“Abraxas was the god who was both god and devil.”

—  Hermann Hesse , book Demian

Source: Demian (1919), p. 168

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Abraxas was the god who was both god and devil." by Hermann Hesse?
Hermann Hesse photo
Hermann Hesse 168
German writer 1877–1962

Related quotes

Hermann Hesse photo

“Our god's name is Abraxas and he is God and Satan and he contains both the luminous and the dark world.”

Source: Demian (1919), p. 180
Context: Our god's name is Abraxas and he is God and Satan and he contains both the luminous and the dark world. Abraxas does not take exception to any of your thoughts, any of your dreams. Never forget that. But he will leave you once you've become blameless and normal. Then he will leave you and look for a different vessel in which to brew his thoughts.

“Only by repudiating both devils and small gods will they ever know the Real One.”

Sheri S. Tepper (1929–2016) American fiction writer

The small god in Ch. 44 : the visitor
The Visitor (2002)
Context: Occasionally, I will do a conspicuous miracle to save one dying child while a thousand children starve elsewhere. This will convince sensible people I am perverse, and they will curse my name. Be sure to recruit those who do, they'll be invaluable. Only by repudiating both devils and small gods will they ever know the Real One.

Joseph Goebbels photo

“He who cannot hate the devil cannot love God.”

Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945) Nazi politician and Propaganda Minister

Wer den Teufel nicht hassen kann, der kann auch Gott nicht lieben.
Michael: a German fate in diary notes (1926)

Mwanandeke Kindembo photo
Julius Streicher photo

“You are blinded and you serve the God of the Jews, who is not the God of love but the God of hatred. Why don't you listen to Christ Himself, who said to the Jews: "Ye are of your father the devil!"”

Julius Streicher (1885–1946) German politician

Ihr seid verblendet und dient dem Gott der Juden, der nicht der Gott der Liebe, sondern der Gott des Hasses ist. Warum hört Ihr nicht auf Christus, der zu den Juden sagte : "Ihr seid Kinder des Teufels!"
04/21/1932, speech in Nuremberg, Herkulessaal ("Kampf dem Weltfeind", Stürmer publishing house, Nuremberg, 1938)

Martin Luther photo

“For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel…Thus is the Devil ever God's ape.”

67. Compare "Where God hath a temple, the Devil will have a chapel", Robert Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy, part III, section 4, member 1, subsection 1
Table Talk (1569)

Martin Buber photo
James Joyce photo

“God made food; the devil the cooks.”

Source: Ulysses

Related topics