Peter Tremayne > Quotes

“Pride in office without competence is as much a sin as competence without confidence.”
― Peter Tremayne, Shroud for the Archbishop

“It is a foolish judge who, before the evidence is presented, makes a judgement.”
― Peter Tremayne, Shroud for the Archbishop

“The person who has never made an enemy will never make a friend.”
― Peter Tremayne, Shroud for the Archbishop

“We are a people who question all things and only through our questions can we hope to arrive at the Great Truth and we must stand by the Truth even if we stand against the world.”
― Peter Tremayne, The Spider's Web: A Celtic Mystery

“The young woman continued to frown, displaying her irritation. ‘You would continue on and leave one of our brethren in this manner? Unblessed and unburied?’ Her voice was sharp and angry.”
― Peter Tremayne, Absolution By Murder

“We all have a memory and can memorise things. The more important thing is how we act on that which we know.”
― Peter Tremayne, Act of Mercy

“The reason was not hard to discern. The head of the body was also shaven with the tonsure of Columba. What remained of his clothing proclaimed it to have once consisted of the habit of a religieux, though there was no sign of the crucifix, leather belt and satchel that a peregrinus pro Christo would have carried. The leading traveller had drawn near on his mule and gazed up with a terrified expression on his white features. Another of the party, one of the two women, urged her mount nearer and gazed up at the corpse with a steady eye. She rode a horse, a fact that signified that she was no ordinary religieuse but a woman of rank. There was no fear on her pale features, just a slight expression of repulsion and curiosity. She was a young woman, tall but well proportioned, a fact scarcely concealed by her sombre dress. Rebellious strands of red hair streaked from beneath her headdress. Her pale-skinned features were attractive and her eyes were bright and it was difficult to discern whether they were blue or green, so changeable with emotion were they. ‘Come away, Sister Fidelma,’ muttered her male companion in agitation. ‘This is not a sight for your eyes.”
― Peter Tremayne, Absolution By Murder

“fascinating”
― Peter Tremayne, The Subtle Serpent

“Half-a-dozen men had emerged on foot from the woods on the far side of the road. They were led by a man mounted on a horse – a burly man with long unkempt hair curling from underneath a polished bronze helmet and merging into a great bushy black beard. He wore a burnished breastplate and carried himself with some authority. His companions, clustered behind him, carried an assortment of weaponry, mostly staffs and bows with arrows strung but not drawn. Sister Fidelma had no knowledge of what the man shouted, but it was clearly an order, and it took little guessing that it was an order for her to desist in her task.”
― Peter Tremayne, Absolution By Murder

“Why should I hide That he is still my heart’s desire More than all the world.   A furnace blast Of love has melted my heart Without his love, it can beat no more.”
― Peter Tremayne, The Subtle Serpent

“many such documents of the period, I can say it was written in the Latin of that period and not in more modern form.”
― Peter Tremayne, Blood in Eden

“lus mór na coille.”
― Peter Tremayne, Hemlock at Vespers

“Fear binds people together in a way that cannot be achieved by other means. Those who would convert the people back to the old ways need fear, need something that will drive”
― Peter Tremayne, Dancing With Demons

“Sister Fidelma raised an eyebrow. ‘The beggar seems to be one of our countrymen, Mother Abbess,’ she said. The Abbess Étain moved forward to join her. ‘A beggar. They suffer greatly from the arrogance of a crowd.’ ‘But listen to what he says.’ The two women strained to catch the rasping tones of the beggar. The voice was raised loudly. ‘I tell you, tomorrow the sun shall be blotted from the heavens and when that time comes there shall be blood staining the floor of this abbey. Beware! Beware, I tell you! I see blood in this place!”
― Peter Tremayne, Absolution By Murder

“For those who are sceptical about such events as the wives of clerics and other religious being sold into slavery with the sanction of Rome, I have to point out the following: during the time of Pope Leo IX (1049–54), the pontiff did sanction the rounding up of the wives of priests to become slaves in the Lateran Palace. Moreover, it was when Urban II (1088–99) was elected to the papacy that he reinforced celibacy not only by decree but also by force. While attending a council in Rheims he gave approval to the Archbishop of Rheims to order Robert, Count of Rheims, to abduct all the wives of priests and”
― Peter Tremayne, The Council of the Cursed

“There has been too much destruction of knowledge simply because someone else disagrees with it. In a civilised world, there is room for all knowledge and the truth will eventually emerge triumphant over prejudice. If we do not believe that, then there is no hope for us. We might as well resort to living as wild animals.”
― Peter Tremayne, Master of Souls

“for the adage was: ‘I fear the man of one book.’ Trying”
― Peter Tremayne, The Chalice of Blood

“If people are forced to suppress the emotion of love for their fellow human beings then they certainly can’t have love for anything else, including God.”
― Peter Tremayne, Badger's Moon

“Two centuries ago, a New Faith came to this land. Many found it an alien creed. Others merged it in with the old ideas and values. But in that interval, between the decaying and disappearance of the Old Faith and the formation and establishment of the New Faith, there was always a period of danger. Some people would become uncertain; others confused or even frightened. Emerging on both sides, there could be a wild fanaticism as each tried to protect their own beliefs. Unfortunately, claiming one deity as an ally for partisan values leads to the worst fanaticism of all. It is a step towards barbarism which destroys our humanity.”
― Peter Tremayne, The Second Death

“Publilius Syrus say: amare et sapere vix deo conced-itur? Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time.”
― Peter Tremayne, Hemlock at Vespers

“Beliefs are things to be cherished but we cannot be intolerant of others whose beliefs we disagree with. That intolerance can lead to war and even murder.”
― Peter Tremayne, The Chalice of Blood

“Is not a book of more value than metal?’ asked Cumscrad. ‘It is the fruit of a person’s brain and contains knowledge and ideas; it has power greater than gold because knowledge and ideas can change people.”
― Peter Tremayne, The Chalice of Blood

“Books that would have helped us understand our past, without which we are condemned to live in ignorance,”
― Peter Tremayne, The Chalice of Blood

“I have done everything that you have asked, Brother Saxon,’ he told Eadulf. ‘Brother Madagan has regained consciousness but is weak. Abbot Ségdae has also recovered and is trying to organise the brethren to face our enemies with more discipline.’ He glanced rather shamefaced at Fidelma. ‘We did not acquit ourselves well at the gate when the warrior came, Sister. For that I must apologise.’ Fidelma was forgiving. ‘You are Brothers of the Faith and not warriors. There is no blame on you.’ She was still peering anxiously southward where she had detected the movement of a body of horsemen. Brother”
― Peter Tremayne, The Monk who Vanished (Sister Fidelma Mysteries Book 7): A twisted medieval tale set in 7th century Ireland

“I have need of a knife to cut our brother down,’ she explained. ‘We must pray for his soul and accord him a Christian burial.’ The others cast uneasy glances at each other.”
― Peter Tremayne, Absolution By Murder