The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. . . . A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.

In George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novel *A Game of Thrones* (1996), the maxim is voiced by Eddard “Ned” Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Early in the book, Ned personally carries out an execution after judging a deserter from the Night’s Watch. The line encapsulates a Stark ideal of lordship: justice is not an abstract administrative act but a grave moral responsibility that should be borne directly by the one who commands it. The sentiment also functions as a quiet critique of rulers who delegate violence to underlings, insulating themselves from the human cost of their decisions.

The quote argues that legitimate authority requires personal accountability. If a ruler orders death, he should confront its reality—physically and psychologically—rather than outsourcing the act to “paid executioners.” By forcing the judge to “swing the sword,” the saying aims to prevent cruelty born of distance: when leaders do not witness the consequences of their commands, killing can become routine, political, or convenient. Martin uses the principle to define Ned Stark’s character—honor, restraint, and an almost ritual seriousness about justice—while also foreshadowing how other political actors in the series treat violence as a tool, not a burden.