206 Quotes by Primo Levi

The latrine is an oasis of peace.

From all my talks with Henri, even the most cordial, I have always left with a slight taste of defeat; of also having been, somehow inadvertently, not a man to him, but an instrument in his hands.

Prometheus had been foolish to bestow fire on men instead of selling it to them: he would have made money, placated Jove, and avoided all that trouble with the vulture.

Non c’e’ ove specchiarsi, ma il nostro aspetto ci sta dinnanzi, riflesso in cento visi lividi, in cento pupazzi miserabili e sordidi. Eccoci trasformati nei fantasmi intravisti ieri sera.

Alas for the dreamer: the moment of consciousness that accompanies the awakening is the acutest of sufferings.

Pensavo molte cose insensate, e non pensavo alcune cose tristemente sensate.

Strano, in qualche modo si ha sempre l’impressione di essere fortunati, che una qualche circostanza, magari infinitesima, ci trattenga sull’orlo della disperazione e ci conceda di vivere.

Dat maakt me woedend, hoewel ik toch allang weet dat het in de orde der dingen ligt dat de bevoorrechten de niet-bevoorrechten onderdrukken: op die mensenwet berust de sociale structuur van het kamp.