"We deceive ourselves when giving respect to..." - Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche

“With regard to philosophical metaphysics, I always see increasing numbers who have attained to the negative goal, but as yet few who climb a few rungs backwards; one ought to look out, perhaps, over the last steps of the ladder, but not try to stand upon them.”

“Alas, where is there still a sea in which one could drown: thus our lament resounds – across shallow swamps.”

“The most intelligent men, like the strongest, find their happiness where others would find only disaster: in the labyrinth, in being hard with themselves and with others, in effort; their delight is self-mastery; in them asceticism becomes second nature, a necessity, as instinct.”

“The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.”

“We do what we must, and call it by the best names we can, and would fain have the praise of having intended the result which ensues.”

“We torment ourselves rather to make it appear that we are happy than to become so.”

“To those whom much is given, much is expected.”

“One is never satisfied with a portrait of persons whom one knows. That is why I have always pitied portraitists. One demands so seldom of others the impossible, but demands just that of the portraitists.”

“Unless you expect the unexpected you will never find it, for it is hard to discover and hard to attain.”