“The Satan of the Italian and English poets may be poetic; but the German Satan is satanic; and thus one could say that Satan is a German invention.”

—  Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

Der Satan der italienischen und englischen Dichter mag poetischer sein; aber der deutsche Satan ist satanischer; und insofern könnte man sagen, der Satan sei eine deutsche Erfindung.
Athenäumsfragmente 379; the Italian and English poets referred to are Dante, and John Milton.
Athenäum (1798 - 1800)

Original

Der Satan der italienischen und englischen Dichter mag poetischer sein; aber der deutsche Satan ist satanischer; insofern könnte man sagen, der Satan sei eine deutsche Erfindung.

Athenäumsfragmente 379
Athenäum
Variant: Der Satan der italienischen und englischen Dichter mag poetischer sein; aber der deutsche Satan ist satanischer; und insofern könnte man sagen, der Satan sei eine deutsche Erfindung.

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Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel 67
German poet, critic and scholar 1772–1829

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