Quotes from Frank Herbert

still wanted those genetic characteristics carried by the Atreides.

He felt that his mentat faculties had been dulled, let out a long, shuddering breath. A psychic shadow passed over him. In the emotional darkness of it, he felt himself waiting for some absolute sound—the snap of a branch in a jungle.

We should grant power over our affairs only to those reluctant to hold it, and only under conditions that increase that reluctance.

Guilt and blame grew defuse when memory covered a millennia.

Bene Gesserit view that humans were life designed by evolution to create order. And how does that help us against these disorderly women who hunt us? What branch of evolution are they? Is evolution just another name for God?

The oracle cannot chance upon what it cannot understand.

The problem with leadership is that leaders are human beings. And when they make mistakes, their mistakes are amplified by the numbers who follow without question.

Beware of the truth, gentle Sister. Although much sought after, truth can be dangerous to the seeker. Myths and reassuring lies are much easier to find and believe. If you find a truth, even a temporary one, it can demand that you make painful changes.

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic. —FROM "THE SAYINGS OF MUAD'DIB" BY THE PRINCESS IRULAN

Think you carefully on this Bene Gesserit proverb and perhaps you will see: "Any road followed precisely to its end leads precisely nowhere. Climb the mountain just a little bit to test that it's a mountain. From the top of the mountain, you cannot see the mountain.

the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave.

There exists a limit to the force even the most powerful may apply without destroying themselves. Judging this limit is the true artistry of government. Misuse of power is the fatal sin. The law cannot be a tool of vengeance, never a hostage, nor a fortification against the martyrs it has created. You cannot threaten any individual and escape the consequences