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

You cannot expect men to be rational about national enmities," said Dikaiarchos. "As everyone knows, people like to have friends, but they also like to have enemies. A hereditary foe is a useful thing to have. It gives you somebody to feel superior to; it provides a handy target for all the furies and hatreds which you have boiling around inside you but which you dare not direct at those nearer you.

“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.

I’ve been saying a special prayer to Eunmar; did you know I believe in the old gods? If you try hard enough, I’ve found, you can believe anything.