The world is for thousands a freak show; the images flicker past and vanish; the impressions remain flat and unconnected in the soul. Thus they are easily led by the opinions of others, are content to let their impressions be shuffled and rearranged and evaluated differently.

What is hardest of all? That which seems most simple: to see with your eyes what is before your eyes.

Reason looks at necessity as the basis of the world; reason is able to turn chance in your favor and use it. Only by having reasonremain strong and unshakable can we be called a god of the earth.

With knowledge comes more doubt.

When you are in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude. We don't get to know people when they come to us; we must go to them to find out what they are like.

All truths are old, and all that we have to do is recognize and utter them anew.

We must not take the faults of our youth with us into old age, for age brings along its own defects.