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Let me tell you why you’re here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life. That there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me.

Morpheus

The Matrix

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Topic

Feeling unsettled

Speaker

Morpheus

Actor

Laurence Fishburne

Source

The Matrix

Medium

Film

Genre

Science fiction (film) Action (film) Science fiction Action

Language

English

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Matrix. Directed by The Wachowskis. Warner Bros./Village Roadshow Pictures/Groucho II Film Partnership/Silver Pictures, 1999.

Moderation is a fatal thing...Nothing succeeds like excess.

Oscar Wilde

A Woman of No Importance

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Topic

Moderation vs. excess Moderation Excess

Speaker

Lord Illingworth

Author

Oscar Wilde

Source

A Woman of No Importance

Medium

Play

Language

English

Time

1893 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Wilde, Oscar. A Woman of No Importance. 1893, Haymarket Theatre, London, England, UK, act 3.

Current Citation

Wilde, Oscar. "A Woman of No Importance." The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays. Oxford University Press, 2008, act 3.

Happy is the house that shelters a friend.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Essays: First Series (Emerson)

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Topic

Hospitality

Author

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Source

Friendship Essays: First Series (Emerson)

Medium

Essay

Language

English

Time

1841 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Friendship." Essays: First Series. Boston: James Munroe and Company, 1841.

Current Citation

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Friendship." The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Brooks Atkinson. Modern Library, 2000.

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.

Henry Ford

More information about this quote

Topic

Business Corporate social responsibility Capitalism

Author

Henry Ford

Source

Dearborn Independent

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1919 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ford, Henry. "Ford's Weekly Will Make Its Bow Sunday." New York Tribune, 10 Jan. 1919, p. 6.

If I wanted a kiss, I would have called your mother!

Tommy Boy

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Speaker

Tommy

Actor

Chris Farley

Source

Tommy Boy

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy (film) Comedy

Statement Type

Insult

Language

English

Time

1995 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tommy Boy. Directed by Peter Segal, Paramount Pictures, 1995.

I sing of arms and the man who first from the shores of Troy came destined an exile to Italy and the Lavinian beaches, a man much buffeted on land and on the deep by force of the gods because of fierce Juno's never-forgetting anger.

Virgil

Aeneid

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Author

Virgil

Source

Aeneid

Medium

Poem

Genre

Epic poem

Statement Type

Opening lines

Language

Latin

Time

19 BC 10s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Virgil. Aenē̆is [Aeneid]. 19 BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Virgil. The Aeneid, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2010, bk. 1.

Wow. Wait a minute, Doc. Are you trying to tell me that my mother has got the hots for me?

Back to the Future

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Topic

Oedipal issues Mothers and sons

Speaker

Marty McFly

Actor

Michael J. Fox

Source

Back to the Future

Medium

Film

Genre

Science fiction (film) Science fiction

Statement Type

Question

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Back to the Future. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Amblin Entertainment, 1985.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.

Thomas Jefferson

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Topic

Purpose of government Political theory

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Source

Letters of Thomas Jefferson

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1809 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to the Republican Citizens of Washington County, Maryland. 31 Mar. 1809.

By comparison with that existing today, all the tyrannies of the past were half-hearted and inefficient. The ruling groups were always infected to some extent by liberal ideas, and were content to leave loose ends everywhere, to regard only the overt act and to be uninterested in what their subjects were thinking.

George Orwell

Nineteen Eighty-Four

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Topic

Tyranny Totalitarianism

Author

George Orwell

Source

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Medium

Novel

Genre

Dystopian fiction

Language

English

Time

1949 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949, pt. 2, ch. 9.

The god
Visit the sins of the fathers upon the children.

Euripides

Phrixus

More information about this quote

Topic

Collective guilt

Author

Euripides

Source

Phrixus

Language

Greek

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Euripides. Phrixus. 5th century BC, fragment 970.

Women can't forgive failure.

Anton Chekhov

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Topic

Men and women Women

Speaker

Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev

Author

Anton Chekhov

Source

The Seagull

Medium

Play

Language

Russian

Time

1896 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Чайка [The Seagull]. 17 Oct. 1896, Alexandrinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia, act. 2.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. "The Seagull." Plays, translated by Peter Carson. Penguin, 2002, act 2.

I don't want to live in a city where the only cultural advantage is you can make a right turn on a red light.

Annie Hall

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Topic

Los Angeles

Speaker

Alvy Singer

Actor

Woody Allen

Source

Annie Hall

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy drama (film) Romantic comedy (film) Comedy drama Romantic comedy

Language

English

Time

1977 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Annie Hall. Directed by Woody Allen, A Jack Rollins and Charles H. Joffe Production, 1977.

They always say the key to a solid marriage is laughter.

Mrs. Doubtfire

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Topic

Marriage

Speaker

Mrs. Doubtfire

Actor

Robin Williams

Source

Mrs. Doubtfire

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy drama (film) Comedy (film) Comedy drama Comedy

Language

English

Time

1993 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mrs. Doubtfire. Directed by Chris Columbus, 20th Century Fox/Blue Wolf Productions, 1993.

Do not try to find out-we're forbidden to know-what end the gods may bestow on me or you.

Horace

Odes

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Topic

Fate God and man

Author

Horace

Source

Odes

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

23 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 1, no. 11.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, no. 11.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23

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Topic

Self-protection The heart

Source

Proverbs The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Hebrew

Time

686 BC 680s BC 7th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible, New International Version. International Bible Society, 1978. (Proverbs 4:23).

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life.

James 1:12

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Topic

Temptation

Source

James The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

49 40s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (James 1:12).

Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

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Topic

Moral principles

Speaker

Jefferson Smith

Actor

Jimmy Stewart

Source

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Medium

Film

Genre

Political (film) Comedy drama (film) Political Comedy drama

Language

English

Time

1939 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Directed by Frank Capra, Columbia Pictures, 1939.

Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.

William Blake

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

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Topic

How to live Days

Author

William Blake

Source

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1794 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Blake, William. "Proverbs of Hell." The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. c. 1790.

Current Citation

Blake, William. "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake, edited by David V. Erdman. University of California Press, 2008.

I don’t tip because society says I have to.

Reservoir Dogs

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Topic

Tipping Society

Speaker

Mr. Pink

Actor

Steve Buscemi

Source

Reservoir Dogs

Genre

Crime (film) Crime

Language

English

Time

1992 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reservoir Dogs. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Live America Inc./Dog Eat Dog Productions, 1992.

The cause of the bad and of the good fortune of men is the way in which their method of working fits the times.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Read Discourse on Livy at Project Gutenberg

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Topic

Timing Fortune Luck

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

Discourses on Livy

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1531 1510s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio [Discourses on the First Ten of Titus Livy]. Papal Privilege, 1531, bk. 3, ch. 9.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolo. Discourses on Livy, translated by Julia Conaway Bondanella and Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 3, ch. 9.