Leonardo da Vinci Quotes

Science, knowledge of the things that are possible present and past; prescience, knowledge of the things which may come to pass.

Just as a well-filled day brings blessed sleep, so a well-employed life brings a blessed death.

The mind that engages in subjects of too great variety becomes confused and weakened.

The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men.

He who thinks little, errs much.

It is as great an error to speak well of a worthless man as to speak ill of a good man.

It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.

A dark object seen against a bright background will appear smaller than it is. A light object will look larger when it is seen against a background darker than itself.

You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself...the height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. ...And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others.

The acquisition of any knowledge is always of use to the intellect, because it may thus drive out useless things and retain the good. For nothing can be loved or hated unless it is first known.

In the days of thy youth seek to obtain that which shall compensate the losses of thy old age. And if thou understandest that old age is fed with wisdom, so conduct thyself in the days of thy youth that sustenance may not be lacking to thy old age.

A vase of unbaked clay, when broken, may be remoulded, but not a baked one.

Fame alone raises herself to Heaven, because virtuous things are in favour with God.

One shall be born from small beginnings which will rapidly become vast. This will respect no created thing, rather will it, by its power, transform almost every thing from its own nature into another.

Tristo é lo discepolo che non avanza il suo maestro.