“"The bread of the stranger is bitter," says Dante, "and his staircase hard to climb." But who can know what the bitterness of dependence is so well as the poor companion of an old lady of quality?”

II.
The Queen of Spades (1833)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Oct. 2, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote ""The bread of the stranger is bitter," says Dante, "and his staircase hard to climb." But who can know what the bittern…" by Aleksandr Pushkin?
Aleksandr Pushkin photo
Aleksandr Pushkin 33
Russian poet 1799–1837

Related quotes

James Anthony Froude photo
Jonathan Sacks photo
Javad Alizadeh photo

“Sweetness of life depends to its bitterness.”

Javad Alizadeh (1953) cartoonist, journalist and humorist

Quoted in Humor & Caricature (September 1995), p. 3

Democritus photo

“The enmity of one's kindred is far more bitter than the enmity of strangers.”

Democritus Ancient Greek philosopher, pupil of Leucippus, founder of the atomic theory

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Leonard Cohen photo
Avigdor Lieberman photo

“People can choose between the sweet lie or the bitter truth. I say the bitter truth, but many people don't want to hear it.”

Avigdor Lieberman (1958) Israeli politician

Answer to "Why are you always perceived as the bad guy?" "Spiegel Interview" http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,684789-4,00.html

Joachim of Fiore photo

“Altars are trimmed, and the poor suffer the bitter pangs of hunger.”

Joachim of Fiore (1135–1202) Italian abbot

in Man on His Own (1970), p. 120

W. Somerset Maugham photo

“He had a bitter pain in his heart, for he knew that she was still a stranger to him and his hungry love was destined ever to remain unsatisfied.”

W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British playwright, novelist, short story writer

"The pool", p. 127
Short Stories, Collected short stories 1

Anne Sexton photo

“I grow old on my bitterness.”

"Two Sons"
Live or Die (1966)

“The lives of the Outer Dwellers had become almost normal again. Bitterness was their bread and rivalry their wine.”

Mervyn Peake (1911–1968) English writer, artist, poet and illustrator

Source: Gormenghast (1950), Chapter 69 (p. 743)

Related topics