84
Du sublime au ridicule il n’y a qu’un pas.
There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
By Napoleon Bonaparte
Said by Napoleon to De Pradt, the French ambassador to Warsaw, after the retreat from Moscow in 1812.
102
Créer, c’est vivre deux fois.
To create is to live twice.
By Albert Camus, French author
385
Je pense, donc je suis.
I think, therefore I am.
By René Descartes, French philosopher
This quote, taken from Descartes' 'Meditations on First Philosophy', was the defining statement of Cartesian philosophy and the pursuit of certain, irrefutable knowledge.
59
Après moi, le déluge.
Ruin, if you like, when we are dead and gone.
By King Louis XV of France
King Louis XV said to Madame de Pompadour. It is generally considered a nihilistic expression of indifference to whatever happens after one is gone though it may also express a more literal forecasting of ruination. The phrase refers to the biblical flood and is believed to date from after the 1757 Battle of Rossbach, which was disastrous for the French.
126
Dans la vie on ne fait pas ce que l'on veut mais on est responsable de ce que l'on est.
In life, one doesn't do what one wants, but one is responsible for whom one is.
By Jean-Paul Sartre, philosopher
This quote from Jean-Paul Sartre underlines the importance of taking responsibility for our actions and our existence. While we may not always be able to act as we wish, we are responsible for defining and taking ownership of who we are.This reflects Sartre's existentialist philosophy, which emphasises freedom and individual responsibility.
125
Dis-moi ce que tu lis, et je te dirai ce que tu es.
Tell me what you read, and I will tell you who you are.
By Pierre de La Gorce
People and their character, beliefs, and identity are deeply influenced by the books they read. This quote suggests that reading is not just a passive activity, but one that shapes who we are by exposing us to different ideas, perspectives, and values.
387
On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.
We see clearly only with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes.
By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Real understanding and insight transcend physical sight, inviting us to look beyond appearances and connect with the deeper emotional and meaningful layers of people and things. This quote is taken from Saint-Exupéry's 'Le Petit Prince' (1941), a philosophical parable about the deeper questions of life.
117
On passe une moitié de sa vie à attendre ceux qu’on aimera et l’autre moitié à quitter ceux qu’on aime.
We spend half of our life waiting for those we love and the other half leaving those we love.
By Victor Hugo
This quote captures the bittersweet nature of love, as much of our life is spent navigating the complexities of coming together and parting with loved ones. Essentially, life is shaped by both anticipation and loss.
201
Pour être irremplaçable, il faut toujours être différente.
In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.
By Coco Chanel. French fashion designer and businesswoman
This quote sees Chanel express the idea that a sense of individuality is crucial in order to make a mark and be irreplaceable in any aspect of life. By being different, one separates themselves from the crowd, making their contributions and presence invaluable and hard to replace. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, Coco Chanel was credited in the post–World War I era with popularising a sporty, casual chic as the feminine standard of style. For Chanel, being different meant rejecting the traditional, conformist norms of fashion and instead designing clothing that was modern. This innovation is what made her a lasting figure in the fashion world.
118
Le cerveau de l'écrivain n'est que l'estomac de sa pensée.
The writer's brain is only the stomach of his thoughts.
By Alexandre Dumas, French writer
Extract from 'Un cas de rupture' (1982). Dumas compares the writer's brain to a stomach that processes and digests ideas, refining thoughts and developing ideas.
57
Tous pour un, un pour tous.
All for one, and one for all.
By Alexandre Dumas
It is associated with the characters of his novel The Three Musketeers (1844).
91
Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.
Let them eat cake.
By ???
This quote is often attributed to Marie-Antoinette, the wife of Louis XVI. Where it really comes from is unknown. As early as in the 1760s, the sentence is found in the memoirs of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau - when Marie Antoinette still lived in Vienna and was only 10 years old. Some historians attribute it to Theresa of Spain (1638-1683), the first wife of Louis XIV.
2
Si Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer
If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him
By Voltaire
34
Et qu'est-ce qu'il a voulu dire par ça?
And what did he mean by that?
By Klemens von Metternich
19th century Austrian diplomat Metternich, who was used to interpreting the slightest signals as hints or possible indications of new strategies, is said to have asked this of Talleyrand when he heard that the French statesman had died.
32
L'homme est né libre et partout il est dans les fers.
Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains.
By Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Opening sentence of the first chapter of his book "The Social Contract".
151
L'imagination, reine des facultés.
Imagination, the queen of faculties.
By Baudelaire, poet and essayist
Our imagination is highly valuable as it governs all other abilities and human faculties, allowing us to create and enhance the artistic experience.
35
Je déteste ce que vous écrivez, mais je donnerai ma vie pour que vous puissiez continuer à écrire.
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
By Voltaire
83
C’est pire qu’un crime, c’est une faute.
It was worse than a crime, it was a blunder.
By Antoine Jacques Claude Joseph, comte Boulay de la Meurthe, French Politician
Reaction to the 1804 drumhead trial and execution of Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien, on orders of Napoleon.
97
Il existe une beauté particulière qui naît dans le langage, du langage et pour le langage.
A special kind of beauty exists which is born in language, of language, and for language.
By Gaston Bachelard, French philosopher
58
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
Evil to him who evil thinks.
By Edward III of England, Monarch of England
It´s the motto of the British Order of the Garter originated by Edward 3rd (in 1348 or 1349).
56
Je n'ai fait celle-ci plus longue parce que je n'ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte.
I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short.
By Blaise Pascal
In his Lettres Provinciales (1656-1657). What he was saying, of course, is that it's easy to ramble on, it takes effort to be succinct.
386
L'histoire est une suite de mensonges sur lesquels on est d'accord.
History is a set of lies agreed upon.
By Napolen Bonaparte
What we regard as history is frequently a version of past events that has been crafted, endorsed, or accepted by specific groups, particularly those in positions of authority.