“When you look into the abyss, it’s not supposed to wave back.”

— Terry Pratchett , book Thief of Time

Source: Thief of Time

Last update Sept. 29, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "When you look into the abyss, it’s not supposed to wave back." by Terry Pratchett?

Terry Pratchett 796

English author 1948–2015

Related quotes

“And when the abyss looks into you - and it will - may you look back unflinching.”

Neal Shusterman (1962) American novelist

Source: Challenger Deep

“When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you.”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, and classical philologist

Variant: When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.

“It was one of those moments when a great Don't Care wave hits you, and you float off on it, head back, looking at the sky.”

Jonathan Stroud book The Screaming Staircase

Source: The Screaming Staircase

“He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, and classical philologist

Aphorism 146 from Jenseits von Gut und Böse (Beyond Good and Evil) an 1886 book by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Translated from: Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.

Source: Gutenberg-DE

Translation source: Hollingdale
Misattributed

“The person who fights monsters should make sure that in the process, he does not become a monster himself. Because when you stare down at an abyss, the abyss stares back at you.”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, and classical philologist

Variant: Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.