87 Quotes by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

I can easily imagine belonging to one man for my entire life, but he would have to be a whole man, a man who would dominate me, who would subjugate me by his inate strength. And every man—I know this very well—as soon as he falls in love becomes weak, pliable, ridiculous. He puts himself into the woman's hands, kneels down before her. The only man whom I could love permanently would be he before whom I should have to kneel.

My heart is a void, dead, and this makes me sad.

Dangerous forces lie within me. You awaken them, and not to your advantage. You know how to paint pleasure, cruelty, arrogance in glowing colors.

Above all else I am a dilettante in life.

Be then my slave, and know what it means to be delivered into the hands of a woman.

People who want to live like Olympian gods must have slaves whom they throw into their fishponds and gladiators who fight during their masters sumptuous banquets-and the pleasure-seekers never care if some blood splatters on them.

A real apple is more beautiful than a painted one, and a live woman is more beautiful than a Venus of stone.

Whoever allows himself to be whipped, deserves to be whipped.

Every man – I know this – turns weak, pliant, ridiculous as soon as he’s in love.