Malazan Empire: Wherewithal? Wut? - Malazan Empire

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Wherewithal? Wut?

#1 User is offline   Khanna 

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Posted 20 July 2022 - 06:55 AM

In the 5th book there is a scene where King Ezgara Diskanar, Ceda Kuru Qan and King's Champion Brys Beddict are conversing. Before leaving the room, the king says:

"Gerun Eberict will need to reduce his own entourage, I think..."

After he goes, Brys says:

"If wherewithal was an immortal virtue..."

The Ceda finishes his sentence:

"Our king would be a god."

I can't figure out the meaning of the word "wherewithal" in this context. Its dictionary definition doesn't fit. Would someone explain to me what Brys and Ceda mean by this last comment?

This post has been edited by Khanna: 20 July 2022 - 06:57 AM

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#2 User is offline   Tsundoku 

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Posted 20 July 2022 - 08:01 AM

Wherewithal = the ability and means/resources (especially financial) to accomplish a task.

Not having an electronic copy of Midnight Tides I an only guess at the context. The conversation was about something the King was considering doing which would be a very difficult task for anyone else but something the King considered trifling, and he ended with a tangential afterthought, but Brys and the Ceda were referring to the main part of the conversation? The last part between them basically joking that if near-infinite resources were a virtue of immortals/ascendants/Gods then the King would be a God.

Very smartarse humour. Anyhoo, that's my theory. Probably way off.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 20 July 2022 - 08:02 AM

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#3 User is offline   Khanna 

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Posted 20 July 2022 - 09:32 AM

View PostTsundoku, on 20 July 2022 - 08:01 AM, said:

Wherewithal = the ability and means/resources (especially financial) to accomplish a task.

Not having an electronic copy of Midnight Tides I an only guess at the context. The conversation was about something the King was considering doing which would be a very difficult task for anyone else but something the King considered trifling, and he ended with a tangential afterthought, but Brys and the Ceda were referring to the main part of the conversation? The last part between them basically joking that if near-infinite resources were a virtue of immortals/ascendants/Gods then the King would be a God.

Very smartarse humour. Anyhoo, that's my theory. Probably way off.


It makes sense actually. Thank you.
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