“Those vestiges of natures left behind Which reason cannot quite expel from us Are still so slight that naught prevents a man From living a life even worthy of the gods.”

Men conceal the past scenes of their lives.

Sweet it is, when on the high seas the winds are lashing the waters, to gaze from the land on another’s struggles.

Nature allows Destruction nor collapse of aught, until Some outward force may shatter by a blow, Or inward craft, entering its hollow cells, Dissolve it down.

No matter how difficult a task may look.. Persistence and steady action will get you through.

Too often in time past, religion has brought forth criminal and shameful actions… How many evils has religion caused?

The nature of the universe has by no means been made through divine power, seeing how great are the faults that mar it.

Such crimes has superstition caused.

Globed from the atoms falling slow or swift I see the suns, I see the systems lift Their forms; and even the systems and the suns Shall go back slowly to the eternal drift.

Bodies, again, Are partly primal germs of things, and partly Unions deriving from the primal germs.

Time changes the nature of the whole world; Everything passes from one state to another And nothing stays like itself.

One thing is made of another, and nature allows no new creation except at the price of death.

I own with reason: for, if men but knew Some fixed end to ills, they would be strong By some device unconquered to withstand Religions and the menacings of seers.

So potent was religion in persuading to evil deeds.

If one thing frightens people, it is that so much happens, on earth and out in space, the reasons for which seem somehow to escape them, and they fill in the gap by putting it down to the gods.

Victory puts us on a level with heaven.

Such are the heights of wickedness to which men are driven by religion.

And prevent the ball from going into the pivot man.

God will excuse our prayers for ourselves whenever we are prevented from them by being occupied in such good works as to entitle us to the prayers of others.

Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.

It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning.

Once a poet calls his myth a myth, he prevents the reader from treating it as a reality; we use the word “myth” only for stories we ourselves cannot believe.

That which prevents disagreeable flies from feeding on your repast, was once the proud tail of a splendid bird.

Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent.

I need to listen to chill music when I’m driving. It prevents road rage.