# Quote — J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

> 'You are wise and powerful. Will you not take the Ring?’
>
> 'No!' cried Gandalf, springing to his feet. 'With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly.' His eyes flashed and his face was lit as by a fire within. 'Do not tempt me! For I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself. Yet the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity, pity for weakness and the desire of strength to do good. Do not tempt me! I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe, unused. The wish to wield it would be too great for my strength. I shall have such need of it. Great perils lie before me.'

- Author: [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien.md)
- Book: [The Fellowship of the Ring](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien/the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_of_the_Ring#The_Shadow_of_the_Past) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien/the-fellowship-of-the-ring/you-are-wise

## More from this book

> We must take a hard road, a road unforeseen. There lies our hope, if hope it be. To walk into peril – to Mordor. We must send the Ring to the Fire.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien/the-fellowship-of-the-ring/we-must-take.md)

> It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill. But such falls and betrayals, alas, have happened before.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien/the-fellowship-of-the-ring/it-is-perilous.md)

> 'Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens,' said Gimli.
>
> 'Maybe,' said Elrond, 'but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.'
>
> 'Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart,' said Gimli.
>
> 'Or break it,' said Elrond.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-r-r-tolkien/the-fellowship-of-the-ring/faithless-is-he-that.md)