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False Appearances


False Appearances

48 quotesVisits: 4,519

Quotations

William ShakespeareLook like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.

—  William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, English poet & playwright ‐ Macbeth

14 likes
Sun TzuAppear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.

—  Sun Tzu, c. 5th cent. BC, Chinese general & military strategist

10 likes
MontesquieuI have always observed that to succeed in the world one should appear like a fool but be wise.

—  Montesquieu, 1689-1755, French thinker

10 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliThe vulgar crowd always is taken by appearances, and the world consists chiefly of the vulgar.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

10 likes
Friedrich NietzscheThey muddy the water, to make it seem deep

—  Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German philosopher

9 likes
Michael CaineBe like a duck, my mother used to tell me. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath.

—  Michael Caine, 1933-, English actor

9 likes
Sun TzuPretend inferiority and encourage the arrogance of your enemy.

—  Sun Tzu, c. 5th cent. BC, Chinese general & military strategist

8 likes
Antoine RivarolThe most civilized people are as near to barbarism as the most polished steel is to rust. Nations, like metals, have only a superficial brilliancy.

—  Antoine Rivarol, 1753-1801, French author of maxims

6 likes
William MaxwellHappiness is the light on the water. The water is cold and dark and deep.

—  William Maxwell, 1908-2000, American writer

6 likes
Zsa Zsa GaborMacho doesn't prove mucho.

—  Zsa Zsa Gabor, 1917-2016, Hungarian-American actress

5 likes
Oscar LevantUnderneath this flabby exterior is an enormous lack of character.

—  Oscar Levant, 1906-1972, American pianist

4 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliEvery one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

4 likes
Elbert HubbardGood people are only half as good, and bad people only half as bad, as other people regard them.

—  Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915, American writer

4 likes
Marilyn MonroeYou know it takes a smart brunette to play a dumb blonde.

—  Marilyn Monroe, 1926-1962, American actress

4 likes
Aristotle OnassisTo be successful make sure you are tanned, live in expensive buildings, even if you have to stay in the cellar, go out to expensive restaurants, even if you can only afford one drink and if you have to borrow, borrow a lot.

—  Aristotle Onassis, 1900-1975, Greek tycoon

3 likes
Marlen DietrichThe relationship between the make-up man and the film actor is that of accomplices in crime.

—  Marlen Dietrich, 1901-1992, German-American actress

3 likes
William ShakespeareAll that glisters is not gold.

—  William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, English poet & playwright ‐ The Merchant of Venice

2 likes
Marlen DietrichMorocco... Looks better in films.

—  Marlen Dietrich, 1901-1992, German-American actress

2 likes
Kin HubbardSome folks can look so busy doing nothing that they seem indispensable.

—  Kin Hubbard, 1868-1930, American cartoonist

Nicolas Gomez DavilaThe modern world seems invincible. Like the extinct dinosaurs.

—  Nicolas Gomez Davila, 1913-1994, Colombian writer

Charles DickensTake nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There's no better rule.

—  Charles Dickens, 1812-1870, British writer

George EliotDon't judge a book by its cover.

—  George Eliot, 1819-1880, English writer

Joseph JoubertWhat is the use of modesty? It is used to appear more beautiful when we are beautiful and to appear less ugly when we are.

—  Joseph Joubert, 1754-1824, French author of maxims

Orson WellesI don't say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could.

—  Orson Welles, 1915-1985, American actor & film director

Gustave FlaubertNever touch your idols: the gilding will stick to your fingers.

—  Gustave Flaubert, 1821-1880, French writer

Honoré de BalzacPeople exaggerate both happiness and unhappiness; we are never so fortunate nor so unfortunate as people say we are.

—  Honoré de Balzac, 1799-1850, French writer

Rainer Maria RilkeDo not allow yourself to be misled by the surfaces of things.

—  Rainer Maria Rilke, 1875-1926, Czech-German poet

Jean de La BruyèreIt is not possible to read a person at first sight. The virtues are usually covered by the veil of modesty, while the flaws wear the mask of hypocrisy.

—  Jean de La Bruyère, 1645-1696, French writer

Jean de La BruyèreThere is a false modesty, which is vanity; a false glory, which is levity; a false grandeur, which is meanness; a false virtue, which is hypocrisy, and a false wisdom, which is prudery.

—  Jean de La Bruyère, 1645-1696, French writer

Martin HeideggerThus “phenomenology” means αποφαινεσθαι τα φαινομενα — to let that which shows itself be seen from itself in the very way in which it shows itself from itself.

—  Martin Heidegger, 1889-1976, German philosopher

Louis JouvetThe theater is the domain of appearances.

—  Louis Jouvet, 1887-1951, French actor

W.H. AudenThe image of myself which I try to create in my own mind in order that I may love myself is very different from the image which I try to create in the minds of others in order that they may love me.

—  W.H. Auden, 1907-1973, British poet

Sri AurobindoWhat men call knowledge, is the reasoned acceptance of false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the veil and sees.

—  Sri Aurobindo, 1872-1950, Indian nationalist, yogi & philosopher

Henry KissingerIn Washington...the appearance of power is therefore almost as important as the reality of it. In fact, the appearance is frequently its essential reality.

—  Henry Kissinger, 1923-2023, American politician

Jorge Luis BorgesWe accept reality so readily – perhaps because we sense that nothing is real.

—  Jorge Luis Borges, 1899-1986, Argentine writer

Ashleigh BrilliantI will always love the false image I had of you.

—  Ashleigh Brilliant, 1933-, British cartoonist & epigrammatist

Saul BellowHe was smoking a cigar, and when a man is smoking a cigar, wearing a hat, he has an advantage; it is harder to find out how he feels.

—  Saul Bellow, 1914-2005, Canadian-American writer, Nobel 1976

Nicolas ChamfortThere are well-dressed foolish ideas just as there are well-dressed fools.

—  Nicolas Chamfort, 1740-1794, French writer

Nicolas ChamfortIn great affairs men show themselves as they wish to be seen, in small things they show themselves as they are.

—  Nicolas Chamfort, 1740-1794, French writer

Agatha ChristieMany homicidal lunatics are very quiet, unassuming people. Delightful fellows.

—  Agatha Christie, 1890-1976, British writer

Latin Quotes

Latin proverbA beard does not make a philosopher.

Barba non facit philosophum.

—  Latin proverb

43 likes
Latin phraseDo no trust the appearance.

Fronti nulla fides.

—  Latin phrase

30 likes
CiceroTo be rather than to seem.

Esse quam videri.

—  Cicero, 106-43 BC, Roman orator & statesman

29 likes
Latin phraseThe poison is in the tail.

In cauda venenum.

—  Latin phrase

     (for something that looks harmless, but is actually bad or dangerous)

20 likes

Ancient Greek

Marcus AureliusRemember that all is opinion.

Ότι πάν υπόληψις.

—  Marcus Aurelius, 121-180 AD, Roman Emperor ‐ Meditations II,15

12 likes

Proverbs

American proverbAll hat and no cattle.

—  American proverb

4 likes
International proverbThe habit doesn't make the monk.

—  International proverb

3 likes



Similar categories & topics of Quotations






Similar Topics

Seeing

Truth & Lies

Deception

Masks

Face

Eyes

Nudity

Hiding

Contrary Topics

Obvious

Knowledge

 Popular Topics
1 Friendship
2 Victory & Defeat
3 Solitude
4 Seduction
5 Self-reliance
6 Ego
7 Drinking
8 Cunning
9 Eroticism
10 Nudity
11 Vanity
12 Self-deprecation
13 Incompetence
14 Sex
15 Religion
16 Meaning of Life
17 Life
18 Death
19 Corruption
20 Democracy
 

2024: Manolis Papathanassiou