“Women shouldn’t be in combat,” said Vorkosigan, grimly glum. “Neither should men, in my opinion.” - Lois McMaster Bujold

People have some very odd illusions about power. Mostly it consists of finding a parade and nipping over to place yourself at the head of the band. Just as eloquence consists of persuading people of things they desperately want to believe. Demagoguery, I suppose, is eloquence sliding to some least moral energy level.

Maybe only love gave you more than what you’d dealt for.

I wanted to give you a victory. But by their essential nature triumphs can’t be given. They must be taken and the worse the odds and the fiercer the resistance, the greater the honor. Victories can’t be gifts.