8.“Only Evil and Greater Evil exist and beyond them, in the shadows, lurks True Evil. True Evil ... is something you can barely imagine, even if you believe nothing can still surprise you. And sometimes True Evil seizes you by the throat and demands that you choose between it and another, slightly lesser, Evil.” – Renfri, The Last Wish

9.“The world is full of evil, so it’s sufficient to stride ahead, and destroy the evil encountered on the way, in that way rendering a service to Good. The rest takes care of itself.” – Regis, Baptism of Fire

10.“If someone shows you compassion, sympathy and dedication, if they surprise you with integrity of character, value it but don’t mistake it for ... something else.” – Yarpen Zigrin, Blood of Elves

11.“Were I to attempt to be good to everyone, to the entire world and to all the creatures living in it, it would be a drop of fresh water in the salt sea. In other words, a wasted effort. Thus, I decided to do specific good; good which would not go to waste. I’m good to myself and my immediate circle.” – Zoltan, Baptism of Fire

12.“There is no destiny ... It does not exist. The only thing that everyone is destined for is death.” – The White Wolf, Sword of Destiny

13.“Evil is Evil, Stregobor. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all.” - Geralt of Rivia, The Last Wish

Quotes about Stories and Art

Even though The Witcher is a fairy tale, Sapkowski uses a meta-approach in his writing by having characters discuss fairy tales and fables as if they are not a part of one. As these quotes reflect, some of their philosophical musings make The Witcher audiobooks and tv series feel even more natural and show us why we love stories so much.

14.“‘Every myth, every fable must have some roots. Something lies among those roots.’ ‘It does,’ Geralt of Rivia confirmed. ‘Most often a dream, a wish, a desire, a yearning. Faith that there are no limits to possibility. And occasionally chance.’” – Geralt of Rivia, Sword of Destiny

15.“But do you know when stories stop being stories? The moment someone begins to believe in them.” – Codringher, The Time of Contempt

16.“Why look for truth in a ballad? Truth is one thing, poetry another.” – Dandelion, Blood of Elves

17.“A story is a largely false account, of largely trivial events, fed to us by historians who are largely idiots.” – Geralt of Rivia, Season of Storms

18.“Cats like sleeping and resting on intersections. There are many stories about magical animals but really, apart from the dragon, the cat is the only creature which can absorb the force. No one knows why a cat absorbs it and what it does with it.” – Yennefer, Blood of Elves

19.“Remember ... magic is Chaos, Art and Science. It is a curse, a blessing and progress. It all depends on who uses magic, how they use it, and to what purpose. And magic is everywhere. All around us. Easily accessible.” – Yennefer, Blood of Elves

20.“Only in fables survives what cannot survive in nature. Only myths and fables do not know the limits of possibility.” – Geralt of Rivia, Sword of Destiny

Quotes about Humanity

Although the Witcher himself is not human, and many other main characters are also nonhuman, this is a story about humanity at the end of the day — its failures and successes, actions and perceptions of the world. Although the Witcher’s outlook is bleak, it can remind us all to be our best selves and try harder to create a better world.

21.“People ... like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves.” – Geralt of Rivia, The Last Wish

22.“If the ability to make use of experience and draw conclusions was decided, we would have forgotten what war is a long time ago. But those whose goal is war have never been held back, nor will be, by experience or analogy.” – Yennefer, Blood of Elves

23.“War is hovering over us like a vulture. For you, it’s an adventure. For me, it’s a game in which the stakes are survival. I’m involved in this game, and that’s why your indifference and frivolity hurt and insult me.” – Triss, Blood of Elves

24.“They are not demons, not devils ... Worse than that. They are people.” – Yennefer, The Tower of Swallows

Wise Quotes from The Witcher

Throughout The Witcher Saga, Sapkowski shares nuggets of wisdom and advice applicable to mythical creatures, ordinary mortals, and life in general. Beyond helping us understand the motivations and mindsets of the characters, the author’s outlook offers essential takeaways for listeners.

25.“What is truth? The negation of lies? Or the statement of a fact? And if the fact is a lie, what then is the truth?” – Yennefer, Sword of Destiny

26.“To me ... wisdom includes the ability to turn a deaf ear to foolish or insincere advice.” – Boholt, Sword of Destiny

27.“You’ve mistaken the stars reflected on the surface of the lake at night for the heavens.” – Mystical voice speaking to Ciri, Blood of Elves

28.“It’s better to die than to live in the knowledge that you’ve done something that needs forgiveness.” – Yarpen Zigrin, Blood of Elves

29.“Mistakes ... are also important to me. I don’t cross them out of my life, or memory. And I never blame others for them.” – Geralt of Rivia, Blood of Elves

30.“An enchantress always takes action. Wrongly or rightly; that is revealed later. But you should act, be brave, seize life by the scruff of the neck. Believe me, little one, you should only regret inactivity, indecisiveness, hesitation. You shouldn’t regret actions or decisions, even if they occasionally end in sadness and regret.” – Margarita, The Time of Contempt

31.“It is better to go forward without an aim than loiter without an aim, and with surety much better than to retreat without an aim.” – Geralt of Rivia, The Tower of Swallows

32.“To be neutral does not mean to be indifferent or insensitive. You don’t have to kill your feelings. It’s enough to kill hatred within yourself.” – Geralt of Rivia, Blood of Elves