Since [man's] true nature has been lost, anything can become his nature: similarly, true good being lost, anything can become his true good. - Blaise Pascal

Can anything be more ridiculous than that a man should have the right to kill me because he lives on the other side of the sea, and because his ruler has a quarrel with mine, though I have none with him.

Passion cannot be beautiful without excess; one either loves too much or not enough.

Power rules the world, not opinion, but it is opinion that exploits power.

It is power that makes opinion. To be easygoing can be a fine thing according to our opinion. Why? Because anyone who wants to dance the tightrope will be alone, and I can get together a stronger body of people to say there is nothing fine about it.