--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The diabolical thing about melancholy is…" description: "\"The diabolical thing about melancholy is not that it makes you ill but that it makes you conceited and shortsighted; yes almost arrogant. You lapse int..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/hermann-hesse-130_agony_the-diabolical-thing-about-melancholy-is_1990696.jpg" --- # The diabolical thing about melancholy is not that it makes… ![“The diabolical thing about melancholy is not that it makes you ill but that it makes you conceited and shortsighted; yes almost arrogant. You lapse into bad taste, thinking of yourself as Heine's Atlas, whose shoulders support all the world's puzzles and agonies, as if thousands, lost in the same…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/hermann-hesse-130_agony_the-diabolical-thing-about-melancholy-is_1990696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/hermann-hesse-130_agony_the-diabolical-thing-about-melancholy-is_1990696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/hermann-hesse-130_agony_the-diabolical-thing-about-melancholy-is_1990696.jpg) > “The diabolical thing about melancholy is not that it makes you ill but that it makes you conceited and shortsighted; yes almost arrogant. You lapse into bad taste, thinking of yourself as Heine's Atlas, whose shoulders support all the world's puzzles and agonies, as if thousands, lost in the same maze, did not endure the same agonies.” [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Melancholy can inflate ego, making one feel superior and blind to others' suffering, leading to poor judgment. **In simple terms:** Sadness may breed arrogance. Key Takeaway Stay humble amid sorrow. Themes melancholy ego perspective Mood introspective cautionary Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - mental health discussions Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What checks prevent self‑importance during sadness? - How can you stay connected to others' pain? A Different Perspective Self‑absorption can distort empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Arrogant Lapse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant-lapse-3448797/) [Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlas/) [Bad taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-taste/) [Conceited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceited/) [Conceited Shortsighted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceited-shortsighted-3448798/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Lapses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lapses/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Mazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mazes/) [Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy/) [Melancholy Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy-makes-3448796/) [Puzzles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzles/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulders/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste/) [Thing Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-melancholy-3448795/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking of yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-of-yourself/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a Buddhist, but there is something lovely about thinking of yourself in a bigger picture, and thinking of yourself as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/i-m-not-a-buddhist-but-there-is-something-lovely-about-thinking-of/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [“Inferno was for learning about the nature of our sins. Purgatorio is for learning how to overcome our tendencies to fall victim to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/inferno-was-for-learning-about-the-nature-of-our-sins-purgatorio-is/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > [Sacrifice doesn't really exist on a national level anymore and that's a pretty new thing - most people aren't engaged nationally in some form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-meno/sacrifice-doesn-t-really-exist-on-a-national-level-anymore-and-that-s/) [Joe Meno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-meno/) > [“You never stopped thinking of yourself as a writer biding his time in the Department of Factual Verification. But between the job and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/you-never-stopped-thinking-of-yourself-as-a-writer-biding-his-time-in/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Some people dont know the difference between thinking for yourself and thinking of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/some-people-dont-know-the-difference-between-thinking-for-yourself/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-is-a-state-of-mind-if-you-want-success-start-thinking-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-often-becomes-what-he-believes-himself-to-be/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Stop thinking of yourself as the picked-on girl from the Third and act like the person you are now. Today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ella/stop-thinking-of-yourself-as-the-picked-on-girl-from-the-third-and/) [Sara Ella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ella/) > [Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anayt19/humility-is-not-thinking-less-of-yourself-but-thinking-of-yourself/) [AnayT19](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anayt19/) > [You sort of get so lulled into thinking of yourself as this five-headed thing, the group, the band, The Hip. I guess you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/you-sort-of-get-so-lulled-into-thinking-of-yourself-as-this-five/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianni-versace/don-t-be-into-trends-don-t-make-fashion-own-you-but-you-decide-what/) [Gianni Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianni-versace/) > [“start thinking of yourself as an artist and your life as a work-in-progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/start-thinking-of-yourself-as-an-artist-and-your-life-as-a-work-in-2/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [...start thinking of yourself as an artist and your life as a work-in-progress. Works-in-progress are never perfect. But changes can be made...Art evolves. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/start-thinking-of-yourself-as-an-artist-and-your-life-as-a-work-in/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“try thinking of yourself “floating” slightly above the ground, pulling your feet up, and just “letting” your feet touch the ground. (Don’t forget to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bob-saxton/try-thinking-of-yourself-floating-slightly-above-the-ground-pulling/) [Ken Bob Saxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bob-saxton/) > [Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/humility-is-not-thinking-less-of-yourself-it-s-thinking-of-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Hermann Hesse > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More Agony quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“aaron would not come out aaron entered into agony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/aaron-would-not-come-out-aaron-entered-into-agony/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [As we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/as-we-look-upon-that-agony-and-those-tearful-prayers-let-us-not-only/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Love masters agony; the soul that seemed Forsaken feels her present God again And in her Father's arms Contented dies away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keble/love-masters-agony-the-soul-that-seemed-forsaken-feels-her-present/) [John Keble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keble/) > [I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. 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I’ve become weak, I’ve shown human compassion, and it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane/there-s-been-a-problem-a-problem-eating-away-at-me-from-the-inside/) [Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane/) > [Pay special attention to their agony so I might take some pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/pay-special-attention-to-their-agony-so-i-might-take-some-pleasure/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Die, enemies of Ra!" Sekhemet yelled. "Perish in agony!" "She's almost as annoying as you," I told Horus. "Impossible," Horus said. "No one bests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/die-enemies-of-ra-sekhemet-yelled-perish-in-agony-she-s-almost-as/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Browse all 813 Agony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The diabolical thing about melancholy is not that it makes you ill but that it makes you conceited and shortsighted; yes almost arrogant. 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