The man who obeys is nearly always better than the man who commands.

I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.

As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If they once understand themselves the ruling men will be lost.

He whom God has touched will always be a being apart: he is, whatever he may do, a stranger among men; he is marked by a sign.

To conceive the good, in fact, is not sufficient; it must be made to succeed among men. To accomplish this less pure paths must be followed.

Getting its history wrong is part of being a nation.

The simplest schoolboy is now familiar with truths for which Archimedes would have sacrificed his life.