"I am affected, not because you have..." - Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche

“With deep men, as with deep wells, it takes a long time for anything that falls into them to hit bottom. Onlookers, who almost never wait long enough, readily suppose that such men are callous and unresponsive--or even boring.”

“Doing ill to those on whom we have to make our power felt; for pain is a far more sensitive means for that purpose than pleasure: pain always asks concerning the cause, while pleasure is inclined to keep within itself and not look backward.”

“Physician, help yourself: thus help your patient too. Let this be his best help: that he may behold with his eyes the man who heals himself.”

“It is in a country's interests to keep faith with its allies. States in this sense are like people. If you have a reputation for exacting favors and not returning them, the favours dry up.”

“It is proof of sincerity, which I value above all things; as, between those who practice it, falsehood and malice work their efforts in vain.”

“Character creates consistency, and if your people know what they can expect from you, they will continue to look to you for leadership.”

“The world being illusive, one must be deluded in some way if one is to triumph in it.”

“I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but since it is hard to accomodate these qualities, if you have to make a choice, to be feared is much safer than to be loved. For it is a good general rule about men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, fearful of danger and greedy for gain....[love] is a link of obligation which men, because they are rotten, will break anything they think doing so serves their advantage; but fear involves dread of punishment, from which they can never escape.”

“You realize the bad guy isn't wearing a black cape or easy to spot; he's funny, makes you laugh, and has perfect hair.”