Barsoomian Proverbs

Michael Sellers Barsoom

We’ve collected the Barsoomian proverbs that we’re aware of.  If anyone has others to share, please leave a comment.  It would be good to get as complete a collection as possible.  Here’s what we have.

“Blessed be your ancestors for this meeting.” — common
“In the name of the Ninth Ray!” — common
“Only our first ancestor knows.” — common
“A warrior may change his metal, but not his heart.” – Dejah Thoris
“Blessed be the shell of thy first ancestor.” — First Born saying
“Man builds naught that man may not destroy.” — Larok
“Leave to a Thark his head and one hand and he may yet conquer.” — Tars Tarkas
“By your first ancestor!” — Thuvia
“May my ancestors have mercy on me.” — Thuvia
“May the white apes take us all!” — Thuvia
“Praised be to our first ancestor!” — Thuvia
“The intellects of our ancestors are with us.” — Thuvia

3 comments

  • These are great! Yet another reminder of why I want to re-read the whole series! 🙂

  • A fun topic, Michael.These may not all qualify as proverbs, but they’re certainly colorful:

    “By the mother of the further moon.” — Kantos Kan
    “Not fit to polish the teeth of [my] grandmother’s sorat.” — Dejah Thoris
    “Between the wild thoat of certainty and the mad zitidar of fact.” — Tars Tarkas
    “Man builds naught that man may not destoy.” – artificer of Dusar
    “My sword is at your feet.” — Gahan of Gathol
    “We . . . speak . . . with tongues of steel rather than of flesh.” –Gahan
    “I have the disposition of a thoat.” — Tara of Helium
    “Dons the leather of the dead.”– from CM
    “By the blood of Issus!” — from CM
    “May the spirits of our ancestors reward [whomever].” — from CM
    “Thuria, mad queen of heaven!” — Tara
    “Shadow of [my] first ancestor!” — from CM
    “The eyes are ofttimes more eloquent than the lips.” — Turan
    “War is Nature’s natural state — it is folly to combat it.” — Mu Tel of Toonol
    “Dark as the depths of Omean.” from FMM
    “Our ancestors are with us tonight.” — from FMM
    “Blood of our first ancestor!” — from FMM
    “You haven’t the brains of a sorak.” — from SMM
    “May our ancestors forgive me!” — from FMM
    “Until I am gathered to my ancestors, your image shall remain enshrined in my heart.” — ………………..Sharu of Ghasta
    “It is the character that makes the man, not the clay which is its abode.” — from SMM
    “I want to make more than enough to feed my wife’s sorak.” — from LG
    “As mean as an ulsio.” — from LG
    “Son of a calot.” — from LG
    “If it has happened or is going to happen, the market place knows it.” — from LG
    “We have the Princess.” [i.e., “It’s in the bag.’] — LG
    “Wars are not won by defensive methods.” — Zan Dar

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