To hold a pen is to be at war.

So it is the human condition that to wish for the greatness of one's fatherland is to wish evil to one's neighbors. The citizen of the universe would be the man who wishes his country never to be either greater or smaller, richer or poorer.

I was writing fantasy as soon as I could hold a pen.

Slavery is also as ancient as war, and was as human nature.

In this country it is considered wise to kill an admiral from time to time in order to encourage the others

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.