quotations about necessity
No picture of life can have any veracity that does not admit the odious facts. A man's power is hooped in by necessity, which by many experiments, he touches on every side, until he learns its arc.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
The Conduct of Life
Nothing is necessitated whose opposite is possible.
GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ
Discours de métaphysique
We cannot conquer fate and necessity, yet we can yield to them in such a manner as to be greater than if we could.
WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR
Imaginary Conversations
Oh! marvellous, O stupendous Necessity -- by thy laws thou dost compel every effect to be the direct result of its cause, by the shortest path. These are miracles.
LEONARDO DA VINCI
Notebooks
Necessity inspires the fatal thought.
VITTORIO ALFIERI
Agamemnon
Necessity has a way of obliterating from our conduct various delicate scruples regarding honor and pride.
WILLIAM FAULKNER
Absalom, Absalom!
When we are incapable of recognizing the laws of necessity, we believe ourselves to be free.
LUDWIG BÖME
attributed, Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists
Necessity is not an established fact, but an interpretation.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
The Will to Power
Stern is the on-look of necessity. Not without a shudder may the hand of man grasp the mysterious urn of destiny.
FRIEDRICH SCHILLER
The Death of Wallenstein
Even the gods are unable to contend against necessity.
SIMONIDES
attributed, Day's Collacon
Constant and exclusive devotion to mere physical necessities, degrades man to the rank of an animal.
FELICITE ROBERT DE LAMENNAIS
The People's Own Book
Necessity is a sore penance; and extremity is as hard to bear as death.
CANTACUZENUS
attributed, Day's Collacon
Necessity does the work of courage.
GEORGE ELIOT
Romola
I hold that mortal foolish who strives against the stress of necessity.
EURIPIDES
Hercules Furens
We give to necessity the praise of virtue.
QUINTILIAN
Institutio Oratoria
Necessity is an evil; but there is no necessity for continuing to live subject to necessity.
EPICURUS
attributed, Letters, Principle Doctrines and Vatican Sayings
Soul of the world, divine Necessity,
Servant of God, and master of all things.
PHILIP JAMES BAILEY
Festus
Necessity sharpens industry.
A. L. LAVOISIER
attributed, Day's Collacon
Freedom is only necessity understood.
WILLIAM JAMES
"The Dilemma of Determinism"
Necessity's sharp pinch!
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
King Lear