L. Sprague de Camp

"In Viagens Interplanetarias, Sprague’s interstellar travel takes place in Earth's backyard, so to speak; among stars, that is, within a reasonable number of light-years from the sun. Further, his concept of interstellar travel has . This makes the stories harder to write. I once asked him why he did this and he explained that since travel faster than the speed of light was impossible, it would take far too long to reach the really distant stars. I pointed out that if he used “hyper-space” as most writers did, that wouldn’t matter. (Hyperspace is a mythical term among s.f. writers and can be used in a vague and foggy way to excuse any speeds up to infinity.) Sprague said he didn't believe in hyperspace. I said neither did I but I used it. He just put his pipe in his mouth and shook his head. "If I don’t believe a thing is possible," he said, "I don't use it.""

"Some give their dead to earth, and some to fire, And some to beasts that roam the deserts dire; But since the dead do not return to rail, For aught I care, my guts may string a lyre!"

"“How goes the City of the Persians?” “The same as ever: plots and intrigues in the palace; Persian arrogance in the streets; peasant ignorance in the countryside.”"

"A king’s wrath is as lasting as the hills, but his favor is as dew upon the grass."

"My master Herakleitos used to say: Most men might as well be blind and deaf, for all that they comprehend what lies about them. If you would gain wisdom, he said, get about, see things for yourself, and subject the impressions thus gained to the divine power of reason."

"Although laid out in more orderly fashion than any Greek city, Babylon had no true civic life and so was not, in the strict Greek sense of the word, a city at all. Here were hundreds of thousands of human beings, whose only concern with the government of their city was to avoid the police and cheat the tax gatherers. It reminded Myron of the swarming life sometimes found under a flat stone."

"Bessas scowled. “I trust, sir banker, that you seek not to take advantage of our simplicity to squeeze unwonted wealth from us. You money-grubbers would pick a farthing from a dunghill with your teeth.”"

"Three things should not be counted upon: the level of a river, the tameness of a lion, and the promise of a king."

"While a hundred wives and concubines may satisfy the vanity of a king, you would search the wide world over ere you found a king who could satisfy a hundred wives and concubines."

"The only sure defense against reproach, sir, is obscurity."

"“Why told you not the entire tale?” “It is foolish to entangle oneself, any more deeply than can be helped, in the struggles of the great. The man who is down today may be up tomorrow, and rancor outlasts gratitude as stone outlasts wood.”"

"In the early years of his reign, everyone praised you-know-who to the skies. And indeed he did well at the outset. But I suppose the responsibilities and the temptations of kingship, acting together, in time break down the strongest character."

"That which seems but meet and proper to us may appear odd to our friends, eccentric to strangers, and barbarous to foreigners."

"Self-interest, acting in divergent directions, can in time make the bitterest foes of the firmest friends and the closest kinsmen."

"“You make me feel very ignorant, my Greek friend.” “I am sorry—” The First Prophet cackled. “Tsk, tsk; apologize not. I, like other men, own up to minor failings in hope of convincing others that I have no major ones.”"

"Demon land has no fury like that of a priest who is asked to pay taxes as ordinary folk must."

"Men make promises according to their hopes and keep them according to their fears."

"If a man tell you that the streets of India are paved with pearls, cast the lie back in his teeth. Nor do pigs run about the streets ready roasted. To be sure, the kings and priests are rich, but that is the case in other lands, and the vulgus has as much ado to keep ahead of hunger as elsewhere."

"To be kind to the tiger is to be cruel to the lamb."

"A few years past I should have happily joined my sand thieves in their forays. But now I have come to see that true wealth is not the loot of a raid, nor even the trove of a treasure like that of Takarta—from which the king’s tax gatherers will speedily separate you if they catch you. It is, rather, a network of established trade routes and connections and satisfied customers, which if carefully fostered will yield a profit for aye."

"“But your loss of honor—” “Honor is a subjective, intangible loss. Therefore our laws take no cognizance of it.”"

"“Then who were the Ancient Ones?” Halran shrugged. “There are as many interpretations of those myths as there are mythographers.”"

"“You Afkans seem like a grimly puritanical lot,” said Halran, “if you will excuse my saying so.” Ndovu beamed. “No apologies needed. What you say is high praise here.”"

"“It is a common belief that all paleskins are superhumanly lusty and incorrigibly lecherous.” “Now it is you who flatter us,” said Halran."

"If the gods made man, which I doubt, they should have made him so he sometimes enjoyed what he has instead of forever yearning for what he has not."

"There is nothing so dangerous as an ignorant and frightened man."

"All supernaturalism is simply a scheme to enable a class of magicians called priests to live without working."

"“We are a law abiding folk, sir. We do not permit private persons to indulge their feuds on their own, and we have some most ingenious penalties for homicide.” “Mean ye,” said Jillo, “that amongst you Pathenians, a gentleman may not avenge an insult by the gage of battle?” “Of course not! We are not bloodthirsty barbarians.” “Ye mean there are no true gentlemen amongst you,” sniffed Jillo."

"“Ah! Here we be! ‘Human beings most readily love others of their species who, alpha, do services for them; beta, flatter them; gamma, refrain from reproaching them for errors; and delta, cultivate good nature and ease of manner.’”"

"A grudge makes a starveling diet."

"Gontran was a rancorous, vengeful man, who never forgave what he deemed a slight or let bygones be bygones. Hatred and grudges so filled his mind as to render him impervious to reason."

"Let me tell you a little secret. A man’s ability as a swordsman of the other kind, to borrow your words, hinges much upon his health of body and peace of mind. If you’d fain cause his—ah—resolution to droop, you have but oft to berate him in harsh and wounding terms. If you’re fain to have him serve you with vigor, flatter and praise him; make him think himself worthier than in his heart he knows himself to be."

"I have deeply studied the female mind. Somewhat to my surprise, I found it, not the same as the male, but on balance quite as able."

"Certes, if we hanged everyone with a murderer in’s pedigree, not enough would survive to bury the bodies!"

"Titled wenches make chancy wives, being full of hoity-toity snobbery. They fancy themselves beings of a superior species by virtue of blue blood, when ’tis well known that most noble houses were founded by successful banditti who frightened some weakling ruler into granting titles."

"For aught I know, he may have told that silly tale so oft that he’s come to believe it himself."

"“Obeying its natural instincts, it would have snapped up a tasty citizen or two. Then nought would have dissuaded your thick-skulled military from slaying the beast, as if one mountain dragon were not worth a score of human beings. Thorolf raised his eyebrows. “How reckon you that?” “The mountain dragon is an endangered species, whereas the world swarms with humanity. Man is in no danger of extermination, unless it destroy itself any devilish novel weapons like those Serican thunder tubes I hear of. It would serve the species right.” Thorolf gave a quiet laugh. “I never thought of it thus. Doubtless being human has warped my thinking.”"

"“I have met Master Parthenius,” growled Thorolf. “He is the sort to whom, if he were drowning, I should be happy to throw an anvil.”"

"Some are true gentlemen everywhere; the problem is to pick them out of the mass."

"Mighty is the empire of habit."

"As they say, no tears are shed when an enemy dies."

"Now I said: “It’s unjust, Father. A man’s fate should be determined impersonally, on the basis of his virtues and abilities alone, without regard to all these petty personal likes and dislikes.” My father replied: “Perhaps it should be but it isn’t. If they like you, they’ll excuse your faults; if they dislike you, they’ll overlook your virtues.” “Then they’re a lot of stupid fools!” “Are you only just now learning that? But if they are, you won’t change them, not in one lifetime."

"Verily, the great man finds gold and rubies more easily come by than true friendship."

"“So you studied under Lysippos? Didn’t you find him a somewhat thorny character?” “At times, though I should prefer a difficult teacher of the first rank to an amiable mediocrity.”"

"As all young men must, I was learning the painful lesson that there is no substitute for experience."

"“When I met him in Antigoneia, he seemed a man of truly kingly quality.” Nikolaos, the full citizen, said: “If by kingly quality you mean cold-blooded treachery and murder, then Antigonos is your man.”"

"The trouble with Rhodes is, it’s got too many orators and not enough engineers."

"The Knossians did not like to give up piracy themselves; in fact, many of their young men went elsewhere to enlist in piratical crews. However, they loved an excuse to meddle in the other cities’ affairs; for, next to robbery on the high seas, cutting their neighbors’ throats is the greatest joy of the Cretans."

"Whereas you believe in no gods but Iao, he carries this skepticism to its logical conclusion and believes in no gods at all. The difference seems slight to me."

"Berosos sighed. “Ah me! Once we, too, were a race of warriors and conquerors.” “Be thankful you are no longer,” said Dikaiarchos. “These kings reap a bit of glory, but what do they accomplish besides burning cities, killing and enslaving multitudes, and destroying the accumulated wealth and wisdom of the ages to aggrandize their own mediocre selves? He who ascertains a new law of nature or invents a new device is greater than all your conquerors, and in the long run has more influence.”"