Aurorans who are human in fact or in appearance, if no one can tell the difference."
"I want what is best for it. Do you understand?"
"I am quite at ease with you. I don’t have that primitive fear of infection."
"If they were, we might not make that distinction."
"I am now quite convinced that I am not in danger and have not been."
"I can tell you that no outsider will approach within fifty meters of my establishment in any direction without our all knowing it at once."
"He had survived, hadn’t he? When he thought that, something inside himself grinned and was happy."
"There are some things that differences in culture don’t touch."
"We were not gone long and Dr. Fastolfe had been informed."
"I’m not sure that’s wise. You don’t want a heavy meal, perhaps, but how about some hot soup? It will do you good."
"We were back at your airfoil less than half an hour after Giskard and Daneel had left you."
"In addition, you might have been certain that I would have been back quickly."
"You must have given Giskard some mighty strict orders."
"I admit I’m tired, but that can be cured by a bit of rest."
"I needed to know that I could feel desire again after Jander."
"You freed me by a touch two years ago, Elijah, and last night you freed me again."
"Surely, none of us would have been harmed under any circumstances."
"I thought they--the others--had taken you away."