Our knowledge will take its revenge on us, just as ignorance exacted its revenge during the Middle Ages.

Pity is the most pleasant feeling in those who have not much pride and have no prospect of great conquests; for them the easy prey - and that is what all who suffer are - is enchanting.

Every great love brings with it the cruel idea of killing the object of its love so that it may be removed once and for all from the wicked game of change: for love dreads change even more than annihilation.

Being human is a complicated gig. So give that ol' dark night of the soul a hug. Howl the eternal yes!

I enquire now as to the genesis of a philologist and assert the following: 1. A young man cannot possibly know what Greeks and Romans are. 2. He does not know whether he is suited for finding out about them.

Only you must have worthy foes hate, but not enemies worthy of contempt. You must be proud of your enemy.

Assuming that we have trained our imagination to denounce the past, we will not suffer much from unfulfilled wishes.