Quotes from Leo Tolstoy

It is pride that makes error and discord among men.

At each flash of lightning not only the Milky Way but the bright stars also disappeared, but as soon as the lightning died out they reappeared in the same places, as if thrown by some unerring hand.

To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling—this is the activity of art.

All the horrors of the reign of terror were based on concern for public tranquility.

She did not know and would not have believed it, but beneath the layer of silt that covered her soul and seemed to her impenetrable, delicate young shoots of grass were already sprouting, which, taking root, would so cover with their living verdure the grief that weighed her down that it would soon no longer be seen or noticed. The wound had begun to heal from within.

But by the term 'scientific' is understood just what was formerly understood by the term 'religious': just as formerly everything called 'religious' was held to be unquestionable simply because it was called religious, so now all that is called 'scientific' is held to be unquestionable.

But, as always happens after death, his face had grown handsomer, more dignified—more distinguished, in short, than it had ever been in life.

The merchant, diffusing a smell of brandy around him, and restraining loud hiccups, approvingly nodded his head at every sentence.

Said He, whoever exalts himself, shall be humbled, and he who is humbled shall become exalted.

He who commits his life to this son of man does not die, but he who does not commit his life to him destroys himself by not trusting to what is life itself Division (death) consists in this, that life came into the world, but men go away from that life.

he had suddenly felt that wealth, power, and life—all that men so painstakingly acquire and guard—if it has any worth has so only by reason of the joy with which it can all be renounced.

Hayat?n?n bütün izleri sanki ona sar?lm?? ?öyle diyordu: "Hay?r, bizi b?rak?p gitmeyeceksin, ba?ka birisi olmayacaks?n, nas?lsan öyle kalacaks?n: Ku?kular?nla, kendinden sonsuz ho?nutsuzlu?unla, sonuçsuz kalan kendini düzeltme deneyimlerinle, ya?ad???n dü?ü?lerle ve senin için olanaks?z, sana nasip olmayacak sonsuz bir mutluluk beklentisiyle.

She was so plain that neither of them could think of her as a rival, so they began dressing her with perfect sincerity, and with the naive and firm conviction women have that dress can make a face pretty.

Having finished the newspaper, a second cup of coffee, and a kalatch with butter, he got up, brushed the crumbs from his waistcoat and, expanding his broad chest, smiled joyfully, not because there was anything especially pleasant in his heart - the smile was evoked by good digestion.

Para que se tome alguma decisão na vida conjugal, é necessário ou uma discordância completa entre os cônjuges, ou uma harmonia amorosa. Quando as relações entre os cônjuges são indeterminadas, e não há nem uma coisa nem outra, é impossível decidir qualquer questão.

War is not courtesy but the most horrible thing in life; and we ought to understand that, and not play at war.

Acaso não somos todos nós largados neste mundo só para odiarmos uns aos outros e, portanto, para atormentarmos a nós mesmos e aos outros?

If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what women are when you see them in their true colors! When you meet them in society it seems as if there were something in them, but there's nothing, nothing, nothing! No, don't marry, my dear fellow; don't marry!

No, I can't argue with them; they wear impenetrable armour, while I'm naked.

The prince enjoyed unusually good health even among princes; both by gymnastic exercises and by taking good care of his body he had brought himself to such a state of physical fitness that in spite of the excesses he indulged in when enjoying himself, he looked as fresh as a big shiny green Dutch cucumber.

All over?' he repeated. 'If I were not myself, but the handsomest, cleverest, and best man in the world, and were free, I would this moment ask on my knees for your hand and your love!

Bells rang, the stewards rushed forward, and—like rye shaken together in a shovel—the guests who had been scattered about in different rooms came together and crowded in the large drawing-room by the door of the ballroom.

All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow

Although throughout these painful moments it had never occurred to him to seek guidance from religion, now that his decision coincided - so he thought - with the requirements of religion, the fact of there being a religious sanction for his decision gave him entire satisfaction and some comfort.