Quote by Ernest Renan

The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."

— Ernest Renan

The epic disappeared along with the age of personal heroism; there can be no epic with artillery.

— Ernest Renan

Muslims are the first victims of Islam. To liberate a Muslim from his religion is the best service that one can render him!

— Ernest Renan

It is evident, indeed, that such a doctrine, taken by itself in a literal manner, had no future. The world, in continuing to exist,…

— Ernest Renan

A nation is a body of people who have done great things together.

— Ernest Renan

Man is not on this earth merely to be happy, or even to be simply honest. He is there to realize great things for…

— Ernest Renan

To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together; to wish to do greater;…

— Ernest Renan

As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If…

— Ernest Renan

None of the miracles with which ancient histories are filled, occurred under scientific conditions. Observation never once contradicted, teaches us that miracles occur only…

— Ernest Renan

I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.

— Ernest Renan

“Islam has been liberal when it has been weak and violent when it has been strong.”

— Ernest Renan

“What is human life? Is it not a maimed happiness—care and weariness, weariness and care, with the baseless expectation...of a brighter tomorrow?”

— Ernest Renan