Jordan

“Noi fummo i Gattopardi, i Leoni; quelli che ci sostituiranno saranno gli sciacalletti, le iene; e tutti quanti gattopardi, sciacalli e pecore, continueremo a crederci il sale della terra."

("We were the Leopards, the Lions; those who'll take our place will be little jackals, hyenas; and the whole lot of us, Leopards, jackals, and sheep, we'll all go on thinking ourselves the salt of the earth.")”
― Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Leopard

“To put up with people, to keep open house with one's heart — that is liberal, but that is merely liberal. One recognizes those hearts which are capable of noble hospitality by the many draped windows and closed
shutters, they keep their best rooms empty. Why? Because they expect guests with whom one does not "put up.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

“Poor and content is rich, and rich enough;
But riches fineless is as poor as winter
To him that ever fears he shall be poor;–
Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!”
― William Shakespeare, Othello

“Which is better a cheap happiness or lofty suffering? Tell me then, which is better?”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground & The Double