James Clavell

Only merchants have money to waste, and what are they but parasites who create nothing, grow nothing, make nothing but feed off another's labor?

And Adam ruled, for he was the King. Until the day his will to be King deserted him. Then he died, food for a stronger. And the strongest was always the King, not by strength alone, but King by cunning and luck and strength together. Among the rats.

When a man's pride is injured, death is a small price to repay the insult.

That's the first rule of survival in enemy waters: volunteer nothing.

Only a real man has the right to stand at the pinnacle.