Behind all their personal vanity, women themselves always have an impersonal contempt for woman.

A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.

But thus I counsel you, my friends: Mistrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful. They are people of a low sort and stock; the hangmen and the bloodhound look out of their faces. Mistrust all who talk much of their justice! Verily, their souls lack more than honey. And when they call themselves the good and the just, do not forget that they would be pharisees, if only they had-power.

Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day.

We are unknown to ourselves, we men of knowledge - and with good reason. We have never sought ourselves - how could it happen that we should ever find ourselves? It has rightly been said: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"; our treasure is where the beehives of our knowledge are.

We must be cruel as well as compassionate: let us guard against becoming poorer than nature is!

What does it matter whether I am shown to be right! I am right too much!--And he who laughs best today will also laugh last.