We love ourselves notwithstanding our faults, and we ought to love our friends in like manner.

Even if the skies were shorter than my knees, I would not kneel.

A man's enjoyment of all good things is in exact proportion to the pains he has undergone to gain them.

Diversity in counsel, unity in command.

All men have their frailties; and whoever looks for a friend without imperfections, will never find what he seeks.

You cannot be buried in obscurity: you are exposed upon a grand theater to the view of the world. If your actions are upright and benevolent, be assured they will augment your power and happiness.

O man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know you will come, I am Cyrus who won the Persians their empire. Do not therefore begrudge me this bit of earth that covers my bones.

I am Cyrus, king of the world.

In my experience, men who respond to good fortune with modesty and kindness are harder to find than those who face adversity with courage.

The goodness of the world grew like moss in cracks, she thought. It grew, somehow, with hidden roots, nourished by something unseen.

Um, yeah. I guess lying around reading books all day doesn't do much for physical endurance.

I like my work to stand on its own as much as possible.

Chicago is seriously my favorite city in the country. People have roots here, which is nice. When you go to Los Angeles, no one is actually from Los Angeles.

You can't get a movie made without a script; it's the blueprint to your building.

I am a private detective. I am paid to be inquisitive and presumptuous.

Accepting new challenges makes me come alive.

Life is a goddam mess...but you wouldn't want to miss it!

Life--a lifelong death sentence.

The early Church had nothing but the Old Testament. The New Testament lies hidden in the Old; the Old Testament lies open in the New.