Quotes from Italo Svevo

Who knows whether, if I had given up smoking, I should really have become the strong perfect man I imagined? Perhaps it was this very doubt that bound me to my vice, because life is so much pleasanter if one is able to believe in one's own latent greatness

It is comfortable to live in the belief that you are great, though your greatness is latent.

Misunderstanding women is a clear sign of scant virility.

Le donne sono fatte così. Ogni giorno che sorge porta loro una nuova interpretazione del passato. Dev'essere una vita poco monotona la loro.

Health doesn't analyze itself, nor does it look at itself in the mirror. Only we sick people know something about ourselves.

Complete freedom consists of being able to do what you like, provided you also do something you like less.

Sorrow and love ? life, in other words ? cannot be considered a sickness because they hurt.

Unlike other sicknesses, life is always fatal. It doesn't tolerate therapies. It would be like stopping the holes that we have in our bodies, believing them wounds. We would die of strangulation the moment we were treated.

a preached immorality is more to be punished than an immoral action. You arrive at murder through love or through hate; you propagandize murder only through wickedness.

The fancies of wine are authentic events.

True religion, indeed, is that which does not have to be avowed in order to provide the solace that at times...if only rarely...you cannot do without.

When will you discover that it would be a good idea to memorize your life, even the large part of it that will revolt you?

L'amore sano è quello che abbraccia una donna sola e intera, compreso il suo carattere e la sua intelligenza.

Adesso che son qui, ad analizzarmi, sono colto da un dubbio: che io forse abbia amato tanto la sigaretta per poter riversare su di essa la colpa della mia incapacità?

Under the law established by the possessor of the greatest number of devices, sickness and the sick will flourish.

The sun didn't illuminate me! When you are old, you remain in shadow, even when you have wit.

Come di tutte le cose, anche del viaggio la parte più bella era l'inizio. Partendo si correva via immediatamente liberi dal groviglio di affari e affarucci che gremivano la vita. Per un istante si respirava liberi.

Credo che tutti abbiamo nella nostra coscienza come nel nostro corpo dei punti delicati e coperti cui volentieri si pensa.

Her vanity did not worry him since he profited by it so much;

Her illness was a relief, for if you are in a high fever you forget all your worries.

Birazc?k zoraki bir gülümseyiÅŸti bu, minnetin gerçek yüzü yani.

Birine ruh yap?s?n?n ne biçim olduÄŸunu aç?klamak, dilediÄŸi gibi davranmas?na izin vermenin bir yoludur.

La salute non analizza se stessa e neppur si guarda nello specchio. Solo noi malati sappiamo qualche cosa di noi stessi.

Chissà se l'amo? È un dubbio che m'accompagnò per tutta la vita e oggidì posso pensare che l'amore accompagnato da tanto dubbio sia il vero amore.