Zathras Says

 

Out of context, from a long-ago never-watched sf TV series (1993-1998) called Babylon 5, quotes from a character named Zathras — that might be poetry, or nonsense, or both — from scripts written mainly by J Michael Straczynski:

  • "Can not run out of time. There is infinite time. You are finite. Zathras is finite. — This is wrong tool. No. No. Not good. No. No. Never use this."
  • "Zathras is used to being beast of burden to other people's needs. Zathras have sad life, probably have sad death, but at least there is symmetry."
  • "Drall gave Zathras list of things not to say. This was one. No. Not good. Not supposed to mention one. Or the One. Oh — you never heard that."
  • "Zathras understand. No, Zathras not understand, but Zathras do. Zathras good at doings, not understandings."
  • "All Minbari belief is around three. Three castes: worker, warrior, religious. Three languages: Light, Dark, Gray. The Nine of the Gray Council: three times three. All is three. As you are three. As you are one. As you are the One." — "You are the One Who Was." — "You are the One Who Is." — "You are the One Who Will Be." — "You are the beginning of the story, and the middle of the story, and the end of the story that creates the next great story. In your heart, you know what Zathras says is true. Go now. Zathras' place is with the One Who Was. We have — a destiny."
  • "Everyone always coming to Zathras with problems. Great responsibilities. But Zathras does not mind. Zathras trained in crisis management."
  • "But only Zathras have no one to talk to. No one manages poor Zathras, you see. So Zathras talks to dirt. Sometimes talks to walls, or talks to ceilings. But dirt is closer. Dirt is used, through everyone walking on it. Just like Zathras, but we've come to like it. It is our role. It is our destiny in the universe. So, you see, sometimes dirt has insects in it. And Zathras likes insects. Not so good for conversation, but much protein for diet."
  • "Cannot say. Saying, I would know. Do not know, so cannot say."

(cf. The Wisdom of Zathras, ...) - ^z - 2018-01-28