The tales of King Arthur and his legendary knights have captivated audiences for centuries, blending history with myth in a saga of chivalry, magic, and adventure. From the noble deeds of Sir Lancelot and the wisdom of Merlin to the enduring love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot, these stories have provided endless inspiration across literature, art, and film. Arthurian legend offers profound insights into human nature, heroism, and the timeless struggle between good and evil. In this collection, delve into the essence of this mythos through 45 of the most captivating quotes, each encapsulating the magic, mystery, and moral complexity of a realm where the past and imagination intertwine. Whether you are a longtime fan or new to the legend, these quotes serve as a doorway into a world where honor and destiny reign supreme.
1. “Fighting in the name of freedom has too high a price," Merlin sighed as he leaned into his mother's arms.” - Dee Marie
2. “Magic is a matter of focusing the disciplined will. But sometimes the will must be abandoned. The secret lies in knowing when to exercise control, and when to let go.” - Marion Zimmer Bradley
3. “Yet, there was once a king worthy of that name. That king was Arthur. It is paramount disgrace of this evil generation that the name of that great king is no longer spoken aloud except in derision. Arthur! He was the fairest flower of our race, Cymry's most noble son, Lord of the Summer Realm, Pendragon of Britain. He wore God's favour like a purple robe.Hear then, if you will, the tale of a true king.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
4. “Arthur is no fit king. Uther's bastard, Merlin's pawn, he is lowborn and a fool. He is wanton and petty and cruel. A glutton and a drunkard, he lacks all civilized graces. In short, he is a sullen, ignorant brute.All these things and more men say of Arthur. Let them. When all the words are spoken and the arguements fall exhausted into silence, this single fact remains: we would follow Arthur to the very gates of Hell and beyond if he asked it. And that is the solitary truth.Show me another who can claim such loyalty.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
5. “Arthur was simply there in their midst, the sword in his hand.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
6. “All that winter's day and far into the night the kings twisted and squirmed, but Merlin held them in his iron grasp and would not let go. He became first a rock, and then a mountain in Arthur's defence. Arthur stood equally unmoved. No power on earth could have prevailed against them . . .” - Stephen R. Lawhead
7. “He holds the sword!' shouted Merlin. 'And that has not changed. Whoever would be king must first take the sword from Arthur's hand. For I tell you truly, none among you will be king without it!” - Stephen R. Lawhead
8. “And the Wise Emrys said that Arthur would yet come again to lead his own.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
9. “That Arthur has not always existed seems odd to me. Like the wind on the moors and the wild winter stars, surely he has always lived . . . and always will.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
10. “All he had, in fact, was Merlin's shining promise.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
11. “I raised my spear to heaven. 'For God and Britain!' I cried, and my cry was answered in kind. And then I was racing down the hillside, my cloak rippling out behind me, the wind singing from my dark-glinting spearhead.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
12. “Do not borrow tomorrow's troubles today” - Stephen R. Lawhead
13. “He sighed and shook his head slowly. 'And there will be no bringing back the light once it has gone.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
14. “I took him by the arm to steady him. He opened his eyes slowly, the bright golden gleam now darkened with pain and sorrow. "Morgian!' he uttered, his voice strangled with grief. "It was Morgian. . . ” - Stephen R. Lawhead
15. “In truth I had forgotten all about Arthur and our reason for coming to Benowyc in the first place.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
16. “Your faith is admirable, Pelleas. But I know nothing of sorcery. As it is, I have not been able to discover how the spell may be broken or how Merlin may be released from it.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
17. “It was Arthur's welcome alone, I believe, which turned the tide of misery for Merlin.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
18. “Arthur, their young king, like a hero out of legend.” - Marion Zimmer Bradley
19. “Stop, Morgian. Your wiles cannot avail you now.’ He turned to the High King and said, ‘The hurt this woman has done me, I readily forgive. It is for the harm that she has caused others that she is to be judged.” - Stephen R. Lawhead
20. “A priestess of Avalon does not lie. But I am cast out of Avalon, and for this, and unless it is all to be for nothing, I must lie, and lie well and quickly” - Marion Zimmer Bradley
21. “Ah Gawaine, Gawaine, ye have betrayed me; for never shall my court be amended by you, but ye will never be sorry for me as I am for you” - Sir Thomas Malory
22. “My name is Arianna Morganna Brittany DuLac--you can imagine why I went by the name Ryan.” - Priya Ardis
23. “Do I look like I want to be involved in your teen love saga? Ask someone who cares.” - Priya Ardis
24. “Did you recently turn into a jerk or have you been one since birth?” - Priya Ardis
25. “He’s so powerful. Who knows maybe he’s advanced past eating” - Priya Ardis
26. “Soft sun shone down on a misty cathedral at the opposite end of a football-field length courtyard. The cathedral had a long pointed tower with beautiful rose and ivory stained glass windows. Pink-petal flowers and deep green ivy climbed the stones from the ground to it’s roof. A large fountain stood in the middle of the courtyard with water falling from several lion’s heads. Between the misty air and rolling slope of the earth, the grounds reminded me of a long lost fairy tale.” - Priya Ardis
27. “Marilynn...passed out black cases to everyone. I opened mine to find an iPad inside. Several candidates whistled. Despite my agitated state, it impressed me too. Maybe wizard school wasn’t going to be as lame as I had thought.“All of your schedules and assignments will be done on these,” Marilynn explained. “The whole school is on these. We’ve had them for awhile now.” - Priya Ardis
28. “Vane grabbed me. “DuLac, let’s chat.”Chat. British-speak for “Stand still while I yell at you.” - Priya Ardis
29. “I caught his hand. “What do you want me to do?”Leaning down, he kissed the pulse beating on my neck just above the damaged skin. “Tomorrow, I need you to die.” - Priya Ardis
30. “Rough palms cradled my face while my fingers gripped the pillow on either side of his. Lips, teeth, tongue, mingled together. I ate him up and didn’t let go until I had to come up for air.” - Priya Ardis
31. “Well, can you tell her that?"He looked down at his feet. "I will. I will."Guy-speak for, "I plan to keep avoiding her until she gives up.” - Priya Ardis
32. “You'll get fired if anyone finds out about us!""So many rules in this century," Vane muttered.” - Priya Ardis
33. “If I were to lock you up in a dungeon, I guarantee you would not be bored.” - Priya Ardis
34. “The last declaration he'd made to me hung between us. The L word. The one that had nothing to do with like.” - Priya Ardis
35. “Aye, we all know your fondness for apples, brother.” - Phyllis Ann Karr
36. “... and it seemed to her that time stopped, that her body melted into his as if she were without nerve or bone or will, and his kiss was like fire and ice on her lips.” - Marion Zimmer Bradley
37. “He’d used the amulet to read my thoughts again. I pictured smacking him in the face.” - Priya Ardis
38. “I noticed him right away. No, it wasn’t his lean, rugged face. Or the dark waves of shiny hair that hung just a little too long on his forehead. It wasn’t the slim, collarless biker jacket he wore, hugging his lean shoulders. It was the way he stood. The confident way he waited in the cafeteria line to get a slice of pizza. He didn’t saunter. He didn’t amble. He stood at the center, and let the other people buzz around him. His stance was straight and sure.” - Priya Ardis
39. “Beware what you speak,' said the Merlin very softly, 'for indeed the words we speak make shadows of what is to come, and by speaking them we bring them to pass, my king.” - Marion Zimmer Bradley
40. “There are well known Arthurian figures in the book, and some not so well known. Mabon plays a pivotal role in the tale as the Motherless Child who helps Rhowbyn, the narrator of the tale, to find and reconcile with his missing parent. There is a game of riddles in which Mabon and Rhowbyn engage that is both an homage to Tolkien and a nod of acknowledgement to events from 'The Mabinogion' and specifically the tale of Culwch and Olwen” - Virginia Chandler
41. “John Matthews' title, 'Gawain, Knight of the Goddess', was confirmation that I wasn't imagining the many layers of Gawain, the court of King Arthur, and most assuredly Gawain's role as a Protector and Champion of the Mother Goddess” - Virginia Chandler
42. “In the energies of the Green Knight, we have an Elder who comes to the entire court of Arthur to challenge and "open a bridge" to the Otherworld. Here is the Holly King, the Forest Lord, the Green Man. The Green Knight enters Arthur's court at a Yuletide festival and challenges at once both Arthur and his warriors to step forth and take part in the traditional Beheading contest” - Virginia Chandler
43. “I suppose it could be said that indeed all my roads to Arthur have led to my novel, The Green Knight’s Apprentice. I read Malory when I was very young and my first reading left me with very vivid images that haunt me still: white stags, headless damsels, horns hanging from tree limbs, and giants. Oh yes, I had the usual sword in the stone, lady of the lake, and Holy Grail images, too, I assure you.” - Virginia Chandler
44. “Once I discovered Robin Hood and the medieval poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” I realized that I felt a very deep calling to the Wild forest, the deep forest, the Wood that holds the Deep Mysteries and where the Wild Hunt is run....” - Virginia Chandler
45. “I am nothing, yes; I am air and darkness, a word, a promise. I watch in the crystal and I wait in the hollow hills. But out there in the light I have a young king and a bright sword to do my work for me, and build what will stand when my name is only a word for forgotten songs and outworn wisdom, and when your name, Morgause, is only a hissing in the dark.” - Mary Stewart
