Rendering oneself unarmed when one had been the best-armed, out of a height of feeling-that is the means to real peace, which must always rest on a peace of mind.

But are there many honest people who will admit that it is pleasing to give pain?

Narrow souls I cannot abide; There's almost no good or evil inside

I have found strength where one does not look for it: in simple, mild, and pleasant people, without the least desire to rule -- and, conversely, the desire to rule has often appeared to me a sign of inward weakness: they fear their own slave soul and shroud it in a royal cloak (in the end, they still become the slaves of their followers, their fame, etc.)

What? You seek something? You wish to multiply yourself tenfold, a hundredfold? You seek followers? Seek zeros!

There exists above the "productive" man a yet higher species.

Conversation with a friend will only bear good fruit of knowledge when both think only of the matter under consideration and forget that they are friends.