The most fatal seductive lie that has yet existed

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.

The misunderstanding of passion and reason, as if the latter were an independent entity and not rather a system of relations between various passions and desires; and as if every passion did not possess its quantum of reason.

love as a passion—it is our European specialty—must absolutely be of noble origin; as is well known, its invention is due to the Provencal poet-cavaliers, those brilliant, ingenious men of the "gai saber," to whom Europe owes so much, and almost owes itself.

Men who think deeply appear to be comedians in their dealings with others because they always have to feign superficiality in order to be understood.

A book full of brilliance imparts some of it even to its opponents.

Oh great star! What would your happiness be if you did not have us to shine for?