All human life is sunk deep in untruth; the individual cannot pull it out of this well without growing profoundly annoyed with his entire past, without finding his present motives (like honor) senseless, and without opposing scorn and disdain to the passions that urge one on to the future and to the happiness in it.

When one rows it is not the rowing which moves the ship: rowing is only a magical ceremony by means of which one compels a demon to move the ship.

When our brain feels too weak to deal with our opponent's objections, our heart answers by casting suspicion on their underlying motives.

The purpose of punishment is to improve those who do the punishing--that is the final recourse of those who support punishment.

We are unknown to ourselves, we men of knowledge - and with good reason. We have never sought ourselves - how could it happen that we should ever find ourselves? It has rightly been said: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"; our treasure is where the beehives of our knowledge are.

Whatever harm the evil may do, the harm done by the good is the most harmful harm.

What is evil?-Whatever springs from weakness.