“I am Cnaiur urs Skiötha, breaker-of-horses-and-men!","I am Cnaiür urs Skiötha, most violent of all men! I bear your fathers and brothers upon my arms!”
In these quotes from R. Scott Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before, the character Cnaiür urs Skiötha is displaying his pride and strength through his declarations. By identifying himself as the "breaker-of-horses-and-men" and the "most violent of all men," Cnaiür establishes himself as a fierce and formidable figure. The mention of bearing his enemies' fathers and brothers upon his arms further emphasizes his dominance and prowess in battle. These quotes serve to highlight Cnaiür's aggressive nature and his role as a warrior in the story.
In R. Scott Bakker's work, the character Cnaiür urs Skiötha is portrayed as a fierce and violent warrior. His declaration of being the "breaker-of-horses-and-men" and the bearer of ancestors on his arms serves as a reminder of the brutal nature of warfare and the legacy of violence that can be passed down through generations. In today's world, these words can reflect the ongoing cycles of conflict and aggression that persist in various societies. The character of Cnaiür urs Skiötha reminds us of the enduring impact of violence and the importance of breaking free from destructive patterns to create a more peaceful future.
"I am Cnaiur urs Skiötha, breaker-of-horses-and-men! I am Cnaiür urs Skiötha, most violent of all men! I bear your fathers and brothers upon my arms!” - R. Scott Bakker
These powerful quotes from R. Scott Bakker's novel evoke a sense of strength and ferocity in the character of Cnaiür urs Skiötha. As you reflect on these words, consider the following questions:
“Here we find further argument for Gotagga’s supposition that the world is round. How else could all men stand higher than their brothers?”
“. . . and that revelation murdered all that I once did know. Where once I asked of the God, 'Who are you?' now I ask, 'Who am I?”
“I rememeber asking a wise man, once . . . 'Why do Men fear the dark?' . . . 'Because darkness' he told me, 'is ignorance made visible.' 'And do Men despise ignorance?' I asked. 'No,' he said, 'they prize it above all things--all things!--but only so long as it remains invisible.”
“Complexity begets ambiguity, which yields in all ways to prejudice and avarice. Complication does not so much defeat Men as arm them with fancy.”
“Do not mistake me, Inrithi. In this much Conphas is right. You are all staggering drunks to me. Boys who would play at war when you should kennel with your mothers. You know nothing of war. War is dark. Black as pitch. It is not a God. It does not laugh or weep. It rewards neither skill not daring. It is not a trial of souls, nor the measure of wills. Even less is it a tool, a means to some womanish end. It is merely the place where the iron bones of the earth meet the hollow bones of men and break them.You have offered me war, and I have accepted. Nothing more. I will not regret your losses. I will not bow my head before your funeral pyres. I will not rejoice at your triumphs. But I have taken the wager. I will suffer with you. I will put Fanim to the sword, and drive their wives and children to the slaughter. And when I sleep, I will dream of their lamentations and be glad of heart.”
“History. Language. Passion. Custom. All these things determine what men say, think, and do. These are the hidden puppet-strings from which all men hang.”