Why would Varys lie to a dying man?

[The King in Black]

This makes no sense. If varys suspected his little birds would blurt out his secret or someone was listening why not just kill Kevan and be done with it? Why lie about something he was oblivious about that too when he was dying? I think, regardless of aegon's real identity, this was just exposition and people are reading too much into it

[TheDrunkenDornishman]

Varys has built his entire life on lies and deceit, spying on and misleading people comes as naturally as breathing to him by now. I think it's less of a question of why would he lie to Kevan, so much as what would possibly motivate him to tell the truth?

I know that I, for one, am not just going to assume that I should take anything Varys says at face value. He has never really been 100% honest, why would he start now?

[David Selig]

Because Martin is a troll.

[The King in Black]

Varys has built his entire life on lies and deceit, spying on and misleading people comes as naturally as breathing to him by now. I think it's less of a question of why would he lie to Kevan, so much as what would possibly motivate him to tell the truth?

I know that I, for one, am not just going to assume that I should take anything Varys says at face value. He has never really been 100% honest, why would he start now?

Those lies have all been for a purpose. What is the rationale to convince a dying old man who had nothing to do with elia and her children that her son was alive and coming back?

[Hammermen's Revolt]

Why wouldn't he?

[Mladen]

Why Lysa spilled the beans before she died? Why anyone said anything at any point during the course of the series? Simply, every line has its purpose at some point. Just as some argue that Sansa knowing what Lysa did will be important at some point, we can easily conclude the same here. Now, since the question is "why Varys said anything at all?" there might be several reasons, from someone else listening and Varys feeding them with information he wanted them to hear to simply answering Kevan's "why?" If the question is "why he lied to Kevan?" well, they weren't alone, and Wex showed us how information can be passed even from mute children.

[jon rhaegar stark]

this has been discussed in such lengths before

for me its because like Varys says the reason behind Killing Kevan ...think of yourself being killed and not knowing the reason behind it ..you will obviously be confused and frustrated ..i would like to know a reason ..and Varys never mentions him as Rhaegar's son or how he helped to save him from the Sack but straightaway goes telling how Aegon was trained to be king from day one ..

so like always Varys telling only half truths instead of lying

[The King in Black]

Why Lysa spilled the beans before she died? Why anyone said anything at any point during the course of the series? Simply, every line has its purpose at some point. Just as some argue that Sansa knowing what Lysa did will be important at some point, we can easily conclude the same here. Now, since the question is "why Varys said anything at all?" there might be several reasons, from someone else listening and Varys feeding them with information he wanted them to hear to simply answering Kevan's "why?" If the question is "why he lied to Kevan?" well, they weren't alone, and Wex showed us how information can be passed even from mute children.

If he really was worried about the children saying something he would've directly and discreetly killed him from behind with a crossbow. All this drama just to pass on fake information? More likely he himself believed it.

[The King in Black]

this has been discussed in such lengths before

for me its because like Varys says the reason behind Killing Kevan ...think of yourself being killed and not knowing the reason behind it ..you will obviously be confused and frustrated ..i would like to know a reason ..and Varys never mentions him as Rhaegar's son or how he helped to save him from the Sack but straightaway goes telling how Aegon was trained to be king from day one ..

so like always Varys telling only half truths instead of lying

All the discussions I came across were based on the premise that Varys was lying. What you're saying makes sense but it just seems weird that he would lie or say a half truth to the dying Kevan. While it has been established that he is a master manipulator there is a limit to one's lying amd scheming. This seems like a stretch

[jon rhaegar stark]

All the discussions I came across were based on the premise that Varys was lying. What you're saying makes sense but it just seems weird that he would lie or say a half truth to the dying Kevan. While it has been established that he is a master manipulator there is a limit to one's lying amd scheming. This seems like a stretch

is it really that stretching

we have Varys telling half truths in the past like to Ned when he was talking about who really killed Jon Arryn( varys spoke about LF and Ned thought it was Ser Hugh) and giving a riddle to tyrion about who actually had power rather than answering straight away ...so i think its about that i was never on the forums before i finished reading

and there was change in the voice when he starts talking about aegon

so when i read how Aegon was being raised to king ..i thought ok he is some common guy who they are trying to pose as king but after came into this there are so much theories like Blackfyre/brightflame theories ..

[The Marquis de Leech]

Varys strikes me as the sort of chap who never strictly lies (I don't think there's a single known example of it in the series), but never strictly tells the truth. I think he's telling Kevan a half truth.

[In A Coat of Gold]

Because it wasn't a lie. Aegon is real.

[Mladen]

If he really was worried about the children saying something he would've directly and discreetly killed him from behind with a crossbow. All this drama just to pass on fake information? More likely he himself believed it.

All drama to pass fake info? Do I need to discuss drama rearding parentage of Cersei's kids? There is no doubt that Varys knows who Young Griff is since he is in the center of all the plans regarding him. He probably isn't worried about children but the best way to keep a secret is to actually never say it.

[The Titan's Legitimate Son]

Varys strikes me as the sort of chap who never strictly lies (I don't think there's a single known example of it in the series), but never strictly tells the truth. I think he's telling Kevan a half truth.

I think he has mastered the art of omission; telling a few truths and allowing the rest to the imagination - i.e. Ser Hugh of the Vale.

[Mladen]

Varys strikes me as the sort of chap who never strictly lies (I don't think there's a single known example of it in the series), but never strictly tells the truth. I think he's telling Kevan a half truth.

Exactly. He is Aes Sedai of ASOIAF.

[FireAndBlood.]

Did he lie? Even if Aegon is fake, all he told Kevan was how he had been raised to rule, which is 100% true. Unless I'm misremembering.

[joluoto2]

Varys never says that this Aegon is the same Aegon who was Rhaegar's son. He just told Aegon is here and he has been raised to rule. Both statements are true.

[The Black Adder]

Kevan says something along the lines of 'But isn't Aegon dead?'. Varys replies: 'No. He is here.' It seems clear from that exchange that they are both referring to the presumed-dead Aegon.

Varys is essentially saying: "No, Kevan, that baby you thought was murdered is not dead, and he is back to claim his throne."

[Danelle]

Did he lie? Even if Aegon is fake, all he told Kevan was how he had been raised to rule, which is 100% true. Unless I'm misremembering.

Well it is ambiguous.

Doubt, division, and mistrust will eat the very ground beneath your boy king, whilst Aegon raises his banner above Storm's End and the lords of the realm gather round him."

"Aegon?" For a moment he did not understand. Then he remembered. A babe swaddled in a crimson cloak, the cloth stained with his blood and brains.

"Dead. He's dead."

"No." The eunuch's voice seemed deeper. "He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them."

Varys warns Kevan that while the Lannisters fight the Tyrells, Aegon will have conquered SE.

Kevan says that Aegon is dead and Varys says no.

Then Varys lists Aegon's education and training but doesn't provide Kevan with any information about how Aegon survived.

He doesn't say that in his veins runs the blood of Prince Rhaegar, Aegon V, Jaeherys for example or he doesn't say that Targaryens should be the rulers.

Since Aegon was introduced in DWD, I think that GRRM deliberately had Varys telling the story to a dying man, so that another mystery will be added for the readers to uncover.

[OnionAhaiReborn]

He's bragging. Varys might seem an inhumanly talented plotter and self-disguiser, but he is still human. It shouldn't be surprising that he's proud of his talents, and that he's relishing in success after all of his years of plotting. First he talks about how well the plan he's been working on is coming together, and what part Kevan's murder plays in it. Then he breezes past Kevan protesting that Aegon is dead to get to the points he really wants to brag about- how he's shaped this Aegon to be a perfect, deserving, worthy King. He gives no focus to how he apparently faked Aegon's death, because he didn't do it and can take no pride in it, and so it's not an achievement he's giddy over and bursting to talk about.