Too bad about all those people, but as Hassan says, compassion speaks well of its holder but does little for its recipient. - John Barnes

In discussing the existence, or not, of the soul: "I am Caledon. Quite a few of my fellow Caledons still believe there is some essence to a human being, something that makes a person unique." "And you don't." "I don't. I see that people who believe in anything beyond plain physical reality are mainly engaged in making themselves or others miserable."

The drive to see what’s over the next hill is in part the fear that one may never know, that if one doesn’t go over the hill today, one may never get farther than the village graveyard.

It's a good idea for diplomats to keep their word in small matters. It makes the later complete betrayals more of a surprise.