“The nature of civilisation everywhere was such that, even with the Greeks, it diverted people’s minds away from the reality of death.” — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“Tell me,' he asked, with some embarassment, as we strolled along: 'you're a bloody German, aren't you?' 'Oh, no. I'm Hungarian.' 'Hungarian?' 'Hungarian.' 'What's that? Is that a country? Or you are just having me on? 'Not at all. On my word of honour, it is a country.' 'And where do you Hungarians live?' 'In Hungary. Between Austria, Romania, Czechoslovakia… — Antal Szerb Copy Share
The sense of impending disaster hung over the garden like a chandelier. — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“For love, there has to be a distance across which lovers can approach one another. The approach is of course just an illusion, because… — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“as long as we keep moving, we don’t notice how tired we are, but only when we sit down.” — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
And while there is life there is always the chance that something might happen... — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“Nincsen olyan része Budapestnek, ami a számomra ne volna az ifjúság. Ha egyszer örökre el kellene hagynom a Várost, aznap megöregednék, mint a hesiterbachi… — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“Here we have Diogenes, His Highness’ favourite canary. Things are starting to take shape.” — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“Because, my dear, in the spiritual life opposites meet. It's not the cold passionless ones who become great ascetics, but the most hot-blooded, people… — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“You start off as Mr X, who happens to be an engineer, and sooner or later you're just an engineer who happens to be… — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
“I really detest those people who like to draw practical conclusions from scholarly truths, who 'apply learning to real life', like engineers who turn… — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
Love preserves one moment for ever, the moment of its birth. The beloved never ages. — Antal Szerb Copy Share Image
