The magister bowed slightly. "I take you for a king. Kings lack the caution of common men. My apologies if I have given offense."
In this quote, the magister pointed out the thing that Kings lacked, and that is caution. With the power that a crown can bring, also comes the idea that they are above all, that they can’t be touched by justice or misfortune. This idea that kings are god-like creatures is generally accepted by every character in the book. The power that the King represents is absolute and in general no one has the power to object should a king decide something. But even this power is limited and Illyrio Mopatis knows this, living during the time that the Mad King ruled over Westeros. This quote can be seen as a warning for Viserys, Illyrio knowing that if Viserys doesn’t start accepting advice from others and if he doesn’t start do be more humble, he could end up like his grandfather, who was eventually killed by King Robert.
Catelyn wished she could share his joy. But she had heard the talk in the yards; a direwolf dead in the snow, a broken antler in its throat. Dread coiled within her like a snake, but she forced herself to smile at this man she loved, this man who put no faith in signs.
This quote illustrates two different points of view regarding divinity and faith in general in Westeros. On one side, we have Catelyn, devoted to the Seven Gods, believing that they play an active part in one’s life and that little things that happen in their life are actually signs that are meant to be taken seriously and, at the opposite pole, we have Eddard devoted to the old Gods, who believes that even though Gods have to be respected but doesn’t share Catelyn’s fears regarding the signs that may or may not be sent by the Gods.
For a moment Eddard Stark was filled with a terrible sense of foreboding. This was his place, here in the north. He looked at the stone figures all around them, breathed deep in the chill silence of the crypt. He could feel the eyes of the dead. They were all listening, he knew. And winter was coming.
This quote can be said to foreshadow some the events that will take place later on. Even though he doesn’t know what will happen, Eddard realizes that by leaving the place where he was supposed to be, he exposes himself to dangers that he will not be able to avoid.
Jon shrugged. "Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister."
The social dynamics in Westeros are revealed partially through this quote. Bastards, even if they got the right to fight, they had no legal right concerning their father’s wealth. Their possibilities were limited as a result of their status and in social situations they were forced to stay away from the true-born children of their fathers. For girls, their possibilities are also limited. They were expected to bear children, get married well, and learn thing like poetry and arts. They were however not let to learn how to fight and their position in society was given either by their birth or by their marriage. It is clear that bastards and girls are similar when concerning the limitations imposed on them.
