The thirst for equality can express itself either as a desire to draw everyone down to one's level, or to raise oneself and everyone else up.

Follow in the footsteps of your fathers' virtue! How could you hope to climb high unless your fathers' will climbs with you?

I love him who maketh his virtue his inclination and destiny: thus, for the sake of his virtue, he is willing to live on, or live no more.

Egoism is the law of perspective applied to feelings: what is closest appears large and weighty, and as one moves farther away size and weight decrease.

Human, all too human.

Everything that is ponderous, vicious and pompously clumsy, all long-winded and wearying kinds of style, are developed in great variety among Germans.

What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal: what there is to love in man is that he is a going-over and a going-under.