Horizon Quote by Italo Calvino
““From this arid sphere every discourse and every poem sets forth; and every journey through forests, battles, treasures, banquets, bedchambers, brings us back here, to the center of an empty horizon.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Invisible Cities, 1972
Human experience cycles through diverse adventures, yet ultimately returns to a shared, empty core.
In simple terms: All journeys bring us back to a common emptiness.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the cyclical nature of life.
Themes
travel
adventure
existence
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- exploration
- creative writing
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
philosophy
literature
meaning
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “empty horizon” symbolize for you?
- How do varied experiences shape your core self?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may feel overly abstract.
![“The sky too is deep, the water immeasurably deep. Of heaven and earth we know nothing [unnamed poet]” quote by Alan Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/34e/alan-booth-105452_heaven-and-earth_the-sky-too-is-deep-the-water-immeasurab_179454.jpg)
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
![“Jowett, in his day, did probably more than any other single man to let some fresh air into the exhausted atmosphere of the [Oxford] common rooms, and to widen the intellectual horizons of the place.” quote by Benjamin Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9c6/benjamin-jowett-20480_air_jowett-in-his-day-did-probably-more-than_26898.jpg)
