Ducem Barr

patrician from Siwenna


Quotes (Authored)

An uninformed public tends to confuse scholarship with magicianry, and love life seems to be that factor which requires the largest quantity of magical tinkering.

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov

    • "What do you propose?"

    "That you answer my questions."

    "Not under threats. I am old enough for life not to mean particularly overmuch."

    "My good sir, these are hard times," said Riose, with meaning, "and you have children and friends. You have a country for which you have mouthed phrases of love and folly in the past. Come, if I should decide to use force, my aim would not be so poor as to strike you."

    Barr said coldly, "What do you want?"

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov, Bel Riose

    • "Hari Seldon foresaw the decline of Imperial power and the eventual barbarization of the entire Galaxy."

    Riose laughed suddenly. "He foresaw that? Then he foresaw wrong [...] the Empire is more powerful now than it has been in a millennium. Your old eyes are blinded by the cold bleakness of the border. Come to the inner worlds some day; come to the warmth and the wealth of the center."

    The old man shook his head somberly. "Circulation ceases first at the outer edges. It will take a while yet for the decay to reach the heart. That is, the apparent, obvious-to-all decay, as distinct from the inner decay that is an old story of some fifteen centuries."

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov, Bel Riose

    • The mere act of not being a traitor is also a long way from agreeing to be an active helper.

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov

    • How much of this information is definite; and how much is simply fury?

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov

    • There's probably no one so easily bribed, but he lacks even the fundamental honesty of honorable corruption. He doesn't stay bribed; not for any sum.

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov

    • A weak general could never have endangered us, obviously. A strong general during the time of a weak Emperor would never have endangered us, either; for he would have turned his arms towards a much more fruitful target. Events have shown that three-fourths of the Emperors of the last two centuries were rebel generals and viceroys before they were Emperors.

    So it is only the combination of strong Emperor and strong general that can harm the Foundation; for a strong Emperor can not be dethroned easily, and a strong general is forced to turn outwards, past the frontiers.

    But, what keeps the Emperor strong? What kept Cleon strong? It's obvious. He is strong, because he permits no strong subjects. A courtier who becomes too rich, or a general who becomes too popular is dangerous. All the recent history of the Empire proves that to any Emperor intelligent enough to be strong.

    Riose won victories, so the Emperor grew suspicious. All the atmosphere of the times forced him to be suspicious. Did Riose refuse a bribe? Very suspicious; ulterior motives. Did his most trusted courtier suddenly favor Riose? Very suspicious; ulterior motives. It wasn't the individual acts that were suspicious. Anything else would have done—which is why our individual plots were unnecessary and rather futile. It was the success of Riose that was suspicious. So he was recalled, and accused, condemned, murdered. The Foundation wins again.

  • Ducem Barr, Isaac Asimov