“Just as the good actor perform well whatever role the poet assigns, so too must the good man perform whatever Fortune assigns. For she, says Bion, just like a poet, sometimes assigns the leading role, sometimes that of the supporting role; sometimes that of a king, sometimes that of a beggar. Do not, therefore, being a supporting actor, desire the role of the lead.” MenWellsSometimesDesireActorsRolesPoetKingsFortuneGood ManBeggarGood ActorsSupporting RolesSupporting Actors Author:Bion of Borysthenes
“Ruling is hard. This was maybe my answer to Tolkien, whom, as much as I admire him, I do quibble with. Lord of the Rings had a very medieval philosophy: that if the king was a good man, the land would prosper. We look at real history and it's not that simple... Real-life kings had real-life problems to deal with... My people who are trying to rule don't have an easy time of it. Just having good intentions doesn't make you a wise king.” PeopleIfsMenTryingLooksRealHardPhilosophyProblemRealityEasyLeadershipSimpleAnswersDealsLordWiseLandHuman NatureKingsIntentionRingsReal LifeAdmireIdeologyGood ManRulingMedievalGood Intentions Author:George R. R. Martin
“Ulysses is son to Laertes, but he is father to Telemachus, husband to Penelope, lover of Calypso, companion in arms of the Greek warriors around Troy, and King of Ithaca. He was subjected to many trials, but with wisdom and courage came through them all.... he is a complete man as well, a good man.” MenWellsFatherSonArmsKingsLoversHusbandTrialsWarriorGreekGood ManCompanionUlyssesCalypso Author:James Joyce
“An awful lot of fantasy, and even some great fantasy, falls into the mistake of assuming that a good man will be a good king, that all that is necessary is to be a decent human being and when you're king everything will go swimmingly.” MenHumansFallHuman BeingsMistakeFantasyKingsAssumingAwfulDecentGood ManGood Kings Author:George R. R. Martin
“I swear by that old expression, 'One monkey don't stop no show!' The reality is, we still have some good men out there, and we should hail those men as the kings they are.” MenShouldStillsShowsRealityExpressionKingsGood ManSwearMonkeysHail Author:Angie Stone
“Your Majesty, please get down. My friend Aris is really a very good man, and if you fall off that wall he's going to hang for it, and so will his squad, most of whom are also nice men, and though I can't say I really care if your attendants hang, there are probably many people that do care, and would you please, please get down?" The king looked at him, eyes narrowed. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that many words in a row. You sounded almost articulate.” PeopleIfsThinkingMenI CanEyeCareFallNiceHeardWallKingsPleaseMy FriendsVery GoodGood ManMajestySquadNice Man Author:Megan Whalen Turner
“Quickly, the dragon came at him, encouraged As Beowulf fell back; its breath flared, And he suffered, wrapped around in swirling Flames -- a king, before, but now A beaten warrior. None of his comrades Came to him, helped him, his brave and noble Followers; they ran for their lives, fled Deep in a wood. And only one of them Remained, stood there, miserable, remembering, As a good man must, what kinship should mean.” MenShouldMeanRememberKingsBreathsBraveWoodsNobleWarriorMiserableRanFlamesDragonsGood ManFollowersBeatenComradeKinship Book:Beowulf: A New Translation with an Introduction Source: Beowulf: A New Translation with an Introduction