The Magus, My Favorite Quote's and Why

Pg. 529
This is the part in the novel when Nicholas is being forced to watch this movie constructed by the masques, when these words appear in his mind: "Nothing is true; Everything is permitted." This quote to me exemplifies all of Nicholas' trials throughout the 'game'. Within his doubt of earthly morals and god-like experiences lies the words to describe the driving force behind myth and mystery: Nothing is true; Everything is permitted.

Pg. 531
"So that the smile was not so much an attitude to be taken to life as the nature of the cruelty of life, a cruelty we cannot choose to avoid, since it is human existence. He meant something far stranger by, 'Learn to smile' than a Smilesian 'Grin and bear it'. If anything it meant 'Learn to be cruel, learn to be dry, learn to survive'." This excerpt describes Nicholas' interaction with Conchis as one of huge metaphor and seemingly abrupt realization. All together though, 'The Magus' is riddled with questions and mysteries, to me this excerpt briefly explains the troubles with the acceptance of death.

Pg. 550
When Nicholas is in the Earth and he finds all the letters between Lily and Rose, he finds the story of 'The Prince and The Magician". A fairy-tale that can be directly related to Nicholas' experience. In the tale, a Prince's doubts concerning God (taught to be a magician in disguise), and the false pretense that the Prince's father tells him, links directly to Nicholas and his decision to accept the fact that nothing is real, only if we believe it is.

Pg. 580
Obviously, Fowle's novel is centered around mythological initiation rites and symbolism that incorporates each character. On page 580, Nicholas is attempting to track down Conchis and he realizes several symbolic insertions in his experiences with the masque. "Raising both arms above the head. Conchis got this from ancient Egypt. It was the Ka sign used by initiates 'to gain possession of the cosmic forces of mystery'. In many tomb paintings. It meant: "I am master of the spells. Strength is mine. I impart strength.' Another Egyptian symbol was the ring-topped cross on the walls of the trial room. It was their 'key of life'. The wheel symbol. 'The mandala, or wheel is a universal symbol of existence.' The ribbon on my leg, the bare shoulder. From masonic ritual, but believed to descend from the Elusinian mysteries. Associated with initiation." All of this shows me that the intention of the masques was hidden behind symbolic meaning of not just one set of religious precepts, but several.


Pg. 626
This takes place at Mrs de Sietas home, where Nicholas is lead by his clues. All together this quote basically sums up all the intentions and questions surrounding the novel:
"Am I ever going to be told what you really think you're doing?"
"You have been told."
"Lie upon lie."
"Perhaps that's our way of telling the truth."
[...] "An answer is always a form of death."

To me, this dialogue between Nicholas and Mrs de Sietas, perhaps makes Nicholas realize that there is no real world explanation for his trial's and hardships, it's only the act of making him question everything, instead of assuming he will always know the answer.

And finally, Pg. 646
This is a culmination of realizations of Nicholas Urfe within the novels last interaction with Kemp.
"Whatever it was, something in me changed. I was still the butt, yet in another sense; Conchis truths, especially the truth he had embodied in Lily, matured in me. Slowly I was learning to smile, and in the special sense that Conchis intended. Though one cannot accept, and still not forgive; and one can decide, and still not enact the decision."
After this point in the novel I really became frustrated and annoyed by its incessant drabbing on about his missing Alison, even then in the end, he doesn't get her, after months and months of waiting for her, he realizes he's better off without her.