François Rabelais quotes - page 5

François Rabelais was a French Renaissance writer, physician, and humanist, celebrated for his satirical novels about Gargantua and Pantagruel. His works combined humor, fantasy, and sharp social commentary, influencing Western literature and thought. He is remembered for his wit, linguistic creativity, and courageous criticism of authority. Here are 156 of his quotes:

He did not care a button for it.

François Rabelais

How well I feathered my nest.

François Rabelais

And thereby hangs a tale.

François Rabelais

Like hearts of oak.

François Rabelais

Whose cockloft is unfurnished.

François Rabelais

Because men that are free, well-born, well-bred, and conversant in honest companies, have naturally an instinct and spur that prompteth them unto virtuous actions, and withdraws them from vice, which is called honour. Those same men, when by base subjection and constraint they are brought under and kept down, turn aside from that noble disposition, by which they formerly were inclined to virtue, to shake off and break that bond of servitude, wherein they are so tyrannously enslaved; for it is agreeable with the nature of man to long after things forbidden, and to desire what is denied us.

François Rabelais

Alluring, courtly, comely, fine, complete, Wise, personable, ravishing, and sweet, Come joys enjoy. The Lord celestial Hath given enough wherewith to please us all.

François Rabelais

To good and true love fear is forever affixed.

François Rabelais

The right moment wears a full head of hair: when it has been missed, you can't get it back; it's bald in the back of the head and never turns around.

François Rabelais

Grace, honour, praise, delight, Here sojourn day and night. Sound bodies lined With a good mind, Do here pursue with might Grace, honour, praise, delight.Here enter you, and welcome from our hearts, All noble sparks, endowed with gallant parts. This is the glorious place, which bravely shall Afford wherewith to entertain you all. Were you a thousand, here you shall not want For anything; for what you'll ask we'll grant. Stay here, you lively, jovial, handsome, brisk, Gay, witty, frolic, cheerful, merry, frisk, Spruce, jocund, courteous, furtherers of trades, And, in a word, all worthy gentle blades.

François Rabelais

What do you say? cried they; do you call it Entelechy or Endelechy? Truly, truly, sweet cousins, quoth Panurge, we are a silly sort of grout-headed lobcocks, an't please you; be so kind as to forgive us if we chance to knock words out of joint. As for anything else, we are downright honest fellows and true hearts.

François Rabelais

We saw a knot of others, about a baker's dozen.

François Rabelais

If you wish to avoid seeing a fool you must first break your looking glass.

François Rabelais

It is my opinion that time brings all things to fruition by time all things are made plain time is the father of truth.

François Rabelais

Here enter you, and welcome from our hearts, All noble sparks, endowed with gallant parts. This is the glorious place, which bravely shall Afford wherewith to entertain you all. Were you a thousand, here you shall not want For anything; for what you'll ask we'll grant.

François Rabelais

The holy sacred Word, May it always afford T' us all in common, Both man and woman, A spiritual shield and sword, The holy sacred Word.

François Rabelais

Patience, if it were our sovereign lady's will, we would be as tall as you; well, we shall when she pleases.

François Rabelais

Draw the curtain, the farce is over.

François Rabelais

I have already related to you great and admirable things; but, if you might be induced to adventure upon the hazard of believing some other divinity of this sacred Pantagruelion, I very willingly would tell it you. Believe it, if you will, or otherwise, believe it not, I care not which of them you do, they are both alike to me. It shall be sufficient for my purpose to have told you the truth, and the truth I will tell you.

François Rabelais

I know of a charm by way of a prayer that will preserve a man from the violence of guns and all manner of fire-weapons and engines but it will do me no good because I do not believe it.

François Rabelais

I do now forgive you, deliver you from all fines and imprisonments, fully release you, set you at liberty, and every way make you as frank and free as ever you were before.

François Rabelais

In all their rule, and strictest tie of their order, there was but this one clause to be observed.

François Rabelais