There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his.
There are times when I am so unlike myself that I might be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character.[Qu’il y a des temps où je suis si peu semblable à moi-même qu’on me prendrait pour un autre homme de caractère tout opposé.]
The things people say of a man do not alter a man. He is what he is. Public opinion is of no value whatsoever.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To Be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you’ll be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
The greatest hazard of all, losing the self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all. No other loss can occur so quietly; any other loss – an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, etc. – is sure to be noticed.
The apparel oft proclaims the man.
Tell me thy company, and I will tell thee what thou art.[translation by John Willis Clark]Tell me what company thou keepest and I’ll tell thee what thou art.[translation by John Ormsby][De dime con quién andas, decirte he quién eres.]
Such as we are made of, such we be.
Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.
Ourself behind ourself, concealed – Should startle most – Assassin hid in our Apartment Be Horror’s least.
One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.
One must first learn to know oneself before knowing anything else.[Man maa først lære at kjende sig selv, inden man kjender noget Andet.]
