970 Quotes by Frank Herbert

Choose containable violence when violence cannot be avoided. Better this than epidemic violence. — Lessons of Choice, The BuSab Manual

Do actions agree with words? There's your measure of reliability. Never confine yourself to the words.

The Fremen were supreme in that quality the ancients called "spannungsbogen" -- which is the self-imposed delay between desire for a thing and the act of reaching out to grasp that thing.

Move slowly and the day of your revenge will come," Tuek said. "Speed is a device of Shaitan. Cool your sorrow–we’ve the diversions for it; three things there are that ease the heart–water, green grass, and the beauty of woman.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Try looking into that place where you dare not look! You'll find me there, staring out at you!

Control the coinage and the courts—let the rabble have the rest.

The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: "I feed on your energy.

Face your fears or they will climb over your back.