Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.

A refined soul is distressed to know that someone owes it thanks; a crude soul, to know that it owes someone thanks.

Socrates condemned art because he preferred philosophy and only after much internal struggle did Plato accept this judgment.

In a friend one should have ones best enemy. You should be closest to him with your heart when you resist him.

Few serve truth in truth because only few have the pure will to be just, and of those again very few have the strength to be just.

The beast in us must be[78] wheedled: ethic is necessary, that we may not be torn to pieces.

Every church is a stone on the grave of a god-man: it does not want him to rise up again under any circumstances.