What someone is, begins to be revealed when his talent abates, when he stops showing us what he can do.

To think historically is almost the same thing now as if in all ages history had been made according to theory.

Something might be true while being harmful and dangerous in the highest degree. Indeed, it might be a basic characteristic of existence that those who know it completely would perish, in which case the strength of a spirit should be measured according to how much of the 'truth' one could still barely endure- or to put it more clearly, to what degree one would require it to be thinned down, shrouded, sweetened, blunted, falsified.

The highest type of free men should be sought where the highest resistance is constantly overcome: five steps from tyranny, close to the threshold of the danger of servitude.

Subordination to morality can be slavish or vain or self- interested or resigned or gloomily enthusiastic or thoughtless or an act of despair, just as subordination to a prince can be: in itself it is nothing moral.

Live so that thou mayest desire to live again - that is thy duty - for in any case thou wilt live again!

Every profound spirit needs a mask: even more, around every profound spirit a mask is continually growing.