Miguel de Cervantes Quotes

Make it thy business to know thyself, which is the most difficult lesson in the world.

It is good to live and learn.

Porque he oído decir que esta que llaman por ahí Fortuna es una mujer borracha y antojadiza, y sobre todo ciega, y, así, no ve lo que hace, ni sabe a quién derriba ni a quién ensalza

You are a king by your own fireside, as much as any monarch in his throne.

Having cleaned his armor and made a full helmet out of a simple headpiece, and having given a name to his horse and decided on one for himself, he realized that the only thing left for him to do was to find a lady to love; for the knight errant without a lady-love was a tree without leaves or fruit, a body without a soul.

A little in one's own pocket is better than much in another man's purse. 'Tis good to keep a nest egg. Every little makes a mickle.

Porque has de saber, Sancho, si no lo sabes, que dos cosas solas incitan a amar, más que otras, que son la mucha hermosura y la buena fama, y estas dos cosas se hallan consumadamente en Dulcinea, porque en ser hermosa, ninguna le iguala, y en la buena fama, pocas le llegan

One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world will be better for this.

The proof of the pudding is the eating.

Don Quixote is so crazy that he is sure no author could have invented him

...y Dios bendijo la paz y maldijo las riñas; porque si un gato acosado, encerrado y apretado se vuelve en león, yo, que soy hombre, Dios sabe en lo que podré volverme.

— Si gustáis, señores, que os diga en breves razones la inmensidad de mis desventuras, habéisme de prometer de que con ninguna pregunta, ni otra cosa, no interrumpiréis el hilo de mi triste historia; porque en el punto que lo hagáis, en ése se quedará lo que fuere contando.

I am not in the habit', said Don Quixote, 'of despoiling those whom I vanquish, nor is it a custom of chivalry to take their horses and leave them on foot, unless the victor has lost his own horse in the fray, in which case it is legitimate to take the defeated knight's horse, as a prize won in lawful war. And so, Sancho, leave that horse, or donkey, or whatever you want to call it, for as soon as its master sees that we have gone he will return for it.'
God knows I'd love to take it', replied Sancho, 'or at least swap it for mine, because I don't think mine's such a good one. These laws of chivalry are really strict, if they won't even stretch to letting you swap one donkey for another - could you please tell me if I can at least swap the tackle?'
I am not very clear about that', replied Don Quixote, 'and as it is a doubtful case, I should say that until I am better informed you can swap it, if your need is very great.'
It's so great', said Sancho, 'that if I'd wanted the tackle to wear it myself I couldn't have needed it more.'
And, now that he'd been granted official permission, he performed his mutatio capparum and refurbished his donkey.

Facts, my dear Sancho, are the enemy of truth.

The dogs bark because we gallop