“Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise”

“Expect nothing and you'll always be surprised”

“Yes, well, life is a folly. If you live long enough, nothing is surprising.”

“The Romans were stern and dignified, living hard, frugal lives and adhering to the traditional Latin virtues, gravitas, pietas, simplicitas, and adultery.”

“There was nothing, nothing to depend on. And why was I surprised?”

“To expect wickedness from human beings is the best way I know of to avoid surprises. And when I am surprised, it’s always pleasantly.”

“To love is simply to allow another to be, live, grow, expand, become. An appreciation that demands and expects nothing in return.”

“Nothing is more surprising than the surprises of history, and nothing more untrustworthy than the uncritical extrapolation of the tendencies of the recent past.”

“He could tell that the other expected him to be surprised, but it was not in him to be surprised because it was no more surprising to him when things did not fall out as they were supposed to than when they did.”

“…one must take into account the shocking fact that we live on a world that spins. After considering this truth, nothing should come as a surprise.”