Friedrich Schiller: Man

Friedrich Schiller was German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. Explore interesting quotes on man.
Friedrich Schiller: 222   quotes 124   likes

“Have Love. Not love alone for one,
But men, as man, thy brothers call;
And scatter, like the circling sun,
Thy charities on all.”

Hope, Faith, and Love (c. 1786); also known as "The Words of Strength", as translated in The Common School Journal Vol. IX (1847) edited by Horace Mann, p. 386
Context: There are three lessons I would write, —
Three words — as with a burning pen,
In tracings of eternal light
Upon the hearts of men. Have Hope. Though clouds environ now,
And gladness hides her face in scorn,
Put thou the shadow from thy brow, —
No night but hath its morn. Have Faith. Where'er thy bark is driven, —
The calm's disport, the tempest's mirth, —
Know this: God rules the hosts of heaven,
The habitants of earth. Have Love. Not love alone for one,
But men, as man, thy brothers call;
And scatter, like the circling sun,
Thy charities on all. Thus grave these lessons on thy soul, —
Hope, Faith, and Love, — and thou shalt find
Strength when life's surges rudest roll,
Light when thou else wert blind.

“Man is made of ordinary things, and habit is his nurse.”

Act I, sc. iv
Wallenstein (1798), Part II - Wallensteins Tod (The Death of Wallenstein)

“Man is created free, and is free,
Though he be born in chains.”

Die Worte des Glaubens (The Word of the Faithful), st. 2 (1797)

“The hat is the pride of man; for he who cannot keep his hat on before kings and emperors is no free man.”

Act IV, sc. v, Kellermeister (Master of the Cellar)
Wallenstein (1798), Part I - Die Piccolomini (The Piccolomini)

“The strong man is strongest when alone.”

Tell, Act I, sc. iii, as translated by Sir Thomas Martin
Wilhelm Tell (1803)

“One people will we be, — a band of brothers;
No danger, no distress shall sunder us.
We will be freemen as our fathers were,
And sooner welcome death than live as slaves.
We will rely on God's almighty arm,
And never quail before the power of man.”

Wir wollen sein ein einzig Volk von Brüdern,
in keiner Not uns trennen und Gefahr.
Wir wollen frei sein, wie die Väter waren,
eher den Tod, als in der Knechtschaft leben.
Wir wollen trauen auf den höchsten Gott
und uns nicht fürchten vor der Macht der Menschen.
Act II, Sc. 2, as translated by C. T. Brooke
Variant translation: We shall be a single People of brethren,
Never to part in danger nor distress.
We shall be free, just as our fathers were,
And rather die than live in slavery.
We shall trust in the one highest God
And never be afraid of human power.
Wilhelm Tell (1803)

“Time is man's angel.”

Act V, sc. xi
Wallenstein (1798), Part II - Wallensteins Tod (The Death of Wallenstein)