"In time, you’ll come to understand that a state like ours cannot afford to offer up a show of weakness for honesty’s sake; Duke Nicovante charges me with vouchsafing his security, not his conscience."

"I can’t live forever. Each time something like this affair lands in my lap, I suddenly recall that I don’t want to live forever."

"It was strange, how readily authority could be conjured with nothing but a bit of strutting jackassery."

"“Advice,” chuckled Doña Vorchenza. “The years play a sort of alchemical trick, transmuting one’s mutterings to a state of respectability. Give advice at forty and you’re a nag. Give it at seventy and you’re a sage.”"

"“‘Commonly thought,’ you say? Many things are commonly thought, but perhaps not commonly thought all the way through.”"

"Hard lessons were handed out. As many men learned to their sorrow, it’s impossible to be intimidating when one angry woman has your cock between her teeth and another is holding a stiletto to your kidneys."

"I’m sure we can communicate. I speak fluent hatchet."

"There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated."

"“This entire situation is insane.” Jean slammed his book shut in disgust. “It was insane before; now it’s become malicious.”"

"“We already know how too—” “I don’t care what you think you know, Kosta. Until further notice, we’re gonna presume that you’re too dumb to count to one.”"

"Time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think."

"“Liquor does this? Even after you’re sober?” “A cruel joke, isn’t it? The gods put a price tag on everything, it seems.”"

"When you’re a priest, people tend to see the robe rather than the man."

"Our patron has always sort of danced upon the notion that austerity and piety go hand in hand; down here, we show our appreciation for things by appreciating, if you get me."

"I make it a point never to trust men with weapons to my windpipe."

"“Better to say nothing and be thought a fool,” said Amarelle, “than to interfere in the business of wizards and remove all doubt.”"

"You have confused me with someone who knows what’s going on."

"“I sometimes think that ‘friend’ is just a word I use for all the people I haven't murdered yet.”"

"“Sure, kid. Look, there's a very old saying in my family: ‘Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is another wizard fucking with you.’”"

"You can’t help being young, but it’s past time that you stopped being stupid."

"You’re ten pints of crazy in a one-pint glass."

"Enlightenment! When it comes, it comes like a brick to the head, doesn’t it?"

"Only gods-damned fools die for lines drawn on maps."

"It had the expression common to all kittens, that of a tyrant in the becoming."

"“My responsibility was to tell you the truth, not wrap you in swaddling clothes.” She raised her hood again, half-veiling her face in shadow. “Nor protect you from your own badly aimed temper.”"

"Are you really that arrogant, that logic is as optional as a fashion accessory for you?"

"“In my dreams I sign chits and file papers,” Nikoros muttered. “Then I awake to sign real chits and file real papers. I imagine my grave marker will be carved as a writing desk. ‘Here lies Nikoros Via Lupa, wifeless and heirless, but gods how he could alphabetize!’”"

"“Why the hell are you here?” “A matter of conscience.” “Really?” said Locke. “Yours? You keep alluding to its existence. Somehow I’m not convinced.”"

"Push your luck, gorgeous, and eventually luck pushes back."

"“You’re taking the world awfully personally. Didn’t Chains ever tell you about the Golden Theological Principle?” “The what?” “The single congruent aspect of every known religion. The one shared, universal assumption about the human condition.” “What is it?” “He said that life boils down to standing in line to get shit dropped on your head. Everyone’s got a place in the queue, you can’t get out of it, and just when you start to congratulate yourself on surviving your dose of shit, you discover that the line is actually circular.” “I’m just old enough to find that distressingly accurate.” “You see? It’s universal,” said Locke."

"How you deal with it I must and will leave to you, not out of despair or resignation but in deference to my conscience, that broken clock which I believe is now chiming one of its occasional right hours. I will not question your reasons. It is enough for you to tell me that you wish to keep this distance between us, and it will always be enough. Know that a single word will bring me running, but unless and until it pleases you to give it, I will expect nothing, force nothing, and contrive nothing contrary to your wishes. I desire you as deeply as I ever have, but I understand that the fervor of a desire is irrelevant to its justice. I want your heart on merit, in mutual trust, or not at all, because I cannot bear to see you made uneasy by me. Not for all the world would I do so again, and I leave it to you to tell me how to proceed, if and when you can, if and when you will."

"“Remember when I told you, for the first time? You nearly threw me off the roof—” “I thought you deserved it. You know, it’s an opinion I return to from time to time, whether or not a roof is available.” “You’re a difficult woman, Sabetha. But then, difficult women are the only ones worth falling in love with.” “How would you know? It’s not like you’ve ever been after anyone else—” “That part’s easy. I started with the most difficult woman possible, so there was never any need to look any further.” “You’re trying to be charming.” She squeezed his hand once, then pulled away. “I choose not to be entirely charmed, Locke Lamora.” “Not entirely?” “Not entirely. Not yet.”"

"“That’s not worth worrying about. If pressed I’ll use the never-fail universal apology.” “What’s the n-never-fail universal apology?” “‘I was badly misinformed, I deeply regret the error, go fuck yourself with this bag of money.’”"

"“There were difficulties.” “Oh,” she said, “so you’re the man whose life develops complications! I’ve so longed to meet you; the rest of us here in this world have it much too easy, I’m afraid.”"

"“We were sent here to learn from you!” “You want a lesson, boy? If you find yourself being born, climb back in as quick as you can, because life’s a bottomless feast of shit.”"

"“I never would’ve thought—“ “Don’t think,” said Locke. “I’m paid to do that for you.”"

"Next came the sort of kiss that banished the world to distant background noise and seemed to last a month."

"I’m not without my sympathies, Lamora. They just don’t necessarily reside with you."

"“Nikoros, your job this afternoon is to say yes to anything that comes out of my mouth. The more you rehearse this, the sooner it’ll become a smooth mechanical process allowing no time for painful reflection. Can you practice for me?” “Yes.” “You’re a natural.”"

"Maybe this is going to complicate the hell out of things. So what? You’re the complication I want more than anything else. You’re my favorite complication."

"Damn it, when will you learn that refusing to admit you’ve lost isn’t the same as winning?"

"Nobody admires anyone else without qualification. If they do they’re after an image, not a person."

"“You’re trying to be charming again,” she said softly, “but I do not choose to be charmed, Locke Lamora.”"

"Most of us find it starkly ludicrous that the height of all possible ambition, to the ungifted, must be to drape oneself in crowns and robes."

"“I never even liked cats all that much.” “Surely you realize,” said Patience, “that cats are no great respecters of human opinion.”"

"They’ll be fine, and wiser for the experience. Young minds are brittle. Oldsters, now, we’ve had some disappointments. We’ve set aside the notion that we’re the center of the universe, so our minds bend with strain instead of meeting it head-on."

"Locke put his head in his hands and sighed. “I don’t expect life to make sense,” he said after a few moments, “but it would certainly be pleasant if it would stop kicking us in the balls.”"