Ignoring the question of how the wilding culture could have adopted a High Valyrian phrase, Ygritte’s ‘all men must die,’ seems close to Dany’s translation for valar morghulis. The best clue comes from something Ygritte says on page 464 of A Storm of Swords: The captain replies with an odd sort of salute, and the phrase valar dohaeris. And on page 748, Oberyn Martell uses the phrase, confirming it is from Valyria.įor a discussion on why Jaqen may have told Arya to use that phrase, see the ‘What do we know about Faceless Men?’ discussion.Īrya finally uses the words valar morghulis at the end of Storm of Swords, speaking them to a Braavosi ship captain. 308, Missandei uses the phrase, and it seems to be in the High Valyrian tongue. Valar morghulis seems to translate to ‘All men must die,’ or ‘all men are mortal.’ In Storm of Swords, pg.
Arya repeats this words often times throughout the series, never quite knowing what they mean. In a memorable scene from A Clash of Kings, Jaqen H’ghar leaves Arya with only an old iron coin, and two words to say to any Braavosi she meets. “If the day comes when you would find me again, give that coin to any man from Braavos, and say these words to him-valar morghulis.”
What Does Valar Morghulis Mean? What About Valar Dohaeris?
