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Not without a shudder may the human hand reach into the mysterious urn of destiny.
Friedrich Schiller
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Human beings often approach the unknown with trepidation, acknowledging the uncertainty in their fates.

This quote by Friedrich Schiller illustrates the cautious approach humans must take when confronting destiny and the unknown. It highlights the anxiety and fear that accompany the acknowledgment of life's unpredictability, suggesting that reaching into one's future can provoke both curiosity and apprehension.

Themes

DestinyUncertaintyFearFateHuman Experience

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about taking risks in life.

More from Friedrich Schiller

Art is the daughter of freedom.
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There is no such thing as chance; and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny.
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While the womanly god demands our veneration, the godlike woman kindles our love; but while we allow ourselves to melt in the celestial loveliness, the celestial self-sufficiency holds us back in awe.
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As noble Art has survived noble nature, so too she marches ahead of it, fashioning and awakening by her inspiration. Before Truth sends her triumphant light into the depths of the heart, imagination catches its rays, and the peaks of humanity will be glowing when humid night still lingers in the valleys.
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Wise to resolve, patient to perform.
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