Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.
—Plato, c. 375 BCQuotes
Nothing is so easy as to deceive one’s self; for what we wish, that we readily believe.
—Demosthenes, 349 BCMany are the wonders of the world, and none so wonderful as man.
—Sophocles, c. 441 BCIn the past, men created witches; now they create mental patients.
—Thomas Szasz, 1970Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business.
—Tom Robbins, 1976Nothing is so easy to fake as the inner vision.
—Robertson Davies, 1985To ensure the adoration of a theorem for any length of time, faith is not enough; a police force is needed as well.
—Albert Camus, 1951Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.
—Marlene Dietrich, 1962Men willingly believe what they wish.
—Julius Caesar, c. 50 BCI shall curse you with book and bell and candle.
—Thomas Malory, c. 1470Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear.
—William Shakespeare, 1592All things are filled full of signs, and it is a wise man who can learn about one thing from another.
—Plotinus, c. 255Nothing from nothing ever yet was born.
—Lucretius, c. 58 BC