But if you are alive—live: tomorrow you’ll die as I might have died an hour ago. And is it worth tormenting oneself, when one has only a moment of life in comparison with eternity?
Pierre Bezukhov — in Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Book Four, chapter VI
Where these words come from
- 95% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
- War and Peace, Book Four, chapter VI; translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude (1922–1923); Exact wording and attribution checked. Spoken by Pierre Bezukhov, a fictional character, in War and Peace, Book Four, chapter VI. Pierre’s attempt to console himself after a duel. The narrative immediately shows
- War and Peace, Book Four, chapter VI; translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude (1922–1923)
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