Quotes About Bards

Only a fool wants war, but once a war starts then it cannot be fought half-heartedly. It cannot even be fought with regret, but must be waged with a savage joy in defeating the enemy, and it is that savage joy that inspires our bards to write their greatest songs about love and war.

Of all that writ, he was the wisest bard, who spoke this mighty truth- He that knew all that ever learning writ, Knew only this-that he knew nothing yet.

I paint the cot, As truth will paint it, and as bards will not.

Another Celtic legend tells of the duel of two famous bards. One, accompanying himself on the harp, sang from the coming day to the coming of twilight. Then, when the stars or the moon came out, the first bard handed the harp to the second, who laid the instrument aside and rose to his feet. The first singer admitted defeat.

Modern storytellers are the descendants of an immense and ancient community of holy people, troubadours, bards, griots, cantadoras, cantors, traveling poets, bums, hags, and crazy people.

Thorgil's going to the School of Bards? Jack said... I'm not even sure what a school is, said Thorgil. Neither am I, admitted Jack... Come on, Jill. We can get through this.

Bards were terrible at keeping secrets. They insisted on putting them to music.

Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. Oft of one wide expanse had I been told That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne; Yet did I never breathe its pure serene Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:

Know'st thou not there is but one theme for ever-enduring bards?  And that is the theme of War, the fortune of battles,  The making of perfect soldiers.

The bards sublime,Whose distant footsteps echoThrough the corridors of Time.

Not a trace of its use for literature has survived. The Iliad and Odyssey were composed and transmitted by nonliterate bards for nonliterate listeners, and not committed to writing until the development of the Greek alphabet hundreds of years later.

I can see why a mortal would make a useful spy, beyond the ability to lie. A mortal can pass in to low places and high without much notice. Holding a harp, we're bards. In homespun, we're servants. In gowns, we're wives with squalling goblin children. I guess being beneath notice has advantages.

Among all men on the earth bards have a share of honor and reverence, because the muse has taught them songs and loves the race of bards.

Hail, arch-ascetic, pious, good, and kind! Hail, Saint Válmíki, lord of every lore! Hail, holy Hermit, calm and pure of mind! Hail, First of Bards, Válmíki, hail once more!

But if you name me among the lyric bards, I shall strike the stars with my exalted head.

And so they lived many happy years, and the promised tasks were accomplished. Yet long afterward, when all had passed away into distant memory, there were many who wondered whether King Taran, Queen Eilonwy, and their companions had indeed walked the earth, or whether they had been no more than dreams in a tale set down to beguile children. And, in time, only the bards knew the truth of it.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, according to the bards. I wouldn't know, myself. I never parted anyone." He mimed ripping someone in half, then got an odd expression on his face. "Well. Just the one time, really. Doesn't count.

In the ancient times, bards went around singing the epics, which were storehouses of philosophy.

A thousand was the number Agamemnon's bards had started using; one thousand, one hundred and eighty-six didn't fit well in a line of verse.

Strong is the soul, and wise, and beautiful:The seeds of godlike power are in us still:Gods are we, bards, saints, heroes, if we will.