The art of life is more like the wrestler's art than the dancer's, in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets which are sudden and unexpected. Book VII

„One thing, however, did become clear to him [Goldmund] – why so many perfect works of art did not please him at all, why they were almost hateful and boring to him, in spite of a certain undeniable beauty. Workshops, churches, and palaces were full of these fatal works of art; he had even helped with a few himself. They were deeply disappointing because they aroused the desire for the highest and did not fulfill it. They lacked the most essential thing – mystery. That was what dreams and truly great works of art had in common: mystery.“ Narcissus and Goldmund

Pity is the most agreeable feeling among those who have little pride and no prospects of great conquests. The Gay Science

I shall repeat a hundred times; we really ought to free ourselves from the seduction of words! Beyond Good and Evil