1,507 Quotes by Leo Tolstoy

There are two sides to the life of every man: there is his individual existence which is free in proportion as his interests are abstract; and his elemental life as a unit in the human swarm, in which he must inevitably obey the laws laid down for him.

Man lives consciously for himself but unconsciously he serves as an instrument for the accomplishment of historical and social ends.

Man is created for happiness, that happiness lies in himself, in the satisfaction of simple human needs; and that all unhappiness is due, not to privation but to superfluity.

everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait . . . there is nothing stronger than these two: patience and time, they will do it all.

Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.

With friends, one is well; but at home, one is better.

In precisely the same way the specialty of government is not to obey, but to enforce obedience. And a government is only a government so long as it can make itself obeyed, and therefore it always strives for that and will never willingly abandon its power.

In order to understand, observe, deduce, man must first be conscious of himself as alive.

Man lives consciously for himself, but serves as an unconscious instrument for the achievement of historical, universally human goals.