When one has not had a good father, one must create one.

Thinking has to be learned in the way dancing has to be learned.

Every habit makes our hand more witty and our wit less handy.

Where there is the tree of knowledge, there is always Paradise: so say the most ancient and most modern serpents.

The purpose of criminal law is to punish the enemies of those in power.

But the worst enemy you can meet will always be yourself; you lie in wait for yourself in caverns and forests. Lonely one, you are going the way to yourself! And your way goes past yourself, and past your seven devils! You will be a heretic to yourself and witch and soothsayer and fool and doubter and unholy one and villain. You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame: how could you become new, if you had not first become ashes?

Since men do not really respect anything unless it was established long ago and has developed slowly over time, those who want tokeep on living after their death must take worry not only about their future generations but even more about their past: that is why tyrants of all kinds (including tyrannical artists and politicians) like to do violence to history, so that it will appear as a preparation and stepladder to themselves.