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Brynden Tully
Jon Arryn was Lysa’s husband and, before his death, was the Hand of the King for Robert. He also served as a mentor for both Ned and Robert when the two were wards at the Eyrie. Robert and Ned both view Jon Arryn as a father figure. Jon Arryn’s death serves as a catalyst for much of the action of the novel, as it leads Robert to ask Ned to replace Jon Arryn as the Hand of the King, bringing Ned to King’s Landing and making him a reluctant participant in the “game of thrones.” Lysa accuses the Lannisters of killing Jon Arryn, and Ned later discovers that the Lannisters indeed killed him to try and make sure he didn’t disclose his knowledge that Joffrey was not Robert’s biological son and was instead Jaime and Cersei’s son.
Jon Arryn Quotes in A Game of Thrones
The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Jon Arryn or refer to Jon Arryn. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4: Eddard
Quotes
“I want you down in King’s Landing, not up here at the end of the world where you are no damned use to anybody.” Robert looked off into the darkness, for a moment as melancholy as a Stark. “I swear to you, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one. Laws are a tedious business and counting coppers is worse. And the people … there is no end of them. I sit on that damnable iron chair and listen to them complain until my mind is numb and my ass is raw. They all want something, money or land or justice. The lies they tell … and my lords and ladies are no better. I am surrounded by flatterers and fools. It can drive a man to madness, Ned. Half of them don’t dare tell me the truth, and the other half can’t find it.” […]
Robert was offering [Ned] a responsibility as large as the realm itself.
It was the last thing in the world he wanted.
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Chapter 20: Eddard
Quotes
Remember why I came here, my love. If I find proof that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn …”
He felt Catelyn tremble in his arms. Her scarred hands clung to him. “If,” she said, “what then, my love?”
That was the most dangerous part, Ned knew. “All justice flows from the king,” he told her. “When I know the truth, I must go to Robert.” And pray that he is the man I think he is, he finished silently, and not the man I fear he has become.
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Jon Arryn Quotes in A Game of Thrones
The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Jon Arryn or refer to Jon Arryn. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4: Eddard
Quotes
“I want you down in King’s Landing, not up here at the end of the world where you are no damned use to anybody.” Robert looked off into the darkness, for a moment as melancholy as a Stark. “I swear to you, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one. Laws are a tedious business and counting coppers is worse. And the people … there is no end of them. I sit on that damnable iron chair and listen to them complain until my mind is numb and my ass is raw. They all want something, money or land or justice. The lies they tell … and my lords and ladies are no better. I am surrounded by flatterers and fools. It can drive a man to madness, Ned. Half of them don’t dare tell me the truth, and the other half can’t find it.” […]
Robert was offering [Ned] a responsibility as large as the realm itself.
It was the last thing in the world he wanted.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20: Eddard
Quotes
Remember why I came here, my love. If I find proof that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn …”
He felt Catelyn tremble in his arms. Her scarred hands clung to him. “If,” she said, “what then, my love?”
That was the most dangerous part, Ned knew. “All justice flows from the king,” he told her. “When I know the truth, I must go to Robert.” And pray that he is the man I think he is, he finished silently, and not the man I fear he has become.
