I don’t believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing nothing at all. If there’s one thing that’s dangerous for an artist, it’s precisely this question of total freedom, waiting for inspiration and all the rest of it.
—Federico Fellini, c. 1950
Archive
Quotes
Ours is an age which consciously pursues health, and yet only believes in the reality of sickness.
—Susan Sontag, 1963The oldest voice in the world is the wind.
—Donald Culross Peattie, 1950Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
—William Jennings Bryan, 1899Man is merely a more perfect animal than the rest. He reasons better.
—Napoleon Bonaparte, 1816I would much rather have men ask why I have no statue than why I have one.
—Cato the Elder, c. 184 BCNo one wins a quarrel by quarreling.
—German proverbFor, say they, when cruising in an empty ship, if you can get nothing better out of the world, get a good dinner out of it, at least.
—Herman Melville, 1851Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
—Book of Ecclesiastes, c. 200 BCI even gave up, for a while, stopping by the window of the room to look out at the lights and deep, illuminated streets. That’s a form of dying, that losing contact with the city like that.
—Philip K. Dick, 1972Nobody, sir, dies willingly.
—Antiphanes, c. 370 BCThese useless men ought to be cut up and served at a banquet. I really believe that athletes have less intelligence than swine.
—Dio Chrysostom, c. 95The play is the tragedy “Man,” And its hero the conqueror worm.
—Edgar Allan Poe, 1843