How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"All empires fall. But the idea of Egypt is eternal—the triumph of civilization, the forces of Ma'at overcoming the forces of chaos." (20.45)
Nut says that Egypt was an empire, sure, and like all empires, it fell. But Egypt is also an idea, and a pretty strong one at that. The idea of Egypt survives in all civilizations that, well, survive.
Quote #5
Zia looked at me blankly. "That's the problem, Carter. I can't remember. Iskandar tells me about my past. He gave me these pictures, explained what happened. But… I have no memory at all." (17.44)
Personal memories matter just as much as historical ones. Zia's troubled by her blank past, and it helps make her loyal to Iskandar and the House of Life. It's sort of like Iskandar is giving Zia an identity that she lost along with her memories.
Quote #6
"The Ancient Egyptians were excellent builders, Sadie. They picked shapes—obelisks, pyramids—that were charged with symbolic magic. An obelisk represents a sunbeam frozen in stone—a life-giving ray from the original king of the gods, Ra. It doesn't matter when the structure was built: it is still Egyptian." (19.98)
Here, Bast shares an insight about the relationship of architecture to the past, and she even manages to not make it sound too boring. Basically, the Egyptians realized that certain shapes hold power. It doesn't matter whether the structure was built in the past or is built in the present, because the power exists in the shape itself. Is this similar to the way language has magical power in the book?