Quotes from Francois Rabelais

I go to seek a Great Perhaps

The scent of wine, oh how much more agreeable, laughing, praying, celestial and delicious it is than that of oil!

I have known many who could not when they would, for they had not done it when they could.

How do you know antiquity was foolish? How do you know the present is wise? Who made it foolish? Who made it wise?

The remedy for thirst? It is the opposite of the one for a dog bite: run always after a dog, he'll never bite you; drink always before thirst, and it will never overtake you.

In this mortal life, nothing is blessed throughout.

How can I govern others, who can't even govern myself?

Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective and valuable than words.

Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows continually through noble thought and memory.

Because just as arms have no force outside if there is no counsel within a house, study is vain and counsel useless that is not put to virtuous effect when the time calls.

Debts and lies are generally mixed together.

We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us.

No clock is more regular than the belly.

To good and true love, fear is forever affixed.

Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective and valuable than words.

A mother-in-law dies only when another devil is needed in hell.

Je m'en vais chercher un grand peut-être.

Readers, friends, if you turn these pages Put your prejudice aside, For, really, there's nothing here that's outrageous, Nothing sick, or bad — or contagious. Not that I sit here glowing with pride For my book: all you'll find is laughter: That's all the glory my heart is after, Seeing how sorrow eats you, defeats you. I'd rather write about laughing than crying, For laughter makes men human, and courageous.

Si vous faîtes attention aux signes, quand donc ferez vous attention à ce qu'ils signifient? If you pay attention to the signs, but when will you pay attention to what they signify?

Ignorance est mère de tous les maux.

This is the true nature of gratitude. Time gnaws and diminishes all things, but it increases and adds to our good deeds: anytime we have extended a generous hand to a rational human being, that goodness keeps growing and glowing in the man's heart, forever remembered, constantly contemplated.

there are more fools than wise men in all societies, and the larger party always gains the upper hand

I say and maintain, that of all torcheculs, arsewisps, bumfodders, tail-napkins, bunghole cleansers, and wipe-breeches, there is none in the world comparable to the neck of a goose ...

May the fire of St. Anthony fly up thy fundament.