Liv:
“Be my kin free fro carnal sin,
Bridle the thoughts of thy Master.”
Raymond:
“There hath past away a glore fro the earth;
A glore that in the hearts and minds of men,
Men dementéd — blinfoldéd by light,
Flourisheth as weed in their well-groom'd garths.”
Liv:
“The quality of mercy and absolution,
Whence cometh such qualities?
Build thyself a mirror in which
Solely wanton images of thy desire appear, appear, appear!”
Raymond:
“Might I too was blindfoldéd ere,
Tho' years have master'd me
A masque of this to fashion:
Sëer blest, thou best philosopher!”
Liv:
“'Tis the divine tragedy —
The fool and the mocking court:
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!:
Make us guffaw at thy futile follies,
Yet for our blunders — Oh, in shame;
Earth beareth no balm for mistakes —
We hold the Earth fro Hell away.”
Raymond:
“'Tis the divine comedy —
The fool and the mocking court:
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!:
We hold the Earth fro Heaven away.”
Dialog from Roger Corman film «Masque of the Red Death» (1964):
Prince Prospero:
“That cross you wear around your neck; is it only a decoration, or are you a true Christian believer?”
Francesca:
“Yes, I believe – truly.”
Prince Prospero:
“Then I want you to remove it at once! – and never to wear it within this castle again! Do you know how a falcon is trained my dear? Her eyes are sewn shut. Blinded temporarily she suffers the whims of her God patiently, until her will is submerged and she learns to serve — as your God taught and blinded you with crosses.”
Francesca:
“You had me take off my cross because it offended…”
Prince Prospero:
“It offended no one. No — it simply appears to me to be discourteous to… to wear the symbol of a deity long dead. My ancestors tried to find it. And to open the door that seperates us from our Creator.”
Francesca:
“But you need no doors to find God. If you believe…”
Prince Prospero:
“Believe?! If you believe you are gullible. Can you look around this world and believe in the goodness of a god who rules it? Famine, Pestilence, War, Disease and Death! They rule this world.”
Francesca:
“There is also love and life and hope.”
Prince Prospero:
“Very little hope I assure you. No. If a god of love and life ever did exist… he is long since dead. Someone… something rules in his place.”
Raymond:
“Believe? In a deity long dead? —
I would rather be a pagan suckléd in creeds outworn;
With faërytales fill'd up in head:
Thoughts of the Book stillborn.”
Liv:
“Shadow of annoyance —
Ne'er come hither!
…And when He falleth, He falleth like Lucifer,
Ne'er to ascend again…”