Ernest Renan

French writer and criticus

Lived from: 1823-1892

Category: Media | Writers (Contemporary)

Quotes: Ernest Renan

Quotes 1 till 13 of 13.

Ernest Renan

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As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If they once understand themselves the ruling men will be lost.
Ernest Renan

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As soon as sacrifice becomes a duty and necessity to mankind. I see no limit to the horizon which opens before him.
Ernest Renan

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Communism is in conflict with human nature.
Ernest Renan

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He whom God has touched will always be a being apart: he is, whatever he may do, a stranger among men; he is marked by a sign.
Ernest Renan

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I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.
Ernest Renan

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Man makes holy what he believes.
Ernest Renan

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No idea can succeed except at the expense of sacrifice; no one ever escapes without enduring strain from the struggle of life.
Ernest Renan

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Our opinions become fixed at the point where we stop thinking.
Ernest Renan

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The greatest men of a nation are those it puts to death.
Ernest Renan

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The simplest school boy is now familiar with truths for which Archimedes would have sacrificed his life.
Ernest Renan

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To be free in an age like ours, one must be in a position of authority. That in itself would be enough to make me ambitious.
Ernest Renan

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To conceive the good, in fact, is not sufficient; it must be made to succeed among men. To accomplish this less pure paths must be followed.
Ernest Renan

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When people complain of life, it is almost always because they have asked impossible things of it.