Fernando Pessoa
1888–1935
11 genuine quotes, each found in the text, and 1 wrongly credited to Pessoa.
Portuguese poet, prose writer and literary critic who wrote in Portuguese and English. He gave distinct literary identities and views to the heteronyms Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campos, and to the semi-heteronym Bernardo Soares, so a line spoken by one of them is not automatically Pessoa’s own belief. His Livro do Desassossego is an unfinished collection of prose fragments assembled after his death, not a novel he completed and put in order.
Genuine Pessoa quotes
- I have within me all the dreams of the world.
Tobacco Shop (1933), Opening stanza, lines 1–4; dated 15 January 1928; first published in Presença, July 1933, said by Álvaro de Campos.
- Everything is worthwhile if the soul is not small.
Message (1934), Second part, Mar Portuguez; poem X, “Mar Portuguez”, second stanza, lines 7–10 (1934 edition, p. 64).
- God wills, man dreams, the work is born.
Message (1934), Second part, Mar Portuguez; poem I, “O Infante”, opening three lines (1934 edition, p. 51).
- I am the size of what I see, not the size of my height.
The Keeper of Sheep (1925), O Guardador de Rebanhos, poem beginning “Da minha aldeia vejo quanto da terra”, first stanza, final two lines, said by Alberto Caeiro.
- Myth is the nothing that is everything.
Message (1934), First part, Brasão; II, Os Castellos; poem I, “Ulysses”, opening line (1934 edition, p. 19).
- There is no metaphysics in the world but chocolates.
Tobacco Shop (1933), Tabacaria, parenthetical passage beginning “Come chocolates, pequena”, lines beginning “Olha que não há mais metafísica” through “Pudesse eu comer chocolates”, said by Álvaro de Campos.
- O salt sea, how much of your salt is the tears of Portugal!
Message (1934), Mensagem, Second part, Mar Portuguez; poem X, “Mar Portuguez”, first stanza (1934 edition, p. 64).
- The only hidden meaning of things is that they have no hidden meaning.
The Keeper of Sheep (1925), O Guardador de Rebanhos, poem beginning “O mistério das cousas, onde está ele?”, passage beginning “Porque o único sentido oculto”, said by Alberto Caeiro.
- The poet is a pretender.
Autopsychography (1932), First stanza, lines 1–4; Presença, no. 36, November 1932.
- Thinking is being sick in the eyes.
The Keeper of Sheep (1925), O Guardador de Rebanhos, poem beginning “O meu olhar é nítido como um girassol”, stanza beginning “O mundo não se fez”, said by Alberto Caeiro.
- To be great, be whole.
Odes (1924), Ricardo Reis, ode beginning “Para ser grande, sê inteiro”, all six lines; dated 14 February 1933, said by Ricardo Reis.
Quotes wrongly credited to Pessoa
- Stones in my path? I keep them all. One day I will build a castle.
Misattributed. Nemo Nox wrote it, not Pessoa.
The works we hold
Quotes are looked up word for word in these texts. The number is how many genuine quotes here come from each.
| Work | Year | Genuine quotes |
|---|---|---|
| The Mariner O Marinheiro | 1915 | 0 |
| Triumphal Ode Ode Triunfal | 1915 | 0 |
| Maritime Ode Ode Marítima | 1915 | 0 |
| 35 Sonnets | 1918 | 0 |
| Odes | 1924 | 1 |
| The Keeper of Sheep O Guardador de Rebanhos | 1925 | 3 |
| Autopsychography Autopsicografia | 1932 | 1 |
| Tobacco Shop Tabacaria | 1933 | 2 |
| Message Mensagem | 1934 | 4 |