To know how to free oneself is nothing; the arduous thing is to know what to do with one's freedom.

The itch is a mean, unconfessable, ridiculous malady; one can pity someone who is suffering ; someone who wants to scratch himself makes one laugh.

Humanity cherishes its swaddling clothes; but it shall not grow up unless it can free itself from them. Turning down his mother's breast does not make the weaned child ungrateful. ... Rise up naked, valiant; make the sheaths crack; push aside the stakes; to grow straight you need no more than the thrust of your sap and the call of the sun.

The great artist is one whom constraint exalts, for whom the obstacle is a springboard.

Man is more interesting than men. God made him and not them in his image. Each one is more precious than all.

Man's responsibility increases as that of the gods decreases.

Our judgements about things vary according to the time left us to live -that we think is left us to live.