The reasoning is classic in its clarity. If God does not exist, Kirilov is god. If God does not exist, Kirilov must kill himself. Kirilov must therefore kill himself to become god. That logic is absurd, but it is what is needed.

No matter how the sun shone, the sea held forth no more promises.

One plays at being immortal and after a few weeks one doesn't even know whether or not one can hang on till the next day.

The danger of lectures is that they create the illusion of teaching for teachers, and the illusion of learning for learners.

When the body is sad, the heart languishes.

Something must happen; that is the reason for most human relationships. Something must happen; even servitude in love, in war, ordeath.

There is not a single true work of art that has not in the end added to the inner freedom insight and life of each person who has known and loved it.