Eddard Stark is online Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I've just read this line that Jojen says to Bran in Chapter 34, A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one. Initially I laughed, I'd heard this quote many times before and couldn't believe Martin had included a modern quote in a book set in a time before it was first coined - but upon researching the quote online I quickly realised all the search results pointed to Martin and A Dance with Dragons. So now I'm somewhat bewildered - this is my first reading of A Dance with Dragons - how can I already be familiar with the quote if I've only read it for the first time here? Does it appear earlier on in the series? Has someone else (I'm thinking Tyrion) said it in the HBO series somewhere? Or has the quote slipped into common parlance so quickly and spread so widely that I've already heard it from the lips of others before reading it here? Or to put it another way - were you familiar with the saying before you read it in A Dance With Dragons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Breaker of Chains Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It's a great line and I'd felt like I'd heard some iteration of it before as well, but beyond that I currently attribute it to GRRM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evita mgfs Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It is a quote from Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar but Martinized. Caesar tells his wife - who begs him not to go forth to the Capitol for she dreamt of his statue spouting blood from many holes. Caesar arrogantly dismisses Calpurnia: " A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a hero only one. I paraphrase. Caesar IS NO coward! [He's a fool to ignore his wife, his priest, the soothsayer, etc.] The Titan of Braavos is likely inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes, - who is referenced in Shakespeare's JC as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddard Stark is online Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 It is a quote from Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar but Martinized. Caesar tells his wife - who begs him not to go forth to the Capitol for she dreamt of his statue spouting blood from many holes. Caesar arrogantly dismisses Calpurnia: " A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a hero only one. I paraphrase. Caesar IS NO coward! [He's a fool to ignore his wife, his priest, the soothsayer, etc.] The Titan of Braavos is likely inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes, - who is referenced in Shakespeare's JC as well. Thanks for the explanation. Yeah I think I read something like this before, although it was much less detailed. You sound like you know your Shakespeare! :) It's a great line and I'd felt like I'd heard some iteration of it before as well, but beyond that I currently attribute it to GRRM. Yeah, where did we hear it before??? Hmmmm.... I was trying to think where the writers for the HBO series may have fitted it in the show, I wonder if they have Tyrion say it to Jon Snow when he's visiting the Wall or something. I will have to keep my eyes open for it when I get round to re-watching series one. :idea: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakenface Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I just saw it on one of those garishly edited tumblr quote pictures.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stateofdissipation Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 just a random thought.... if a reader lives a thousand lives, and the man that never reads lives only one...the writer never dies..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddard Stark is online Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 Haha! Well as long as he keeps writing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelikeangels Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 It is a quote from Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar but Martinized. Caesar tells his wife - who begs him not to go forth to the Capitol for she dreamt of his statue spouting blood from many holes. Caesar arrogantly dismisses Calpurnia: " A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a hero only one. I paraphrase. Caesar IS NO coward! [He's a fool to ignore his wife, his priest, the soothsayer, etc.] The Titan of Braavos is likely inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes, - who is referenced in Shakespeare's JC as well. i like this. i've heard this quote many times before. didn't know it was a GRRM original (if it even is???) but either way, it's a great line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddard Stark is online Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 i like this. i've heard this quote many times before. didn't know it was a GRRM original (if it even is???) but either way, it's a great line. I'm still not totally convinced the quote in question's a GRRM original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalleke123 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 It's a recurring theme in Tyrion's viewpoints. He goes somewhere, he ends up in a library. And wherever he goes, he always talks about the books he's reading.I believe it's the same here, Bran is not a martial hero and never will be. But in wisdom and knowledge you can also find great strength Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldf00t Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I've seen pretty much every interview with George RR Martin that's available on YouTube and I am pretty sure he mentioned that saying at some point talking about how he grew up in a very small and boring town and how he always read a lot and made up stories cause it was so boring there. He said something like "You know its just like that saying 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.' It's true!" I also stumbled upon that passage in the book a few days ago and was surprised he used it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddylonglegs Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 That Shakespeare quote is an interesting little nugget, but it has a vastly different meaning; the thousand deaths a coward must face every time he looks back on his decision to run, the death of his integrity, of him as a person. Martin is talking about all of the experiences a non reader misses out on. I just don't see the connection.As The Breaker of Chains has said, I think it's just one of those lines that are so well written and strike such a chord, it feels like you've heard it before you've even read it. I wouldn't be surprised if it is a Martinized version of a common idiom, though... seems to be up Martin's alley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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