Quotes from Vaslav Nijinsky

I am afraid of people because they want me to lead the same kind of life as they do. They want me to dance jolly and cheerful things. I do not like jollity. I love life.

People like eccentrics. Therefore they will leave me alone, saying that I am a mad clown.

I danced frightening things. They were frightened of me and therefore thought that I wanted to kill them. I did not want to kill anyone. I loved everyone, but no one loved me, and therefore I became nervous.

People like eccentrics. Therefore they will leave me alone, saying that I am a mad clown.

I am not crying, but have tears in my heart.

I am not an ape, I am a man. The world has been created by God. Man has been created by God. It is not possible for man to understand God - God understands God. Man is God and therefore understands God. I am God. I am a man. I am good and not a beast. I am an animal with reason. I have flesh, I *am* flesh, I am not descended from flesh. Flesh is created by God. I am God. I am God. I am God.

Now I will dance you the war…. The war which you did not prevent.

People have nothing to do and therefore they interfere with the life of others. I dont want to interfere with the life of others.

I do not like eating meat because I have seen lambs and pigs killed. I saw and felt their pain. They felt the approaching death. I could not bear it. I cried like a child. I ran up a hill and could not breathe. I felt that I was choking. I felt the death of the lamb.

Applause is not opinion. Applause is a feeling of love for the artist.

Diaghilev thinks I have died for the art. I am more alive than ever.

Voglio danzare, disegnare, suonare il pianoforte, scrivere versi, io voglio amare tutti. Questo è lo scopo della mia vita.

I stayed with my wife's mother during the war. I understood the war because I fought with my wife's mother.

I know many people will say, "What kind of God orders you to do everything you do? You are deceiving us. You are a primitive man, quite uncivilized." I know all these objections. I will answer them simply. I am man's firstborn, with God's culture and not an animal's.