Selected Philosophical Poems of Tommaso Campanella Quotes

“On the Roots of the World’s Great Evils

I was born to vanquish three extreme evils:
tyranny, sophism, and hypocrisy;
so now I realize with how much harmony
Themis taught me Power, Intellect, and Love.
These are true and supreme principles
of the great philosophy revealed,
the remedy against the triple lie,
under which you, oh world, quiver weeping.
Famines, wars, plagues, envy, deceit,
injustice, lust, sloth, and disdain,
all depend on these three great evils
which in blind self love have their deserving son,
the root and instigator of ignorance.
Therefore, I come to pluck out ignorance.”
― Tommaso Campanella, Selected Philosophical Poems of Tommaso Campanella

“Within a fist of the brain I dwell and I devour
so much that all the books that the world contains
could not satiate my profound appetite.
I have eaten so much! and still I starve to death!”
― Tommaso Campanella, Selected Philosophical Poems of Tommaso Campanella