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My principle anguish and the source of all my joys and sorrows from my youth onward has been the incessant, merciless battle between the spirit and the flesh.

Nikos Kazantzakis

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Nikos Kazantzakis
Age: 74 †
Born: 1883
Born: February 18
Died: 1957
Died: October 26
Journalist
Novelist
Philosopher
Playwright
Poet
Politician
Screenwriter
Translator
Writer
Heraclion
Nicos Kazantzakes
Joy
Joys
Principles
Anguish
Spirit
Principle
Flesh
Sorrow
Merciless
Battle
Onward
Youth
Incessant
Source
Sorrows

More quotes by Nikos Kazantzakis

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By believing passionately in that which doesn't exist, you create it and that which has not been sufficiently desired is what we call the non existent.
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Every obstacle in his journey became a milestone, an occasion for further triumph. We have a model in front of us now, a model who blazes our trail and gives us strength.
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Before me is the abyss. How can I leap across it? And if I do not leap, how shall I ever be able to reach God?
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True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own.
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Beauty is merciless. You do not look at it, it looks at you and does not forgive.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Life is trouble. Only death is not. To be alive is to undo your belt and *look* for trouble.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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What, then is our duty? It is to carefully distinguish the historic moment in which we live and to consciously assign our small energies to a specific battlefield. The more we are in phase with the current which leads the way, the more we aid man in his difficult, uncertain, danger-fraught ascent toward salvation.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean sea.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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I say one thing, you write another, and those who read you understand still something else! I say: cross, death, kingdom of heaven, God...and what do you understand? Each of you attaches his own suffering, interests and desires to each of these sacred words, and my words disappear, my soul is lost. I can't stand it any longer!
Nikos Kazantzakis
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The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Throughout my life, my greatest benefactors have been my dreams and my travels very few men, living or dead, have helped me in my struggle.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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I know now: I do not hope for anything. I do not fear anything, I have freed myself from both the mind and the heart, I have mounted much higher, I am free .
Nikos Kazantzakis
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The more devils we have within us, the more chance we have to form angels.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Life on earth means: the sprouting of wings.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Monarch of earth, I shall confess my secret craft: I've always fought to purify wild flame to light, and kindle whatever light I found to burst in flame.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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There is only one sin god will not forgive Boss, and that is to deny a woman who is in wanting ~ Zorba
Nikos Kazantzakis
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I am a weak, ephemeral creature made of mud and dream. But I feel all the powers of the universe whirling within me.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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I said to the almond tree, 'Sister, speak to me of God.' And the almond tree blossomed.
Nikos Kazantzakis
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God, what is all this talk put out by the popes? Paradise is here, my good man. God, give me no other paradise!
Nikos Kazantzakis
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Death's dry bones glowed with light in the erotic dark but he woke not nor felt the two warm bodies merge the male worm then took heart and in his wife's ear whispered: With one sweet kiss, dear wife, we've conquered conquering Death!
Nikos Kazantzakis