--- title: "4 Olaudah Equiano Quotes - Famous Writer" description: "Olaudah Equiano, known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa, was a writer and abolitionist. According to his memoir, he was from the village of Essaka..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-olaudah-equiano-72403.jpg" --- ![Portrait of Olaudah Equiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-olaudah-equiano-72403.jpg) # Olaudah Equiano (1744–1797) Writer **4** quotes in **53** categories Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet Olaudah Equiano was a writer, best known for *The life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African*. ## Quick Facts About Olaudah Equiano Born November 30, 1744 Died March 31, 1797 Profession Writer Notable works The life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African Known for The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano ## About Olaudah Equiano Olaudah Equiano, known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa, was a writer and abolitionist. According to his memoir, he was from the village of Essaka, presumed to be in present-day southern Nigeria. Enslaved as a child in West Africa, he was shipped to the Caribbean and sold to a Royal Navy officer. He was sold twice more before purchasing his freedom in 1766. ## Quotes by Olaudah Equiano > [I believe there are few events in my life which have not happened to many; it is true the incidents of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-life-which-have-not-happened-to/) [Olaudah Equiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/) [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/olaudah-equiano-72712_acknowledge_i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-lif_467327.jpg) > [“...and I had a great curiosity to talk to the books, as I thought they did; and so to learn how all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/and-i-had-a-great-curiosity-to-talk-to-the-books-as-i-thought-they/) [Olaudah Equiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/olaudah-equiano-72712_book_and-i-had-a-great-curiosity-to-talk-to-t_1463250.jpg) > [Is it not enough that we are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of gain?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-our-country-and-friends-to/) [Olaudah Equiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/) [Avarice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avarice/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/olaudah-equiano-72712_avarice_is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-o_3082201.jpg) > [The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-when-i-arrived-on-the-coast/) [Olaudah Equiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/) [Anchors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anchors/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/olaudah-equiano-72712_anchors_the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-w_3168564.jpg) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/#itemlist", "name": "Olaudah Equiano Quotes", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe there are few events in my life which have not happened to many; it is true the incidents of it are numerous, and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great; but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favorite of heaven, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olaudah Equiano" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-life-which-have-not-happened-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/olaudah-equiano-72712_acknowledge_i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-lif_467327.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/olaudah-equiano-72712_acknowledge_i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-lif_467327.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/olaudah-equiano-72712_acknowledge_i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-lif_467327.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe there are few events in my life which have not happened to many; 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Must every tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to your avarice?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olaudah Equiano" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-our-country-and-friends-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/olaudah-equiano-72712_avarice_is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-o_3082201.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/olaudah-equiano-72712_avarice_is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-o_3082201.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/olaudah-equiano-72712_avarice_is-it-not-enough-that-we-are-torn-from-o_3082201.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Is it not enough that we are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of gain?…” — Olaudah Equiano", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon connected with terror, when I was carried on board. I was immediately handled, and tossed up to see if I were sound, by some of the crew; and I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olaudah Equiano" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaudah-equiano/the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-when-i-arrived-on-the-coast/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/olaudah-equiano-72712_anchors_the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-w_3168564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/olaudah-equiano-72712_anchors_the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-w_3168564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/olaudah-equiano-72712_anchors_the-first-object-which-saluted-my-eyes-w_3168564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was…” — Olaudah Equiano", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/#person", "name": "Olaudah Equiano", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/", "image": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-olaudah-equiano-72403.jpg" }, { "@type": "ProfilePage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/", "name": "Olaudah Equiano", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaudah-equiano/#person" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/olaudah-equiano-72712_acknowledge_i-believe-there-are-few-events-in-my-lif_467327.jpg" }, "description": "Olaudah Equiano, known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa, was a writer and abolitionist. 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