“ He had come to that time in his life (it varies for every man) when a human being gives himself over to his demon or to his genius according to a mysterious law which orders him either to destroy or… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ This city belongs to ghosts, to murderers, to sleepwalkers. Where are you, in what bed, in what dream? Marguerite Yourcenar
“ A young musician plays scales in his room and only bores his family. A beginning writer, on the other hand, sometimes has the misfortune of getting into print. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ Men who care passionately for women attach themselves at least as much to the temple and to the accessories of the cult as to their goddess herself. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ More sensitive to Rome's prejudices than I was aware, I recalled that although they grant sensuality a rôle they see only shameful folly in love; Marguerite Yourcenar
“ Any law too often subject to infraction is bad; it is the duty of the legislator to repeal or to change it, lest the contempt into which that rash ruling has fallen should extend to other, more just l… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ Laws change more slowly than custom, and though dangerous when they fall behind the times are more dangerous still when the presume to anticipate custom. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ Overhead shone the great star of the constellation of Lyra, destined to be the polar star for men who will live tens of thousands of years after we have ceased to be. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ A being afire with life cannot foresee death; in fact, by each of his deeds he denies that death exists. If death does take him, he is probably unaware of the fact; it amounts to no more for him than… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ Chabrias, ever preoccupied to offer the gods the worship due them, was disturbed by the progress of sects of this kind among the populace of large cities; he feared for the welfare of our ancient reli… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ But other hordes would come, and other false prophets. Our feeble efforts to ameliorate man’s lot would be but vaguely continued by our successors; the seeds of error and of ruin contained even in wha… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ All forms of dire poverty and brutality were things to forbid as insults to the fair body of mankind, every injustice a false note to avoid in the harmony of the spheres. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ It displeases me to have some creature think that he can foresee and profit from my desire, automatically adapting himself to what he supposes to be my taste. Marguerite Yourcenar
“ I lent only half an ear to those well-intentioned folk who say that happiness is enervating, liberty too relaxing, and that kindness is a corruption for those upon whom it is practiced. That may be; b… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ A part of every life, even a life meriting very little regard, is spent in searching out the reasons for its existence, its starting point, and its source. My own failure to discover these things has… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ We lose track of everything, and of everyone, even ourselves. The facts of my father's life are less known to me than those of the life of Hadrian. My own existence, if I had to write of it, would be… Marguerite Yourcenar
“ At that period I paid as constant attention to the greater securing of my happiness, to enjoying and judging it, too, as I had always done for the smallest details of my acts; and what is the act of l… Marguerite Yourcenar
