“But in this country it is necessary, now and then, to put one admiral to death in order to inspire the others to fight.”

“If God did not exist, He would have to be invented. But all nature cries aloud that he does exist: that there is a supreme intelligence, an immense power, an admirable order, and everything teaches us our own dependence on it.”

“Such then is the human condition, that to wish greatness for one's country is to wish harm to one's neighbors.”

“Fools admire everything in an author of reputation.”

“So it is the human condition that to wish for the greatness of one's fatherland is to wish evil to one's neighbors. The citizen of the universe would be the man who wishes his country never to be either greater or smaller, richer or poorer.”

“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.”

“the safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.”