22 Quotes by Friedrich Hölderlin

I am mortal, born to love and to suffer.

When brother fled from brother, when lovers passedEach other by in ignorance, when fathers failedTo recognize their sons, when human words no more Were understood, nor human laws, that was whenThe meaning of it all assailed me and I trembled:It was my nation’s parting god!

Some are shy of going to the sourceFor riches begin in the sea.

Why do you like me more when I was prouder and wilder, more full of words, yet emptier?

Living tones are we, we sound together in thy harmony.

But friend, we come too late. It's true that the gods live,But up over our heads, up in a different world.They function endlessly up there, and seem to care littleIf we live or die, so much do they avoid us.A weak vessel cannot hold them forever; humans canEndure the fullness of the gods only at times. ThereforeLife itself becomes a dream about them.

Thus the sons of earth now drink in The fire of heaven without danger. And it is our duty, poets, to stand Bare-headed under the storms of God, Grasping with our own hand The Father's beam itself, And to offer the gift of heaven, Wrapped in song, to the people.From “As On a Holiday” (“Wie Wenn am Feiertage”)

Everything that I have knownYou'll write to me to remindMe of, and likewise I shall doThe whole past I'll recount to you

El hombre es un dios cuando sueña y un mendigo cuando reflexiona