1,052 Quotes by Voltaire

La nostra esistenza è un punto, la nostra durata è un istante, il nostro globo un atomo.

Facciamo appena in tempo ad istruirci un poco che arriva la morte prima che abbiamo avuto il tempo di farci un po' d'esperienza.

L'âme est un esprit pur, qui a reçu dans le ventre de sa mère toutes les idées métaphysiques et qui, en sortant de là, est obligée d'áller à l'école, et d'apprendre tout de nouveau ce qu'elle a si bien su et qu'elle ne saura plus.

All the known world, excepting only savage nations, is governed by books.

[Charles XII] seldom took a more active part in the council than to cross his legs upon the table.

… il est bon de tuer de tems en tems un Amiral pour encourager les autres.

I would rather obey a fine lion, much stronger than myself, than two hundred rats of my own species.

They docked at Buenos Aires. Cunégonde, Captain Candide, and the old woman went to call on the Governor, Don Fernando d'Ibaraa y Figueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza. This grandee had a pride to match his many names. He spoke to people with the most noble disdain, sticking his nose so far in the air, speaking in such a mercilessly loud voice, adopting so high and mighty a tone, and affecting so haughty a gait, that all who greeted him were also tempted to hit him.

These marranos go wherever there is money to be made.