“Pliny declares, as I hear, that he does not believe in the gods, but he believes in dreams; and perhaps he is right.”

— Henryk Sienkiewicz, book Quo Vadis

Petronius, as depicted in the novel, speaking to Marcus Vinicius, in Ch. 1
Quo Vadis (1895)
Context: Pliny declares, as I hear, that he does not believe in the gods, but he believes in dreams; and perhaps he is right. My jests do not prevent me from thinking at times that in truth there is only one deity, eternal, creative, all-powerful, Venus Genetrix. She brings souls together; she unites bodies and things. Eros called the world out of chaos. Whether he did well is another question; but, since he did so, we should recognize his might, though we are free not to bless it.

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 "Pliny declares, as I hear, that he does not believe in the gods, but he believes in dreams; and perhaps he is right." by Henryk Sienkiewicz?

Henryk Sienkiewicz38

Polish journalist, Nobel Prize-winning novelist, and philan… 1846–1916

Related quotes

“He was deeply impressed by the eloquence of the plaintiff, and after hearing his evidence he exclaimed, "I believe you are right!"
The clerk of the court explained that he should make no such comment until he had heard the case for the defence. Having done so, Nasruddin cried out, "I believe you are right!"
"But they can't both be right," expostulated the clerk.
"I believe you are right," said the Mulla.”

Nasreddin (1208–1284) philosopher, Sufi and wise man from Turkey, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes

Ivor Lucas, A Road to Damascus (1997), , p. 84

“Perhaps it is not true that “a man becomes what he dreams”; but if he does not dream, what kind of a man is he?”

Fausto Cercignani (1941) Italian scholar, essayist and poet

This quote is itself quoting Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman in the film Grey Owl (1999)
Examples of self-translation (c. 2004), Quotes - Zitate - Citations - Citazioni

“But it is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.”

Thomas Paine book The Age of Reason

Source: 1790s, The Age of Reason, Part I (1794)

“Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.”

Thomas Paine book The Age of Reason

Source: The Age of Reason

“He who thinks half-heartedly will not believe in God; but he who really thinks has to believe in God.”

Isaac Newton (1643–1727) British physicist and mathematician and founder of modern classical physics

“We Christians believe in a sensitive God: He hears the groaning of the oppressed and listens to the widow’s plea; He suffers with and for humanity, we want to believe that consecrated life, with its many charisms, is the very expression of this sensitivity.”

João Braz de Aviz (1947) Catholic cardinal

Consecrated women and men are ‘witnesses to the beauty of God’ https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2021-03/cardinal-de-aviz-25-anniversary-vita-consecrata-exhortation.html (25 March 2021)

“God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as he always has. But he can't if you don't pray, and he can't if you don't dream. In short, he can't if you don't believe.”

Jeffrey R. Holland (1940) Mormon leader

“Man is a free agent; but he is not free if he does not believe it”

Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798) Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice

.
History of My Life (trans. Trask 1967), 1997 reprint, Preface, p. 26
Referenced

“The man of the Midi does not lie, he deceives himself. He does not always speak the truth but he believes he speaks it.”

Alphonse Daudet book Tartarin of Tarascon

L'homme du Midi ne ment pas, il se trompe. Il ne dit pas toujours la vérité, mais il croit la dire.
Source: Tartarin de Tarascon (1872), P. 40; translation p. 17.

“I hope to God that He
Unswervingly believes in me.”

Yip Harburg (1896–1981) American song lyricist

"Agnostic".
Rhymes for the Irreverent (1965)
Context: No matter how much I probe and prod,
I cannot quite believe in God;
But oh, I hope to God that He
Unswervingly believes in me.

“Pliny declares, as I hear, that he does not believe in the gods, but he believes in dreams; and perhaps he is right.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Henryk Sienkiewicz38

Related quotes

Related topics