Existence begins in every instant.

No artist tolerates reality.

Higher than "thou shalt" stands "I will" (the heroes), and higher than "I will" stands "I am" (the Greek gods).

What is the task of higher education? To make a man into a machine. What are the means employed? He is taught how to suffer being bored.

Some die too young, some die too old; the precept sounds strange, but die at the right age.

Men after death ... are understood worse than men of the moment, but heard better.

Do not talk about giftedness, inborn talents! One can assume great men of all kinds who were very little gifted. They acquired greatness, became “geniuses” (as we put it), through qualities the lack of which no one who knew what they were would boast of: they all possessed that seriousness of the efficient workman which first learns to construct the parts properly before it ventures to fashion a great whole; they allowed themselves time for it, because they took more pleasure in making the little, secondary things well than in the effect of a dazzling whole.