Here, There Be Dragons Quotes
"To those of us in the Archipelago, it is a holy book... the only Grail that can strengthen us by drawing the disparities closer."
"It was the other thing that was hard—because once it was open, there was no telling what would escape."
"As in, ‘you can get from here to there, but it’s easier to do it with principles.’"
"I be telling you—always good eggs they be, those Oxford scowlers."
"You misunderstand my care. To those of us in the Archipelago, it is a holy book."
"No one truly knows how they run. Bacon only passed on the secret of their construction to certain animals and to Nemo."
"What gives you motive power? ‘We gots to go somewheres,’ What gives you motive power?"
"Leave, my friends. A new age is dawning, and it will be birthed in fire. A new age; an age of Goblin, Troll, and Shadow."
"We will be in absolute darkness, and it will be difficult to separate friend from foe, much less counter the attacks of the Shadow-Born."
"The secret of the summoning is in the Imaginarium Geographica, which was stolen and is now in the possession of the Winter King."
"Rings of Power, as you call them, are symbols of office and fealty, nothing more."
"Once joined in battle, the opposing force would be irresistible and would flow over the assembled forces of the allies like a wave."
"Perhaps greater than the Trolls and Goblins, who can still be killed."
"That’s either the most kingly thing I’ve ever heard, or it’s the single stupidest plan on Earth."
"By my body and bones, that’s either the most kingly thing I’ve ever heard, or it’s the single stupidest plan on Earth."
"So all we have to do now is go into his camp, sneak past all the goblins, trolls, Shadow-Born, and Wendigo, find Pandora’s Box, and close it. It’s simple, really."
"Ah, boy, you had it going so well, up until the end."
"But we’re going to do what we can, all of us, nevertheless."
"Dear God in Heaven, this may truly be the end for us all."
"Remember what the Cartographer said about choices and consequences, Jack."
"Judge me on what I’m actually doing, not on what you think I believe."
"Can’t I have both? The conviction of the Cartographer and the strength of the Winter King?"
"You can’t have one foot in and the other out. It doesn’t work that way."
"If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, we tried. If knights only went on quests they were sure of, they’d never go at all."
"You wished all your life to be a knight. Now claim your destiny, and become a king."
"They left you, Jack, because Shadow-Born do not consume their own."
"I’ve been thinking about that," said John. "Summoning and commanding are two different things."
"Kneel before me, boy. Swear fealty to me. Make me the rightful heir. And I will give you a quick and painless death."
"The dragons do not exist to solve your problems for you, but to help you learn to help yourselves, and you have."
"The dragons have returned, true—but whether or not we stay is up to you. Rule wisely. Rule well."
"It’s because he reached into it more deeply than the Winter King wanted to, or ever would."
"Remember the legend of Pandora’s Box? When it was opened for the first time, and all the evils of man escaped out into the world, there was still one thing left inside, which was the redemption of all the rest. Hope."
"We’ll have to let Tummeler know," said Charles. "Or he’ll be stuck publishing an abridged edition."
"The Summer Country is a land greater than any in the Archipelago of Dreams, because it has within it everything to be found in the Archipelago, and more."
"‘Here, There Be Dragons’ wasn’t a caution. It was a reassurance."
"Now I know we’re home! Look at that water! It’s absolutely filthy! God bless the Thames!"
"The conflict in the Archipelago is not over either, for that matter."
"But just because a man sits on a throne doesn’t mean automatic fealty."
"It isn’t like pulling a lever—as the conflict in one world is mirrored in the other, so is the peace and harmony we helped to set in motion in the Archipelago going to be reflected in this world."
"That’s just a story. We should stay focused on the real world, don’t you think?"