There are no moral phenomena at all, but only a moral interpretation of phenomena.

The best belongs to me and mine; and if we are not given it, we take it: the best food, the purest sky, the most robust thoughts, the fairest women!

Whether a man hides his bad qualities and vices or confesses them openly, his vanity wants to gain an advantage by it in both cases: just note how subtly he distinguishes between those he will hide his bad qualities from and those he will face honestly and candidly.

We evaluate the services that anyone renders to us according to the value he puts on them, not according to the value they have for us.

All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man? What is the ape to man? A laughingstock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughingstock or a painful embarrassment.

The greater the obstacle the more glory in overcoming it. - What does not destroy makes me stronger.

I admire the courage and wisdom of Socrates in everything he did, said--and did not say.