Fritz Leiber quotes - page 4

Aye, there's the bitter core of all freedom: no pay! (Fritz Leiber)
There would have been no insurmountable problem at all, of course, if Bwadres had only had that touch of realism about money matters that, when a true crisis arises, is almost invariably shown by even the fattest, greediest priest or the skinniest, most unworldly holy man. View quote
Fritz Leiber
It was the laughter of the Elder Gods observing their creature man and noting their omissions, miscalculations and mistakes. View quote
Fritz Leiber
They are in their fashion fearless, irreligiously considering themselves the coequals of destiny and having only contempt for the Demigoddess of Chance, the Imp of Luck, and the Demon of Improbability. View quote
Fritz Leiber
Knowledge takes precedence over death. View quote
Fritz Leiber
He knew that sooner or later, in spite of all protecting charms and precautions, Death would creep silently on him or spring suddenly from some unguarded moment. This very night his horoscope might signal Death's instant escapeless approach; and though men lived by lies, treating truth's very self as lie to be exploited, the stars remained the stars. View quote
Fritz Leiber
When one achieves revenge, the innocent perforce suffer. View quote
Fritz Leiber
For the gods have very sharp ears for boasts, or for declarations of happiness and self-satisfaction, or for assertions of a firm intention to do this or that, or for statements that this or that must surely happen, or any other words hinting that a man is in the slightest control of his own destiny. And the gods are jealous, easily angered, perverse, and swift to thwart. View quote
Fritz Leiber
Inconsiderate creatures, gods were. View quote
Fritz Leiber
Lord, what romantical fools men were, to overpass the known and good in order to strain and stretch after the mysterious merely unknown. Were dreams simply better than reality? Had fancy always more style? View quote
Fritz Leiber
And the mighty are great worriers and spend much time preventing anything that troubles their peace of mind. (Fritz Leiber)
Great conquerors live on as their enemies' devils. View quote
Fritz Leiber
Hey, am I dreaming?...Or have I really blasted off from behind the hair line? The second question, though not spoken, was quickly suppressed. He felt too good to let it worry him. If this was insanity, then three cheers for paranoia! View quote
Fritz Leiber
They sat in small parties with a truculent quietness that sneered at and challenged the frantic hustle of the times and the belief that the hustle was leading anywhere. View quote
Fritz Leiber
Their feeble attempts to appear concerned only made them look to him more like two fat cats full of stolen cream and with a map of the secret tunnel leading to the meat locker tucked inside their fur vests. View quote
Fritz Leiber
They've heard about space but they still don't believe in it. They haven't been out here to see for themselves that there isn't any giant elephant under the earth, holding it up, and a giant tortoise holding up the elephant. If I say "planet” and "spaceship” to them, they still think "horoscope” and "flying saucer”. View quote
Fritz Leiber