--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had used only a drop of his perfume…" description: "\"“He had used only a drop of his perfume for his performance in Grasse. There was enough left to enslave the whole world. If he wanted, he could be fete..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/patrick-s-skind-5195_perfume_he-had-used-only-a-drop-of-his-perfume-f_2803993.jpg" --- # He had used only a drop of his perfume for his performance… ![“He had used only a drop of his perfume for his performance in Grasse. There was enough left to enslave the whole world. If he wanted, he could be feted in Paris, not by tens of thousands, but by hundreds of thousands of people; or could walk out to Versailles and have the King kiss his feet; write…” quote by Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/patrick-s-skind-5195_perfume_he-had-used-only-a-drop-of-his-perfume-f_2803993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/patrick-s-skind-5195_perfume_he-had-used-only-a-drop-of-his-perfume-f_2803993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a4/patrick-s-skind-5195_perfume_he-had-used-only-a-drop-of-his-perfume-f_2803993.jpg) > ““He had used only a drop of his perfume for his performance in Grasse. There was enough left to enslave the whole world. If he wanted, he could be feted in Paris, not by tens of thousands, but by hundreds of thousands of people; or could walk out to Versailles and have the King kiss his feet; write the Pope a perfumed letter and reveal himself as the new Messiah; be anointed in Notre-Dame as Supreme Emperor before kings, or even as God come to earth.”” [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single drop of perfume could grant immense power, even divine status, if wielded. **In simple terms:** A perfume drop could make one god‑like. Key Takeaway Beware of power in small things. Themes power perfume ambition Mood dark dramatic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - marketing - politics - personal branding Key Concepts alchemy political influence ego Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with such influence? - How does scent affect perception? A Different Perspective Power can corrupt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drop Perfume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop-perfume-3469544/) [Feted Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feted-paris-3469542/) [Perfume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfume/) [Perfumed Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfumed-letter-3469543/) [Pope Perfumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pope-perfumed-3469540/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Scent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scent/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Versailles King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versailles-king-3469541/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“He still had enough perfume left to enslave the whole world if he so chose. He could walk to Versailles and have the king…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-still-had-enough-perfume-left-to-enslave-the-whole-world-if-he-so/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [This perfume was not like any perfume known before. It was not a scent that made things smell better... it was completely new, capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/this-perfume-was-not-like-any-perfume-known-before-it-was-not-a-scent/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“And the awful thing was that Grenouille, although he knew that this odour was his odour, could not smell it. Virtually drowning in himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/and-the-awful-thing-was-that-grenouille-although-he-knew-that-this/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“Although he had used it very sparingly, the perfume that he had mixed in Montpellier was slowly was slowly running out. He created a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/although-he-had-used-it-very-sparingly-the-perfume-that-he-had-mixed/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [Granny Ditto always referred to perfume as 'smell good' and for me it's an essential. I have a sweetheart who's extremely allergic to most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/granny-ditto-always-referred-to-perfume-as-smell-good-and-for-me-it-s/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [If you're buying tomatoes pick them up and smell them-they should have a lovely perfume. They need to be kept at fifty degrees or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/if-you-re-buying-tomatoes-pick-them-up-and-smell-them-they-should/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When I eat cilantro, it's like someone sprayed perfume down my throat. It closes up my throat, even if there's only a little piece.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/when-i-eat-cilantro-it-s-like-someone-sprayed-perfume-down-my-throat/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [“The scent of book leather and lemons enveloped him, and his head went light. Books and clean woman. Had God ever divined a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/the-scent-of-book-leather-and-lemons-enveloped-him-and-his-head-went/) [Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/) > [I say, 'You the bestest.' Lean in for a big kiss. Put his favorite perfume on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-say-you-the-bestest-lean-in-for-a-big-kiss-put-his-favorite-perfume/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [Don't you hate it when you get on a elevator and someone smells like they took a bath in perfume or cologne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/don-t-you-hate-it-when-you-get-on-a-elevator-and-someone-smells-like/) [JREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jreyes/) > [I don't wear perfume, and I rarely wear jewelry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-wear-perfume-and-i-rarely-wear-jewelry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always gravitate to perfume with rose. My mom's maiden name is Rose, and the scent of my childhood was always rose. Le Sirenuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alana-haim/i-always-gravitate-to-perfume-with-rose-my-mom-s-maiden-name-is-rose/) [Alana Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alana-haim/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Patrick Süskind > [“He had no use for sensual gratification, unless that gratification consisted of pure, incorporeal odors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-had-no-use-for-sensual-gratification-unless-that-gratification/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“...if you could not close a door behind you to take a shit in the city - even if it was just the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/if-you-could-not-close-a-door-behind-you-to-take-a-shit-in-the-city/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [With one glance he had got himself trapped in the brown fundament of her eyes, he was in danger of sinking, as if into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/with-one-glance-he-had-got-himself-trapped-in-the-brown-fundament-of/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“People even travelled to Lapland, up there in the North, with its eternal ice and savages who gorged themselves on raw fish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/people-even-travelled-to-lapland-up-there-in-the-north-with-its/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [When they finally did dare it, at first with stolen glances and then candid ones, they had to smile. They were uncommonly proud. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/when-they-finally-did-dare-it-at-first-with-stolen-glances-and-then/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [For people could close their eyes to greatness, to horrors, to beauty, and their ears to melodies or deceiving words. But they couldn't escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/for-people-could-close-their-eyes-to-greatness-to-horrors-to-beauty/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“The wind blew cold, and he was freezing, but he did not notice that he was freezing, for within him was a counterfrost, fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/the-wind-blew-cold-and-he-was-freezing-but-he-did-not-notice-that-he/) [Patrick Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“Something was happening while you waited. The most essential thing was happening. And even if he himself was doing nothing, it was happening through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/something-was-happening-while-you-waited-the-most-essential-thing-was/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“Although he had used it very sparingly, the perfume that he had mixed in Montpellier was slowly was slowly running out. He created a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/although-he-had-used-it-very-sparingly-the-perfume-that-he-had-mixed/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [He had withdrawn solely for his own personal pleasure, only to be near to himself. No longer distracted by anything external, he basked in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-had-withdrawn-solely-for-his-own-personal-pleasure-only-to-be-near/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“This scent had a freshness, but not the freshness of limes or pomegranates, not the freshness of myrrh or cinnamon bark or curly mint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/this-scent-had-a-freshness-but-not-the-freshness-of-limes-or/) [Patrick Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [And because people are stupid and use their noses only for blowing, but believe absolutely anything they see with their eyes, they will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/and-because-people-are-stupid-and-use-their-noses-only-for-blowing/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [It was good, really, that this external world still existed, if only as a place of refuge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/it-was-good-really-that-this-external-world-still-existed-if-only-as/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“And the awful thing was that Grenouille, although he knew that this odour was his odour, could not smell it. Virtually drowning in himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/and-the-awful-thing-was-that-grenouille-although-he-knew-that-this/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) [Explore all 72 Patrick Süskind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) ## More Perfume quotes > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I always gravitate to perfume with rose. My mom's maiden name is Rose, and the scent of my childhood was always rose. Le Sirenuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alana-haim/i-always-gravitate-to-perfume-with-rose-my-mom-s-maiden-name-is-rose/) [Alana Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alana-haim/) > [I don't wear perfume, and I rarely wear jewelry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-wear-perfume-and-i-rarely-wear-jewelry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't you hate it when you get on a elevator and someone smells like they took a bath in perfume or cologne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/don-t-you-hate-it-when-you-get-on-a-elevator-and-someone-smells-like/) [JREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jreyes/) > [I say, 'You the bestest.' Lean in for a big kiss. Put his favorite perfume on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-say-you-the-bestest-lean-in-for-a-big-kiss-put-his-favorite-perfume/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [“The scent of book leather and lemons enveloped him, and his head went light. Books and clean woman. Had God ever divined a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/the-scent-of-book-leather-and-lemons-enveloped-him-and-his-head-went/) [Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/) > [When I eat cilantro, it's like someone sprayed perfume down my throat. It closes up my throat, even if there's only a little piece.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/when-i-eat-cilantro-it-s-like-someone-sprayed-perfume-down-my-throat/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [If you're buying tomatoes pick them up and smell them-they should have a lovely perfume. They need to be kept at fifty degrees or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/if-you-re-buying-tomatoes-pick-them-up-and-smell-them-they-should/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Granny Ditto always referred to perfume as 'smell good' and for me it's an essential. I have a sweetheart who's extremely allergic to most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/granny-ditto-always-referred-to-perfume-as-smell-good-and-for-me-it-s/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [As an impoverished student I used to spend days out in Selfridges, nibbling on samples of free cheese and dousing myself with scent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-tapper/as-an-impoverished-student-i-used-to-spend-days-out-in-selfridges/) [Zoe Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-tapper/) > [My writing routine is everyday I put a record on, the same one since 20 years. Then I burn a stick of incense, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/my-writing-routine-is-everyday-i-put-a-record-on-the-same-one-since/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Growing up I never had a perfume. I was like oh, one day when I'm grownup and have money I'm going to wear perfume.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/growing-up-i-never-had-a-perfume-i-was-like-oh-one-day-when-i-m/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [Learning to decipher words had only added to the pleasures of holding spines and turning pages, measuring the journey to the end with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowley/learning-to-decipher-words-had-only-added-to-the-pleasures-of-holding/) [John Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowley/) > [I love Serge Lutens orange blossom perfume; my mom got it for me. It's my favorite. It just smells clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gia-coppola/i-love-serge-lutens-orange-blossom-perfume-my-mom-got-it-for-me-it-s/) [Gia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gia-coppola/) [Browse all 678 Perfume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfume/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He had used only a drop of his perfume for his performance in Grasse. There was enough left to enslave the whole world. 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