Say nothing good of yourself, you will be distrusted; say nothing bad of yourself, you will be taken at your word.

The historian must be a poet; not to find, but to find again; not to breathe life into beings, into imaginary deeds, but in order to re-animate and revive that which has been; to represent what time and space have placed at a distance from us.

The happiness which is lacking makes one think even the happiness one has unbearable.

Lofty mountains are full of springs; great hearts are full of tears.

Like those statues which must be made larger than "nature" in order that, viewed from below, or from a distance, they may appear to be of the "natural" size, certain truths must be "strained" in order that the public may form a just idea of them.

Not all of those to whom we do good love us, neither do all those to whom we do evil hate us.

Say nothing good of yourself, you will be distrusted; say nothing bad of yourself, you will be taken at your word.