Inspirational Quotes by Fyodor Dostoevsky

“Ужасно то, что нельзя вырвать с корнем прошедшего. Нельзя вырвать, но можно скрыть память о нем.”

“In dem kurzen Blick konnte Wronski verhaltene Lebhaftigkeit bemerken, die auf ihrem Gesicht spielte und zwischen den funkelnden Augen und dem kaum merklichen Lächeln auf ihren roten Lippen hin- und herflatterte. Als ob ihr Wesen von irgendeinem Übermaß derart übervoll wäre, dass es gegen ihren Willen bald im Funkeln des Blicks, bald im Lächeln zum Ausdruck käme. Sie löschte vorsätzlich das Licht in den Augen, doch es leuchtete gegen ihren Willen im kaum merklichen Lächeln.”

“since none of us can ever express the exact measure of our needs, or our ideas, or our sorrows, and human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, when we long to inspire pity in the stars.”

“Elle souhaitait à la fois mourir et habiter Paris.”

“Oh, why, dear God, did I marry him?”

“Because wanton or venal lips has murmured the same words to him, he only half believed in the sincerity of those he was hearing now; to a large extent they should be disregarded, he believed, because such exaggerated language must surely mask commonplace feelings: as if the soul in its fullness did not sometimes overflow into the most barren metaphors, since no one can ever tell the precise measures of his own needs, of his own ideas, of his own pain, and human language is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, when what we long to do is make music that will move the stars to pity.”

“She confused in her desire the sensualities of luxury with the delights of the heart, elegance of manners with delicacy of sentiment. Did not love, like Indian plants, need a special soil,”

“men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This”

“Well I ’low I’ll MAKE it my business.” “Well why don’t you?” “If you say much, I will.” “Much—much—MUCH. There now.” “Oh, you think you’re mighty smart, DON’T you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to.” “Well why don’t you DO it? You SAY you can do it.” “Well I WILL, if you fool with me.” “Oh yes—I’ve seen whole families in the same fix.” “Smarty! You think you’re SOME, now, DON’T you? Oh, what a hat!”

“Talk? Well, it’s just Muff Potter, Muff Potter, Muff Potter all the time. It keeps me in a sweat, constant, so’s I want to hide som’ers.” “That’s just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he’s a goner. Don’t you feel sorry for him, sometimes?” “Most always—most always. He ain’t”

“A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg.”

“Però non si ammazzano le donne. Le tieni prigioniere, ma non le ammazzi. Sono sempre belle, e ricche, e spaventatissime. Ti prendi i loro orologini e gli altri ciondoli, ma devi sempre toglierti il cappello e parlare in modo educato. Non c’è gente più bene educata dei banditi... puoi leggerlo in qualsiasi libro. Be’, insomma, le donne finiscono per innamorarsi di te e, dopo che sono state nella grotta per una settimana o due, la smettono di frignare, e in seguito non riusciresti più a convincerle ad andarsene. Se le scacciassi, si volterebbero, a un certo punto, e tornerebbero indietro. Succede così in tutti i libri.”

“The most mediocre libertine has dreamed of sultanas; every notary bears within him the debris of a poet.”

“The news of Kitty's friendship with Mme Stahl and Varenka, and the observations conveyed to him by the princess about some change that had taken place in Kitty, troubled the prince and provoked in him the usual feeling of jealousy towards everything that interested his daughter to the exclusion of himself, and a fear lest his daughter escape from his influence into some spheres inaccessible to him.”

“remember that all advice can only be a product of the man who gives it.”

“In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.”

“For know, dear ones, that every one of us is undoubtedly responsible for all men- and everything on earth, not merely through the general sinfulness of creation, but each one personally for all mankind and every individual man. This knowledge is the crown of life for the monk and for every man. For monks are not a special sort of men, but only what all men ought to be. Only through that knowledge, our heart grows soft with infinite, universal, inexhaustible love. Then every one of you will have the power to win over the whole world by love and to wash away the sins of the world with your tears.”

“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind." Don Quixote”

“Ili mu se od samoće razvila ta krajnja osjetljivost, ogoljelost i nezaštićenost osjećaja; ili se u zamornoj, zagušljivoj, beskrajnoj gluhoći dugih, besanih noći, među nesvjesnim težnjama i nestrpljivim potresima duha pripravlja ta prenapetost srca, spremna, najzad, da prsne ili da nađe kuda će se izliti; ili je, naprosto, nastalo iznenada vrijeme tomu svečanomu času, i to mu je lako moralo da bude, kao što iznenada za zaparna, zagušljiva dana pocrni odjednom cijelo nebo, bura se daždem i ognjem izlijeva na izgladnjelu zemlju, daždevim se biserjem vješa o smaragdove grane, gazi travu, polja, sabija u zemlju nježne cvjetne čaške, da onda, od prvih sunčanih zraka, opet sve oživi, uperi se i digne se u susret suncu, te mu svečano, do neba, pošalje svoj raskošni, slatki tamjan, veseleći se i radujući se svome obnovljenomu životu ...”

“December 22, 1849. To-day, the 22nd of December, we were all taken to Semionovsky Square. There the death-sentence was read to us, we were given the Cross to kiss, the dagger was broken over our heads, and our funeral toilet (white shirts) was made. Then three of us were put standing before the palisades for the execution of the death-sentence. I was sixth in the row; we were called up by groups of three, and so I was in the second group, and had not more than a minute to live. I thought of you, my brother, and of yours; in that last moment you alone were in my mind; then first I learnt how very much I love you, my beloved brother ! I had time to embrace Plechtcheyev and Dourov, who stood near me, and to take my leave of them. Finally, retreat was sounded, those who were bound to the palisades were brought back, and it was read to us that His Imperial Majesty granted us our lives. Then the final sentences were recited. Palm alone is fully pardoned. He has been transferred to the line with the :ame rank. F.”