Sapkowski Quotes & Sayings

Why didn't you become a sorcerer, Geralt? Weren't you ever attracted by the Art? Be honest.'
'I will. I was.'
'Why, then, didn't you follow the voice of that attraction?'
'I decided it would be wiser to follow the voice of good sense.'
'Meaning?'
'Years of practice in the witcher's trade have taught me not to bite off more than I can chew. Do you know, Vilgefortz, I once knew a dwarf, who, as a child, dreamed of being an elf. What do you think; would he have become one had he followed the voice of attraction? — Andrzej Sapkowski

Those who don't have a bed at all, you eliminate on the spot. From those who remain, you eliminate the owners of any dirty or slovenly beds. And when only those who have clean and tidy beds remain, you choose the one you find most attractive. Unfortunately, the method is not a hundred per cent foolproof. You can make a terrible mistake." "You're — Andrzej Sapkowski

For it's a human and a good thing."
"What?"
"Doubts. Only evil, sir, never has any. — Andrzej Sapkowski

When you know about something it stops being a nightmare. When you know how to fight something, it stops being so threatening. — Andrzej Sapkowski

For I must tell you, gentle reader, that Geralt the Witcher was always a modest, prudent and composed man, with a soul as simple and uncomplicated as the shaft of a halberd. — Andrzej Sapkowski

All around, everywhere you look, is dullness and uncertainty. Even something born of beauty soon leads to boredom and banality, commonplace, the human ritual, the tedious rhythm of life. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Taste of forbidden fruit, made all the more exciting — Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt finished his mug of herb tea, grimacing dreadfully. He valued and liked the settled elves for their intelligence, calm reserve and sense of humour, but he couldn't understand or share their taste in food or drink. — Andrzej Sapkowski

A story can only be contained in a book. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Caldemeyn waddled on the spot and looked at Geralt. The witcher shrugged. Carrypebble picked his nose with serious concentration. — Andrzej Sapkowski

You can shove such a proposition a d'yeabl aep arse.' The devil demonstrated his knowledge of the Old Language. — Andrzej Sapkowski

And if someone has friends, and he loses everything in spite of that, it's obvious the friends are to blame. For what they did, or for what they didn't do. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Had someone crept up to the cottage with the sunken thatched roof that night, had they peered through the slits in the shutters, they would have seen in the dimly lit interior a grey-bearded old man and an ashen-haired girl sitting by the fireplace. They would have noticed that the two of them were staring silently into the glowing, ruby coals. But no one could have seen it. For the cottage with the sunken, moss-grown thatched roof was well hidden among the fog and the mist, in a boundless swamp in the Pereplut Marshes where no one dared to venture. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Intolerance and superstition has always been the domain of the more stupid amongst the common folk and, I conjecture, will never be uprooted, for they are as eternal as stupidity itself. There, where mountains tower today, one day there will be seas; there where today seas surge, will one day be deserts. But stupidity will remain stupidity. Nicodemus de Boot, Meditations on life, Happiness and Prosperity — Andrzej Sapkowski

Your talk's so clever it makes my head spin,' Milva snorted. 'And all your wisdom comes down to what's under a woman's skirt. Woeful philosophers. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Cahir, wrinkling his brow imperiously, shouted back something menacing about imperial service, backing up his words with the classically military and ever effective 'for fuck's sake'. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Only death can finish the fight, everything else only interrupts the fighting. — Andrzej Sapkowski

I was deprived of the ability to feel so I wouldn't be able to feel how dreadfully vile is that vileness, so I wouldn't retreat from it, wouldn't run horror-stricken from it. Yes, I was stripped of feelings, But not utterly. Whoever did it made a botch of it, Yen. — Andrzej Sapkowski

The Witcher had a knife to his throat. He was wallowing in a wooden tub, brimfull with soapsuds, his head thrown agains the slippery rim. The bitter taste of soap lingered in his mouth as the knife, blunt as a doorknob, scraped his Adam's apple painfully and moved towards his chin with a grating sound. — Andrzej Sapkowski

down. Remember Zivelena, who became the Queen of Metinna with the help of the gnome Rumplestelt, and in return promised him her firstborn? — Andrzej Sapkowski

It's an invention, a fairy tale devoid of any sense, like all the legends in which good spirits and fortune tellers fulfill wishes. Stories like that are made up by poor simpletons, who can't even dream of fulfilling their wishes and desires themselves. I'm pleased you're not one of them, Geralt of Rivia. It makes you closer in spirit to me. If I want something, I don't dream of it - I act. And I always get what I want. — Andrzej Sapkowski

winning battles by means of a rapid escape from the battlefield is permissible from the point of view of most military doctrines. The — Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt knew that bonnet and that feather, which were famed from the Buina to the Yaruga, known in manor houses, fortresses, inns, taverns and whorehouses. Particularly whorehouses. — Andrzej Sapkowski

And so,' smiled the Witcher, 'I have no choice? I have to enter into a pact with you, a pact which should someday become the subject of a painting, and become a sorcerer? Give me a break. I know a little about the theory of heredity. My father, as I discovered with no little difficulty, was a wanderer, a churl, a troublemaker and a swashbuckler. My genes on the spear side may be dominant over the genes on the distaff side. The fact that I can swash a buckler pretty well seems to confirm that. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Some have brains, so they get a book! Others are feather-brained, so they get a broom! — Andrzej Sapkowski

But do you know when stories stop being stories? The moment someone begins to believe in them. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Like all cats, they could see what was invisible and could not be deceived by a simple spell. 'This parade — Andrzej Sapkowski

If the ability to make use of experience and draw conclusions decided, we would have forgotten what war is a long time ago. But those whose goal is war have never been held back, nor will be, by experience or analogy. — Andrzej Sapkowski

So long, Geralt. Look after yourself." The witcher's smile was surly. "I prefer to look after others. It turns out better in the long run." From — Andrzej Sapkowski

Pump up your bagpipes and delight our ears with decent martial music. With your permission, noble Calanthe!" "Oh mother of mine," whispered the queen to Geralt, raising her eyes to the vault for a moment in silent resignation. But she nodded her permission, smiling openly and kindly. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Say something.' 'I wouldn't like to lose you, Yen.' 'But you have me.' 'The night will end.' 'Everything ends.' No — Andrzej Sapkowski

Nenneke shrugged, bandaging his — Andrzej Sapkowski

Cats like sleeping and resting on intersections. There are many stories about magical animals but really, apart from the dragon, the cat is the only creature which can absorb the force. No one knows why a cat absorbs it and what it does with it ... — Andrzej Sapkowski

Only Evil and Greater Evil exist and beyond them, in the shadows, lurks True Evil. True Evil, Geralt, is something you can barely imagine, even if you believe nothing can still surprise you. And sometimes True Evil seizes you by the throat and demands that you choose between it and another, slightly lesser, Evil. — Andrzej Sapkowski

I could never resist the temptation of having a look at something that doesn't exist. — Andrzej Sapkowski

It isn't the evil and indecent who are flung down into the depths, no! Oh, no! The evil and decisive fling down those who are moral, honest and noble but maladroit, hesitant and full of scruples. — Andrzej Sapkowski

We know little about love. Love is like a pear. A pear is sweet and has a distinct shape. Try to define the shape of a pear. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Why have you gone so red, crimson as a poppy? You wanted to know, didn't you? So you've got the honest truth and faithful history of a world where he who shatters the skulls of others most efficiently and swells women's bellies fastest, reigns. And it's just as hard to compete with you people in murdering as it is in screwing - — Andrzej Sapkowski

People like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. — Andrzej Sapkowski

When there's hunger you don't share out your food, you just devour the weakest ones. This practice works among wolves, since it lets the healthiest and strongest individuals survive. But among sentient races selection of that kind usually allows the biggest bastards to survive and dominate the rest. — Andrzej Sapkowski

The mind's properties, the character, feelings, thoughts. The soul. Which would confirm what most sorcerers and all priests would deny. That the soul is also matter.' 'Blasphemy! — Andrzej Sapkowski

You've mistaken the stars reflected on the surface of the lake at night for the heavens. — Andrzej Sapkowski

For the moment, I am relying on the authority of Cahir aep Ceallach, the only soldier in our company-and Cahir confirmed that winning battles by means of a rapid escape from the battlefield is permissible from the point of view of most military doctrines. — Andrzej Sapkowski

He didn't notice the fist clad in a black silver-studded glove as it flew towards the side of his face. But although the night was dark, the moon was new and the sky overcast, he suddenly saw ten thousand dazzlingly bright stars. — Andrzej Sapkowski

The Golden Court, the country town's elegant inn, was crowded and noisy. The guests, locals and visitors, were mostly engaged in activities typical for their nation or profession. Serious merchants argued with dwarves over the price of goods and credit interest. Less serious merchants pinched the backsides of the girls carrying beer, cabbage and beans. Local nitwits pretended to be well-informed. Harlots were trying to please those who had money while discouraging those who had none. Carters and fishermen drank as if there were no tomorrow. Some seamen were singing a song which celebrated the ocean waves, the courage of captains and the graces of mermaids, the latter graphically and in considerable detail. — Andrzej Sapkowski

People," Geralt turned his head, "like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Stop staring at me this instant! the sorceress shouted at Geralt. She writhed like a snake in her bonds in a vain attempt to conceal her naked charms. Geralt obediently diverted his eyes. Dandelion didn't. — Andrzej Sapkowski

During his life, the witcher had met thieves who looked like town councilors, councilors who looked like beggars, harlots who looked like princesses, princesses who looked like calving cows and kings who looked like thieves. But Stregobor always looked as, according to every rule and notion, a wizard should look. He was tall, thin and stooping, with enormous bushy gray eyebrows and a long, crooked nose. To top it off, he wore a black, trailing robe with improbably wide sleeves, and wielded a long staff capped with a crystal knob. — Andrzej Sapkowski

As usual, cats and children noticed him first. — Andrzej Sapkowski

he who fights with the sword dies by the sword. — Andrzej Sapkowski

You've taken everything from me ... "
"No," she interrupted. "Me, I take nothing. I only take by the hand. So that no-one must be alone and lost in the fog ... Goodbye, Gerald of Rivia. Some other day. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Look at his toes. He, let's be frank, has two left feet.' 'Verily,' Chamberlain Le Goff confirmed without a trace of amazement. 'There are plenty of tapestries like that in Beauclair. The master who wove them was a true master. But he drank an awful lot. As artists do. — Andrzej Sapkowski

It's as though a cabbage tried to investigate the causes and effects of its existence, — Andrzej Sapkowski

I need this conversation. They say silence is golden. Maybe it is, although I'm not sure it's worth that much. It has its price certainly; you have to pay for it. — Andrzej Sapkowski

It is better to go forward without a goal, than to have a goal and stay in one place, and it is certainly better than to stay in one place without a goal. — Andrzej Sapkowski

I like elven legends, they are so captivating. What a pity humans don't have any legends like that. Perhaps one day they will? Perhaps they'll create some? But what would human legends deal with? All around, wherever one looks, there's greyness and dullness. Even things which begin beautifully lead swiftly to boredom and dreariness, to that human ritual, that wearisome rhythm called life. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Everywhere you are a stranger.' Finished Iskra with seeming carelessness, and quickly and unceremoniously placed a beret with turkey feathers on her head. 'An Outsider everywhere and always different. How shall we call you, little hawk?' Ciri looked into her eyes. 'Gvalch'ca.' The elf laughed. 'Once you start to speak, you speak in multiple languages, little hawk! Very good. You will carry the name from the Elder People, a name that you yourself have chosen. You will be called Falka. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Listen, Geralt - "
"No. You won't win me over with your reasons nor convince me that Eltibad wasn't a murdering madman, so let's get back to the monster threatening you. You'd better understand that, after the introduction you've given me, I don't like the story. But I'll hear you out."
"Without interrupting with spiteful comments?"
"That I can't promise. — Andrzej Sapkowski

sensational adventure of Mr Malcolm Guthrie of Braemore took the pages of many newspapers by storm. Even The Daily Mail of London devoted several lines to it in its column 'Bizarre'. However, because very few of our readers read the press south of the Tweed, and if they do, then only newspapers more serious than The Daily Mail, let us remind you what happened. On the day of the 10th March last year Mr Malcolm Guthrie went fishing to Loch Glascarnoch. While there Mr Guthrie happened upon a young woman with an ugly scar on her face (sic!), riding a black mare (sic) in the company of a white unicorn (sic), who were emerging from the fog and darknes (sic). — Andrzej Sapkowski

A coward,' he declared with dignity, when he'd stopped coughing and had got his breath back, 'dies a hundred times. A brave man dies but once. But Dame Fortune favours the brave and holds the coward in contempt.'
-
Dandelion — Andrzej Sapkowski

For whoever doesn't overcome the cowardice inside themselves will die of fear to the end of their days. The — Andrzej Sapkowski

There is never a second opportunity to make a first impression. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Is always murder, regardless of motive or circumstance. Thus those who murder or who prepare to murder are malefactors and criminals, regardless of who they may be: kings, princes, marshals or judges. None who contemplates and commits violence has the right to consider himself better than an ordinary criminal. Because it is in the nature of all violence to lead inevitably to crime. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Doubts. Only evil, sir, never has any. But no one can escape his destiny. — Andrzej Sapkowski

There was someone in his little attic room. Geralt knew it before he even reached the door, sensing it through the barely perceptible vibration of his medallion. He blew out the oil lamp which had lit his path up the stairs, pulled the dagger from his boot, slipped it into the back of his belt and pressed the door handle. The room was dark. But not for a witcher. He was deliberately slow in crossing the threshold; he closed the door behind him carefully. The next second he dived at the person sitting on his bed, crushed them into the linen, forced his forearm under their chin and reached for his dagger. He didn't pull it out. Something wasn't right. "Not a bad start," she said in a muffled voice, lying motionless beneath him. "I expected something like this, but I didn't think we'd both be in bed so quickly. Take your hand from my throat please." "It's — Andrzej Sapkowski

Something bad's happening, Geralt," he muttered. "In the castle. Something's frightening people." "What?" "What usually frightens people? A monster. They say it's small, hunchbacked, bristling like a Urcheon. It creeps around the castle at night, rattles chains. Moans and groans in the chambers." "Have — Andrzej Sapkowski

The elf nodded. From her saddlebow, she took a lute, a marvelous instrument of light, tastefully inlaid wood with a slender, engraved neck. Without a word, she handed the lute to Dandilion. The poet accepted the instrument and smiled. Also without a word, but his eyes said a great deal. "Farewell, — Andrzej Sapkowski

Were I to attempt to be good to everyone, to the entire world and to all the creatures living in it, it would be a drop of fresh water in the salt sea. In other words, a wasted effort. Thus, I decided to do specific good; good which would not go to waste. I'm good to myself and my immediate circle. — Andrzej Sapkowski

And let us be seated, gentlemen. Drinking standing up, in a rush and without due reverence, does not become the nobility.' They — Andrzej Sapkowski

Both parties aren't capable of anything other than a strongly emotional evaluation of the consequences, while ignoring the causes. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Indeed, Urcheon of Erlenwald made a strange request of King Roegner, a strange reward to demand when the king offered him his wish. But let us not pretend we've never heard of such requests, of the Law of Surprise, as old as humanity itself. Of the price a man who saves another can demand, of the granting of a seemingly impossible wish. 'You will give me the first thing that comes to greet you. — Andrzej Sapkowski

In this rotten world, Zoltan Chivay, goodness, honesty and integrity become deeply engraved in the memory.' 'That — Andrzej Sapkowski

Shut up, you brat," interrupted Geralt, smiling nastily "Halt your uncontrolled little tongue. You speak to a lady who deserves respect, especially from a Knight of the White Rose ... — Andrzej Sapkowski

Destiny has many faces. Mine is beautiful on the outside and hideous on the inside. She has stretched her bloody talons toward me - — Andrzej Sapkowski

Women don't have a say in my house. But, just between us, don't do what you did during supper last time in front of her again." "You mean when I threw my fork at that rat?" "No. I mean when you hit it, even in the dark. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Listen: two years ago peasants from some godforsaken — Andrzej Sapkowski

Sir Falwick," said Geralt, not ceasing to smile. "If he draws his sword, I'll take it from him and beat the snotty-nosed little brat's arse with the flat of his blade. And then I'll batter the door down with him. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Truth is one thing, poetry another. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Spell?" The priest proudly raised his head. "I'm not a godless sorcerer! I don't cast spells! My power comes from faith and prayer!" "Can you or can't you?" "I can." "Then get on with it, because time's pressing on." "Geralt, — Andrzej Sapkowski

Anyone,' Ayallac'h wiped his hands on a rag, 'can foretell the future. And everyone does it, for it is simple. It is no great art to foretell it. The art is in foretelling it accurately.' 'An — Andrzej Sapkowski

Men are psychologically unstable, too prone to emotions; not to be relied upon in moments of crisis.' 'That's — Andrzej Sapkowski

Nonsense," said the witcher. "And what's more, it doesn't rhyme. All decent predictions rhyme. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Duny," said Geralt seriously, "Calanthe, Pavetta. And you, righteous knight Tuirseach, future king of Cintra. In order to become a witcher, you have to be born in the shadow of destiny, and very few are born like that. That's why there are so few of us. We're growing old, dying, without anyone to pass our knowledge, our gifts, on to. We lack successors. And this world is full of Evil which waits for the day none of us are left." "Geralt," whispered Calanthe. "Yes, you're not wrong, queen. Duny! You will give me that which you already have but do not know. I'll return to Cintra in six years to see if destiny has been kind to me. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Our world is in equilibrium. The annihilation, the killing, of any creatures that inhabit this world upsets that equilibrium. And a lack of equilibrium brings closer extinction; extinction and the end of the world as we know it. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Worse and somehow embarrassing affair are "ghost" dreams, from which the dreamer only remembers fragments, and very short snippets of events, after which the next morning is left only a vague feeling of a messaged received. If the "ghost" is repeated several times, it is certain that it is a dream which is important for some reason. Then the dreamer, through concentration and auto-suggestion tries to force the dream again, this time a more specific "ghost". The best result are to force oneself to dream again immediately after waking up - called "hooking". If the dream does not produce a "hook" they try and produce a vision during one of the following session by concentration and meditation prior to going to sleep. Such pressure programming is called "anchoring". — Andrzej Sapkowski

For me," mused Dandelion, "a mattress without a young woman isn't a mattress at all. It is incomplete happiness ... — Andrzej Sapkowski

Thus on the tenth day of September we all crossed to the left bank of the Yaruga, only once being hailed by the guard, at whom Cahir, wrinkling his brow imperiously, shouted back something menacing about imperial service, backing up his words with the classically military and ever effective 'for fuck's sake'. Before anyone had time to grow curious about us, we were already on the left bank of the Yaruga and deep in the Riverdell forest ... — Andrzej Sapkowski

It is easy to let go of the string and think: This isn't me, it's the arrow. My hands do not bear the blood of this boy, it's the arrow that killed him, not me. But the arrow does not dream at night. — Andrzej Sapkowski

Become a priest. You wouldn't be bad at it with all your scruples, your morality, your knowledge of people and of everything. The fact that you don't believe in any gods shouldn't be a problem - I don't know many priests who do. — Andrzej Sapkowski

The king loved his wife, the queen, without limit, and she loved him with all her heart. Something like that could only end in disaster. — Andrzej Sapkowski

We be decent thieves, not some politicals. We didn't try to attack the authorities. We was only stealing. — Andrzej Sapkowski

If the dreamlike visions were stripped of all pretense of order and meaning, then they could safely ignore them. According to the rules: "If I do not remember it, it means, it was not worth remembering." In the jargon of the dreamers these dreams are called "lemons". — Andrzej Sapkowski

The exception, as ever, was the children. Freed from the constraints of silence which had been enforced during the bard's performance, the children dashed into the woods with wild cries, and enthusiastically immersed themselves in a game whose rules were incomprehensible to all those who had bidden farewell to the happy years of childhood. Children of elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, half-elves, quarter-elves and toddlers of mysterious provenance neither knew — Andrzej Sapkowski

You can't stop a soldier from being frightened but you can give him motivation to help him overcome that fear. I have no such motivation. I can't have. I'm a witcher: an artificially created mutant. I kill monsters for money. I defend children when their parents pay me to. If Nilfgaardian parents pay me, I'll defend Nilfgaardian children. And even if the world lies in ruin - which does not seem likely to me - I'll carry on killing monsters in the ruins of this world until some monster kills me. That is my fate, my reason, my life and my attitude to the world. And it is not what I chose. It was chosen for me. — Andrzej Sapkowski

A baptism of fire, the Witcher thought, furiously striking and parrying blows. I was meant to pass through fire for Ciri. And I'm passing through fire in a battle which is of no interest to me at all. Which I don't understand in any way. The fire that was meant to purify me is just scorching my hair and face. — Andrzej Sapkowski

There's a grain of truth in every fairy tale, — Andrzej Sapkowski

every myth, every fable must have some roots. Something lies among those roots.'
'It does. ... Most often a dream, a wish, a desire, a yearning. Faith that there are no limits to possibility. And occasionally chance. — Andrzej Sapkowski

It is better to go forward without an aim than loiter without an aim, and with surety much better than to retreat without an aim. — Andrzej Sapkowski

For the law is not jurisprudence, not a weighty tome full of articles, not philosophical treatises, not peevish nonsense about justice, not hackneyed platitudes about morality and ethics. The law means safe paths and highways. It means backstreets one can walk along even after sundown. It means inns and taverns one can leave to visit the privy, leaving one's purse on the table and one's wife beside it. The law is the sleep of people certain they'll be woken by the crowing of the rooster and not the crashing of burning roof timbers! And for those who break the law; the noose, the axe, the stake and the red-hot iron! Punishments which deter others. — Andrzej Sapkowski

The sword of destiny has two edges. You are one of them. — Andrzej Sapkowski