The Da Vinci Code | Quotes

This statement introduces Langdon and the crux of the story. It connects Langdon's area of expertise with the search for buried secrets and truth that awaits him.

This idea introduces two aspects of the story: the lies perpetuated by the Church and the devaluation of the feminine.

The Grail is not a cup or chalice. Instead it is a sacred symbol, or metaphor, for the powerful sacred feminine.

This statement clearly expresses the puzzles within puzzles, and codes within codes, in which the clues to the Grail mystery are embedded.

This statement foreshadows the conflict between Teabing, who wants the Grail's secrets revealed, and the Priory, which he states intends to keep them hidden, possibly forever.

The theme of truth and lies is evident in this quotation. The Bible is described as a kind of lie because the Church insists on its divine origin. However, Teabing asserts that the truth about the Bible is that it is a historical record written by people.

Power and the lies that support it are the subject of this quote, which asserts that the Church elevated Christ as the Messiah to retain its own power. The Church then used its power to prop up the power of any state that would support it. Both power centers collude in this lie by each aiding the other.

Here, again, religion and the Church are associated with lies: in this case lies told about the nature of Christ, as well as lies about the Holy Grail.

The Grail symbol, the chalice, is an ancient shape intimately associated with female-ness and the sacred feminine, which is a major theme of the novel.

Teabing's statement is true for all aspects of history. In this case he is referring to the Church—the winner—that had obliterated or destroyed all other interpretations of Christianity that did not subscribe to its own narrow view, or that refused to submit to the Church as the sole authority on Christian truth.

Here again Teabing emphasizes the close connection between the Holy Grail and the divine feminine. The quest for truth—as embodied in the Grail—is the quest for the sacred feminine.

This statement introduces a moral and spiritual aspect to the Grail quest. Only those whose motivations are pure and whose quest is for truth will be worthy of having the Grail find them. The statement foreshadows the failure of the conspirators who seek the Grail for selfish reasons or by nefarious means, such as betrayal and violence.

Teabing reveals his justification for the actions he's taken to acquire the Grail. He is obsessed with destroying the Church's lies, which will persist forever unless the truth of the Grail is revealed. He is the one who will do whatever needs to be done to free the Grail from the Church. The statement hints at who Teabing really is and what lengths he will go to find the Grail.

Langdon repeats Teabing's words back to him to emphasize the moral and spiritual aspects of unearthing the Grail and its truth. The quote appears as Teabing is being arrested for murders he committed in pursuit of the Grail—most definitely unworthy acts.

Sophie's grandmother plainly states that even if the actual Grail remains hidden, its truth will be expressed in many art forms. She openly connects modern art with the earlier art of Leonardo da Vinci (and others) as avenues to revealing the Grail's truth.