Quotes from Bernard Cornwell

So much is expected of a king. He must be brave i battle, wise i council, just in judgement.

there was something about Gawain's youth and credulity that was driving me to puncture his pious innocence.

Giving inspiration to a lawyer, Sharpe thought sourly, was like feeding fine brandy to a rat.

An hidalgo, Lieutenant, is a man who can trace his blood back to the old Christians of Spain. Pure blood, you understand, without a taint of Moor or Jew in it. I am hidalgo.' He said it with a simple

I raised the sword to my lips and kissed her long blade. "You have men to kill," I told her, "and revenge to take." And so she had.

a shambolic arrangement, split

I want it to be the poet's Camelot: green grass and high towers and ladies in gowns and warriors strewing their paths with flowers. I want minstrels and laughter! Wasn't it ever like that? A little, I said, though I don't remember many flowery paths. I do recall the warriors limping out of battle, and some of them crawling and weeping with their guts trailing behind them in the dust.

The Christians tell us we move inexorably towards better times, towards their god's kingdom on earth, but my gods only promise the chaos of the world's ending, and a man only has to look around him to see that everything is crumbling, decaying, proof that the chaos is coming. We are not climbing Jacob's ladder to some heavenly perfection, but stumbling downhill towards Ragnarok.

Sharpe did not expect them to provide an answer, but he wanted them to think through the steps, to know the argument, so that when he provided the solution, they would agree.

He had pretended to be full of remorse, and shouted that remorse to the sky, "No more tits, God! No more tits! Keep me from tits!" and I remembered how Alfred had turned away in frustrated disgust. "Exanceaster

I am never certain that deserters are to be trusted, Gudin said mildly. He was accompanied by a burly French sergeant who kept giving the tigers nervous glances. If a man can betray one flag, Gudin observed, why not another?

Morgan was high born herself. She was the first of the four bastards, three girls and a boy, fathered on Igraine of Gwynedd by High King Uther. Her brother was Arthur and

Folk tell their children that success lies in working hard and being thrifty, but that is as much nonsense as supposing that a badger, a fox, and a wolf could build a church. The way to wealth is to become a Christian bishop or a monastery's abbot and thus be imbued with heaven's permission to lie, cheat, and steal your way to luxury.

He says he's going to die. He's got a what do you call it? A premonition. He says it's because he's going to be married.' 'What's that got to do with it?' Price shrugged as if to demonstrate that he was no expert on superstitions. 'He says it's because he's happy. He reckons that the happiest die first and only the miserable buggers live for ever.

were in the camp, given a day's rest after leading the last failed assault. Will Skeat hated failure.

A criança trabalhava do amanhecer ao anoitecer, e à noite chorava no canto da cabana que chamávamos de lar. Quando a menina chorava demais Lunete batia nela, e quando eu tentava defender a menina Lunete me batia.

My words still sounded lame, but the truth so often limps off the tongue in times of crisis. Just when we most need to speak with the tongues of angels, we stumble with uncertain words.

If my body is recovered, Colonel, pray have it sent back to Normandy. My companion, on the other hand, is from Boston, so you may allow his body to rot in whatever noxious swamp it comes to rest. Come on, boy!

But Alfred could not live long. He was already an old man, well past forty years, and now he was looking to the future. He

They gave death with impunity as they followed a war-maddened Scotsman down an enemy wall that was sticky with blood.

Guendoloen hated us. She was Merlin's wife

There was a tremulousness to those days. All Britain waited to hear of Alfred's death, in the certain knowledge that his passing would scatter the runesticks

I want to believe him, my lady!" Leofstan said earnestly. "I want to believe that this is a miracle to accompany my enthronement! That on Easter day we will have the joy of bringing a pagan horde into the service of Jesus Christ!" "This is Christ's doing!" Father Ceolberht said through his toothless gums.

You cheated!" she accused Ragnar. "But you learned a lesson," I said, squatting beside her as if I were going to tell her a secret. I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Never trust a Dane.