Great Lines from Literature (&/or Pulp Fiction)

[Maquiladora]

The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
-Sun Tzu, the Art of War

[ajbera]

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.
- The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

[Stuie]

"Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy."
-MacBeth

[lord of the mark]

" Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. "

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


"Walt Whitman, a Kosmos, of Manhattan the son,"

Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of Myself


"Gondor wanes, yet Gondor stands"
JRRT, LOTR

"he runs. Ah: runs. Runs."

John Updike, Rabbit Run


"You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him. "
JRRT,LOTR


"In the faces of men and women I see God. "
Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

[Arrian]

"You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him. "

...

Pity filled his heart and great wonder, and suddenly the slow-kindled courage of his race awoke. He clenched his hand. She should not die, so fair, so desperate! At least she should not die alone, unaided.

-Arrian

[Lord Avalon]

AS THEY DRAGGED HIM AWAY, RORSCHACH SPOKE TO THE OTHER INMATES.

HE SAID "NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND. I'M NOT LOCKED UP IN HERE WITH YOU. YOU'RE LOCKED UP IN HERE WITH ME."

Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Watchmen


Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

- Juvenal, Satires, VI, 347

[Lord Avalon]

A la fin de l'envoi, je touche! - Cyrano, a line from the poem he composed while dueling.

Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte I, Scène IV

The Blues Brothers
"Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don't fail us now." - Elwood

"We're on a mission from God." - Elwood

"What kind of music do you usually have here?" - Elwood
"Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western." - Claire

"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses." - Elwood
"Hit it." - Jake

Inspector Harry Callahan
"I know what you're thinking. 'Did he fire six shots, or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?" - Dirty Harry

"A man's got to know his limitations." - Magnum Force

The Enforcer
"Here's a seven-point suppository." - Harry, pulling out his badge.
"What did you say?" - Capt. McKay
"I said stick it in your ass." - Harry

Sudden Impact
"Listen, punk. To me you're nothin' but dog****. you understand? And a lot of things can happen to dog****. It can be scraped up with a shovel off the ground. It can dry up and blow away in the wind. Or it can be stepped on and squashed. So take my advice and be careful where the dog ****s ya!"

"We're not just going to let you walk out of here." - Harry
"Who's we, sucker?" - crook
"Smith, and Wesson, and me." - Harry

"Go ahead. Make my day."