"Why did the old Persians hold the sea……" — Herman Melville
"Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy? Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother Jove? Surely all this is not without meaning. And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned. But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans. It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all."
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Herman Melville
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285 Quotes by Herman Melville
Herman Melville has 285 quotes on this site.
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For whatever is truly wondrous and fearful in man, never yet was put into words or books.
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Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any…
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To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my…
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They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.
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Dream tonight of peacock tails, Diamond fields and spouter whales. Ills are many, blessing few, But dreams tonight will shelter…
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No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.
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All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys.
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See with what entire freedom the whaleman takes his handful of lamps-often but old bottles and vials, though. ... He…
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You cannot spill a drop of American blood without spilling the blood of the whole world.... We are not a…
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He says NO! In thunder; but the Devil himself cannot make him say yes.
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Why, ever since Adam, who has got to the meaning of this great allegory - the world? Then we pygmies…
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Prayer draws us near to our own souls.
See all 285 quotes by Herman Melville »
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I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is…
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We must all make peace so that we can all live in peace.
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Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.
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A friend to all is a friend to none.
— Aristotle
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