Prince Caspian

by

C. S. Lewis

Doctor Cornelius Character Analysis

Doctor Cornelius is the tutor King Miraz hires to replace Prince Caspian’s beloved Nurse. Cornelius is mixed-race, with Telmarine (human) and Dwarf ancestors. This gives him a connection to and an interest in the Golden Age of Narnia, and he has already done a lot of research about the past when he becomes Caspian’s tutor. He teaches these things to the boy in secret to escape Miraz’s attention. Cornelius also explains to Caspian facts about his own history, including how Miraz murdered Caspian’s father and stole his rightful throne. When Prunaprismia gives birth to a son, it’s Cornelius who helps Caspian escape and gives him the magical horn he eventually uses to summon help. Eventually, he follows Caspian to the Old Narnian side where he becomes a wise and trusted counselor to all (except Nikabrik, who despises him for his mixed heritage). When Caspian prepares to ascend to the throne, he elevates Cornelius to Lord Chancellor.

Doctor Cornelius Quotes in Prince Caspian

The Prince Caspian quotes below are all either spoken by Doctor Cornelius or refer to Doctor Cornelius. 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:
Good vs. Evil Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4: The Dwarf Tells of Prince Caspian Quotes

“Oh, don’t you know?” he said. “Aslan is the great Lion who comes from over the sea.”

“Who has been telling you all this nonsense?” said the King in a voice of thunder. Caspian was frightened and said nothing.

“Your Royal Highness,” said King Miraz, […] “I insist upon being answered. Look me in the face. Who has been telling you this pack of lies?”

“N—Nurse,” faltered Caspian, and burst into tears.

“Stop that noise,” said his uncle, taking Caspian by the shoulders and giving him a shake. “Stop it. And never let me catch you talking—or thinking either—about all those silly stories again. There never were those Kings and Queens. How could there be two Kings at the same time? And there’s no such person as Aslan. And there are no such things as lions. And there never was a time when animals could talk. Do you hear?”

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Miraz (speaker), Aslan, Doctor Cornelius, Nurse
Page Number: 43-44
Explanation and Analysis:

“Listen,” said the Doctor. “All you have heard about Old Narnia is true. It is not the land of Men. It is the country of Aslan, the country of the Walking Trees and Visible Naiads, of Fauns and Satyrs, of Dwarfs and Giants, of the gods and the Centaurs, of Talking Beasts. It was against these that the first Caspian fought. It is you Telmarines who silenced the beasts and the trees and the fountains, and who killed and drove away the Dwarfs and the Fauns, and are now trying to cover up even the memory of them. The king does not allow them to be spoke of.”

“Oh, I do wish we hadn’t,” said Caspian. “And I am glad it was all true, even if it is all over.”

“Many of your race wish that in secret,” said Doctor Cornelius.

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Doctor Cornelius (speaker), Aslan, Miraz
Page Number: 52
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: Caspian’s Adventure in the Mountains Quotes

He also learned a great deal by using his own eyes and ears. As a little boy he had often wondered why he disliked his aunt, Queen Prunaprismia; he now saw that it was because she disliked him. He also began to see that Narnia was an unhappy country. The taxes were high and the laws were stern and Miraz was a cruel man.

Related Characters: Caspian, Doctor Cornelius, Miraz, Prunaprismia
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12: Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance Quotes

“I blew it when first I had a breathing space,” [said Caspian].

“I’m not likely to forget it,” came the angry voice, “when my Dwarfs bore the brunt of the attack and one in five of them fell,” [said Nikabrik].

“For shame, Dwarf,” came [Trufflehunter’s] thick voice […]. “We all did as much as the Dwarfs and none more than the King.”

“Tell that tale your own way for all I care,” answered Nikabrik. “But whether it was that the Horn was blown too late, or whether there was no magic in it, no help has come. You, you great clerk, you master magician, you know-all; are you still asking us to hang our hopes on Aslan and King Peter and all the rest of it?”

“I must confess—I cannot deny it—that I am deeply disappointed with the results of the operation,” came the answer [from Doctor Cornelius].

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Nikabrik (speaker), Trufflehunter (speaker), Doctor Cornelius (speaker), Peter, Edmund, Susan, Aslan, Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F.
Related Symbols: Horn
Page Number: 173-174
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: The High King in Command Quotes

“Miraz would never be so hair-brained as to throw away his advantage on a combat.”

“He might be brought to it,” said Glozelle […].

“Softly,” said Sopespian. “[…] Have I taken your Lordship’s meaning aright?”

“If the King undertook wager of battle,” whispered Glozelle, “why, either he would kill or be killed.”

“So,” said Sopespian […].

“And if he killed we should have won this war.”

“Certainly. And if not?”

“Why, if not, we should be as able to win it without the King’s grace as with him [...], And after that, we should be both victorious and kingless.”

“And […] you and I could hold this land quiet as conveniently without a King as with one?”

Glozelle’s face grew ugly. “Not forgetting,” said he, “that it was we who first put him on the throne. And in all the years that he has enjoyed it, what fruits have come our way? What gratitude has he shown us?”

Related Characters: Glozelle (speaker), Sopespian (speaker), Caspian, Peter, Edmund, Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F., Trufflehunter, Doctor Cornelius, Miraz
Page Number: 192-193
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14: How All Were Very Busy Quotes

While they were doing this, Edmund asked, anxiously, “What do you think of him, Peter?”

“Tough,” said Peter. “Very tough. I have a chance if I can keep him on the hop till his weight and short wind come against him—in this hot sun too. To tell the truth, I haven’t much chance else. Give my love to—to everyone at home, Ed, if he gets me. Here he comes into the lists again. So long, old chap. Goodbye, Doctor. And I say, Ed, say something specially nice to Trumpkin. He's been a brick.”

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Edmund (speaker), Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F. (speaker), Doctor Cornelius, Miraz
Page Number: 206
Explanation and Analysis:
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Doctor Cornelius Quotes in Prince Caspian

The Prince Caspian quotes below are all either spoken by Doctor Cornelius or refer to Doctor Cornelius. 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:
Good vs. Evil Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4: The Dwarf Tells of Prince Caspian Quotes

“Oh, don’t you know?” he said. “Aslan is the great Lion who comes from over the sea.”

“Who has been telling you all this nonsense?” said the King in a voice of thunder. Caspian was frightened and said nothing.

“Your Royal Highness,” said King Miraz, […] “I insist upon being answered. Look me in the face. Who has been telling you this pack of lies?”

“N—Nurse,” faltered Caspian, and burst into tears.

“Stop that noise,” said his uncle, taking Caspian by the shoulders and giving him a shake. “Stop it. And never let me catch you talking—or thinking either—about all those silly stories again. There never were those Kings and Queens. How could there be two Kings at the same time? And there’s no such person as Aslan. And there are no such things as lions. And there never was a time when animals could talk. Do you hear?”

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Miraz (speaker), Aslan, Doctor Cornelius, Nurse
Page Number: 43-44
Explanation and Analysis:

“Listen,” said the Doctor. “All you have heard about Old Narnia is true. It is not the land of Men. It is the country of Aslan, the country of the Walking Trees and Visible Naiads, of Fauns and Satyrs, of Dwarfs and Giants, of the gods and the Centaurs, of Talking Beasts. It was against these that the first Caspian fought. It is you Telmarines who silenced the beasts and the trees and the fountains, and who killed and drove away the Dwarfs and the Fauns, and are now trying to cover up even the memory of them. The king does not allow them to be spoke of.”

“Oh, I do wish we hadn’t,” said Caspian. “And I am glad it was all true, even if it is all over.”

“Many of your race wish that in secret,” said Doctor Cornelius.

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Doctor Cornelius (speaker), Aslan, Miraz
Page Number: 52
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: Caspian’s Adventure in the Mountains Quotes

He also learned a great deal by using his own eyes and ears. As a little boy he had often wondered why he disliked his aunt, Queen Prunaprismia; he now saw that it was because she disliked him. He also began to see that Narnia was an unhappy country. The taxes were high and the laws were stern and Miraz was a cruel man.

Related Characters: Caspian, Doctor Cornelius, Miraz, Prunaprismia
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12: Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance Quotes

“I blew it when first I had a breathing space,” [said Caspian].

“I’m not likely to forget it,” came the angry voice, “when my Dwarfs bore the brunt of the attack and one in five of them fell,” [said Nikabrik].

“For shame, Dwarf,” came [Trufflehunter’s] thick voice […]. “We all did as much as the Dwarfs and none more than the King.”

“Tell that tale your own way for all I care,” answered Nikabrik. “But whether it was that the Horn was blown too late, or whether there was no magic in it, no help has come. You, you great clerk, you master magician, you know-all; are you still asking us to hang our hopes on Aslan and King Peter and all the rest of it?”

“I must confess—I cannot deny it—that I am deeply disappointed with the results of the operation,” came the answer [from Doctor Cornelius].

Related Characters: Caspian (speaker), Nikabrik (speaker), Trufflehunter (speaker), Doctor Cornelius (speaker), Peter, Edmund, Susan, Aslan, Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F.
Related Symbols: Horn
Page Number: 173-174
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: The High King in Command Quotes

“Miraz would never be so hair-brained as to throw away his advantage on a combat.”

“He might be brought to it,” said Glozelle […].

“Softly,” said Sopespian. “[…] Have I taken your Lordship’s meaning aright?”

“If the King undertook wager of battle,” whispered Glozelle, “why, either he would kill or be killed.”

“So,” said Sopespian […].

“And if he killed we should have won this war.”

“Certainly. And if not?”

“Why, if not, we should be as able to win it without the King’s grace as with him [...], And after that, we should be both victorious and kingless.”

“And […] you and I could hold this land quiet as conveniently without a King as with one?”

Glozelle’s face grew ugly. “Not forgetting,” said he, “that it was we who first put him on the throne. And in all the years that he has enjoyed it, what fruits have come our way? What gratitude has he shown us?”

Related Characters: Glozelle (speaker), Sopespian (speaker), Caspian, Peter, Edmund, Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F., Trufflehunter, Doctor Cornelius, Miraz
Page Number: 192-193
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14: How All Were Very Busy Quotes

While they were doing this, Edmund asked, anxiously, “What do you think of him, Peter?”

“Tough,” said Peter. “Very tough. I have a chance if I can keep him on the hop till his weight and short wind come against him—in this hot sun too. To tell the truth, I haven’t much chance else. Give my love to—to everyone at home, Ed, if he gets me. Here he comes into the lists again. So long, old chap. Goodbye, Doctor. And I say, Ed, say something specially nice to Trumpkin. He's been a brick.”

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Edmund (speaker), Trumpkin/the Dwarf/D.L.F. (speaker), Doctor Cornelius, Miraz
Page Number: 206
Explanation and Analysis: