Lord Tyger by Philip Jose Farmer
"'Of course there is one God,' Gilluk said. 'But He has many forms and many lives, all at once. Can you understand that? This sword is a god. I am a god, though I can die. However, I am not standing here to discuss religion with you.'"
"Everybody he had known could think up reasons to justify his actions."
"A battle for your life was no time to subscribe to ritual or to any conventions. It was time for every trick you knew and any you might invent at the moment."
"Tears made Gilluk's eyes shine like polished ebony in a dismal rain."
"'You can strip me of my leopardskin. You can kill me. But you can do nothing to strip me of the idea that I am worthy of wearing the leopardskin. Even if I am killed by you, I still have not agreed wit you. And there is the idea, the idea that I am wearing the skin. It still exists, though I am dead.'"
"Everybody he had known could think up reasons to justify his actions."
"A battle for your life was no time to subscribe to ritual or to any conventions. It was time for every trick you knew and any you might invent at the moment."
"Tears made Gilluk's eyes shine like polished ebony in a dismal rain."
"'You can strip me of my leopardskin. You can kill me. But you can do nothing to strip me of the idea that I am worthy of wearing the leopardskin. Even if I am killed by you, I still have not agreed wit you. And there is the idea, the idea that I am wearing the skin. It still exists, though I am dead.'"