“ For, you see, I knew Laurence Connaught. We were friends. I would have trusted him with my life. But this was more than just a life.Twenty-three words told how to do the things that Laurence Connaught did. Anyone who could read could do them. Criminals, traitors, lunatics—the formula would work for anyone.Laurence Connaught was an honest man and an idealist, I think. But what would happen to any man when he became God? Suppose you were told twenty-three words that would let you reach into any bank vault, peer inside any closed room, walk through any wall? Suppose pistols could not kill you? ”
Frederik Pohl
Summary
“Pythias”, is a work by Frederik Pohl. It explores elements such as Laurence Connaught, Larry and grenade.
Quotes from Pythias (Frederik Pohl)
“ They say power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And there can be no more absolute power than the twenty-three words that can free a man of any jail or give him anything he wants. Larry was my friend. ”
“ Talking all night about everything. But you remembered.""You claimed that the human mind possessed powers of psychokinesis," I said. "You argued that just by the mind, without moving a finger or using a machine, a man could move his body anywhere, instantly. You said that nothing was impossible to the mind."I felt like an absolute fool saying those things; they were ridiculous notions. Imagine a man thinking himself from one place to another! But—I had been on that gallery.I licked my lips and looked to Larry Connaught for confirmation."I was all wet," Larry laughed. "Imagine!" ”
