Electric current Quote by Arthur Machen
““We know what happened to those who chanced to meet the Great God Pan, and those who are wise know that all symbols are symbols of something, not of nothing. It was, indeed, an exquisite symbol beneath which men long ago veiled their knowledge of the most awful, most secret forces which lie at the heart of all things; forces before which the souls of men must wither and die and blacken, as their bodies blacken under the electric current. Such forces cannot be named, cannot be spoken, cannot be imagined except under a veil and a symbol, a symbol to the most of us appearing a quaint, poetic fancy, to some a foolish tale. But you and I, at all events, have known something of the terror that may dwell in the secret place of life, manifested under human flesh; that which is without form taking to itself a form.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen, 1894
The quote suggests that profound, terrifying forces exist beyond human comprehension, only hinted at through symbols and myths.
In simple terms: Hidden forces are hinted at by symbols.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge the limits of knowledge.
Themes
mystery
fear
the unknown
symbolism
cosmic horror
Mood
eerie
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
horror
When to use this quote
- reading horror literature
- studying mythology
- contemplating mortality
- exploring subconscious fears
- artistic creation
Key Concepts
Existential dread
the ineffable
symbolic representation
Questions to Reflect On
- What do we fear when we confront the unknowable?
- How do symbols shape our perception of hidden forces?
A Different Perspective
Symbols may oversimplify or mislead understanding of deep truths.
![“One of the chief peculiarities of this treatise is the doctrine that the true electric current, on which the electromagnetic phenomena depend, is not the same thing as the current of conduction, but that the time-variation of the electric displacement must [also] be taken into account...” quote by James Clerk Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a93/james-clerk-maxwell-10636_accounts_one-of-the-chief-peculiarities-of-this-t_567321.jpg)
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