“The ancients adorned their sarcophagi with the emblems of life and procreation, and even with obscene symbols; in the religions of antiquity the sacred and the obscene often lay very close together. These men knew how to pay homage to death. For death is worthy of homage as the cradle of life, as the womb of palingenesis.”
Source: The Magic Mountain (1924), Ch. 5
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Thomas Mann 159
German novelist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate 1875–1955Related quotes
“Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue.”
Vol. 4, pt. 2, translated by W.P.Dickson.
The History of Rome - Volume 4: Part 2
“Hypocrisy is an homage that vice pays to virtue.”
L'hypocrisie est un hommage que le vice rend à la vertu.
Maxim 218.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
“Hypocrisy is the homage that vice and wrong pay to virtue and justice.”
Source: Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (1871), Ch. III : The Master, p. 73
“2580. Hypocrisy is a Sort of Homage, that Vice pays to Virtue.”
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)
On the Mystical Body of Christ
Context: What is the use of believing, if the dost blaspheme? Thou adorest Him as Head, and dost blaspheme Him in His body. He loves His body. Thou canst cut thyself off from the body, but the Head does not detach itself from its body. "Thou dost honor me in vain," He cries from heaven, "thou dost honor Me in vain!" If someone wished to kiss thy cheek, but insisted at the same time on trampling thy feet; if with his hailed boots he were to crush thy feet as he tries to hold thy head and kiss thee, wouldst thou not interrupt his expression of respect and cry out: "What are thou doing, man? Thou art trampling upon me!" …
It is for this reason that before He ascended into heaven our Lord Jesus Christ recommended to us His body, by which He was to remain upon earth. For He foresaw that many would pay Him homage because of His glory in heaven, but that their homage would be vain, so long as they despise His members on earth. (pp. 436-437) http://books.google.com/books?id=CIosAAAAIAAJ&q=%22their+homage+would+be+vain,+so+long+as+they+despise+His+members+on+earth%22&dq=%22their+homage+would+be+vain,+so+long+as+they+despise+His+members+on+earth%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3AIXUd70C4mi8QTi2IC4Cg&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA
“Very worried and nerveux for 1944. Life is dark – as is death. Close 1943.”
Beckman's Diary, 31 December 1943, Amsterdam; as cited on: 'Arts in exile' http://kuenste-im-exil.de
1940s
“After all Death is a Symbol that there was Life.”
Source: The Moon and Sixpence (1919), Ch. 58, p. 213
