Why do they do it?" whispered Horeb. "Their eyes, you mean?" said Rek. "Yes. How can a man put out his own eyes?" "Damned if I know. They say it aids… - David Gemmell

Gentlemen, you are in sorry condition. But war will render you yet more sorry. The soldier will fight in mud and hail, snow and ice, drought and flood. It is rare that a warrior gets to fight in comfort.

The Pinance laughed. “I hate the man, but I have never before seen him as a fool or a coward.”
“He is not a military man, my lord. He is a schemer, skilled in the art of politics and treachery.”
“It seems to me that those two beasts are one and the same,” said the Pinance.

It is easier with strangers, for they touch your life but for an instant. You will not disappoint them, for you owe them nothing; neither do they expect anything. Friends you can hurt, for they expect everything.