Notable quotes from Gore Vidal’s Creation

"Until I met the Buddhists, I did not think it possible for a religion or philosophy or worldview of any complexity to exist without a theory of creation, no matter how imprecise." ~p.290

"At the core of the Buddhist system there is an empty space which is not just the sought-after nirvana. It is perfect atheism." ~p.293

"Out of injured self-esteem, the Greek is always ready to betray his native land." ~p.324

"Wear a mask too long and you will come to resemble it." ~p.354

"You must convince them that your way is their way and that the chains which you have forged for them are necessary ornaments." ~p.401

"The wise man has no ambitions. Therefore, he has no failures. He who never fails always succeeds. And he who always succeeds is all-powerful." ~p.419

"There is no better way of getting a man to let down his guard than to mention his rivals."~p.460

"What I am considered to be and what I am are two different things. Like the fish, which is one thing in the water, and another on the plate." ~p.461

"You serve that very peculiar god who created evil so that he would have an excuse to torture his other creations." ~p.465

"There is not a society on earth that does not perpetuate ancient customs which profoundly embarrass thoughtful contemporaries." ~p.472

"When I am considerate, Master, what do I do?"
"You do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you." ~p.491

"To learn and not to think over what you have learned is perfectly useless. To think without first having learned is dangerous." ~p.499

"When the vase is empty, it stands upright, and is very beautiful. But when it is filled, the vase rolls to one side and everything that was in it spills onto the ground, which is not beautiful. Well, I am that empty vase. I may not be filled with power and glory, but I am upright." ~p.502

"We can't conceive a god who takes an immortal soul, allows it to be born once, plays a game with it, then passes judgement on it and condemns it to pain or pleasure forever." ~p.519

"Never go to war against a poor country, because no matter how it turns out, you lose." ~p.541