A Fate Is Not A Punishment To Don Juan

A fate is not a punishment is a line taken from chapter two of Albert Camus’ 1942 philosophical essay “The Myth Of Sisyphus“.

It is about this fictional Don Juan, a legendary great Spanish lover or seducer of women.

This iconic libertine is also known as Don Giovanni in Italian.

In this chapter, Albert Camus presents an example of the absurd life.

He uses Don Juan, the serial seducer who lives the passionate life to the fullest as an example of an absurd man.

Camus says that even Don moves from woman to woman, seducing each one in turn, he is not desperately seeking true love, nor is he a callously selfish man.

This womanizer readily accepts consider it normal to be chastised.

Yet he knows he is right and that facing punishment is the rule of the game and not just a fate.

He will not suffer the consequences of his actions; he lives in full awareness of who he is and of where he is going.

Below I have gathered a list of The Myth Of Sisyphus quotes focused on Albert Camus’ existential thought about absurdity of life.

The will matters more than way to truth Albert Camus mentioned in his famous essay “The Myth Of Sisyphus” (French: Le Mythe de Sisyphe).

It is the determination one gets to the truth that is more important than how one gets it.

By the way, the main theme of this 1942 manuscript is about philosophy of the Absurd or Absurdism.

So, what actually is Absurdism, you may ask?

It is about the fundamental conflict of our life.

We search for inherent value, reasons and meaning in life.

Humans are innately driven to seek for meaning in this meaningless universe.

But we are never able to find any.

Science can only describe existence, but it cannot explain why there is existence or what its meaning or purpose is.

For those who believe in religion, they can seek their hopes and meanings in their God.

Then there are folks who find meaning for their lives in science, art, and other beliefs and practices.

According to Camus, life is meaningless and nonsensical, but humans strive constantly for meaning and sense in it.

So, the question is, if life is devoid of intrinsic meaning, does that mean life is not worth living?

Then this French absurdist asked, whether by committing suicide could it be the only rational response to the absurdity of life.

Interestingly, absurdists try to work out how we can live meaningfully in a meaningless universe.

From this essay, Camus is interested in pursuing a third possibility.

That is we can accept and live in a world devoid of meaning or purpose.

The final chapter of this book, he compares the absurdity of man’s life with the situation of Sisyphus, king of Corinth in a Greek mythology.

In the story, Sisyphus who was punished in Hades, where he was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a big boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again.

A Fate Is Not A punishment

Enjoy my selected quotes taken from Albert Camus The Myth of Sisyphus:

“Living is keeping the absurd alive. Keeping it alive is, above all, contemplating it.” – Albert Camus

“Vivre, c’est faire vivre l’absurde. Le faire vivre, c’est avant tout le regarder.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 36)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 54)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 52)

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Tome 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique; p.175)

“To an absurd mind reason is useless and there is nothing beyond reason.” – Albert Camus

“Pour un esprit absurde, la raison est vaine et il n’y a rien au-delà de la raison.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 25)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Ne York: Vintage Books, 1983, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 35)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique; p.38)

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique; p.161)

“To a man devoid of blinders, there is no finer sight than that of the intelligence at grips with a reality that transcends it.” – Albert Camus

“Pour un homme sans œillères, il n’est pas de plus beau spectacle que celui de l’intelligence aux prises avec une réalité qui le dépasse.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Freedom, P. 36)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Freedom, P. 55) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, La Liberté Absurde, P. 53) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, Un Raisonnement Absurde, La Liberté Absurde, P. 256) source

“Being aware of one’s life, one’s revolt, one’s freedom, and to the maximum, is living, and to the maximum.” – Albert Camus

“C’est à nous d’en être conscients. Sentir sa vie, sa révolte, sa liberté, et le plus possible, c’est vivre et le plus possible.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Freedom, P. 41) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, New York: Vintage Books, 1955.P. 46) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, La Librte Absurde, P. 59 )

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, La Librte Absurde, P. 87) source

“A fate is not a punishment.” – Albert Camus

“Un destin n’est pas une punition.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 49) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Don Juanism, P. 70) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, L’Homme Absurde, La Don Juanism;,P. 271) source

“Of all kinds of fame the least deceptive is the one that is lived.” – Albert Camus

“De toutes les gloires, la moins trompeuse est celle qui se vit.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Drama, P. 51) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Absurd Man, Drama, P. 75)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Comédie, P. 73) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Gallimard, 2006, L’Homme Absurde, La Comédie, P. 273) source

“…those who turn away from all personal life through a great love enrich themselves perhaps but certainly impoverish those their love has chosen.” – Albert Camus

“…ceux qu’un grand amour détourne de toute vie personnelle s’enrichissent peut-être, mais appauvrissent à coup sûr ceux que leur amour a choisis.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 48)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 73) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Don Juanism; p.69) source

“To create is likewise to give a shape to one’s fate.” – Albert Camus

“Créer, c’est ainsi donner une forme à son destin.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, Absurd Creation, Ephemeral Creation, P. 74) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1961, Absurd Creation, Ephemeral Creation, P. 86) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La création Absurde, La Création Sans Lendemain, P. 106) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Albert, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, La création Absurde, La Création Sans Lendemain, P. 56) source

“…great revolutions are always metaphysical.” – Albert Camus

“…les grandes révolutions sont toujours métaphysiques.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, Appendix, Hope And Absurd In The Work Of Franz Kafka, P. 116) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Random House, 1955, Appendix, Hope And Absurd In The Work Of Franz Kafka, P. 127) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Appendice, L’Espoir Et L’Abusrde Dans L’Œuvre De Franz Kafka, P. 116) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Albert, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, Appendice, L’Espoir Et L’Abusrde Dans L’Œuvre De Franz Kafka, P. 172) source

“In truth the way matters but little; the will to arrive suffices.” – Albert Camus

“C’est qu’en vérité, le chemin importe peu, la volonté d’arriver suffit à tout.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 32) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth of Sisyphus, and Other Essays By Albert Camus, New York: Random House, 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 47) source

(The quote in French in found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 46) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Œuvres Complètes, Volume 1 By Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 251)

“A man is more a man through the things he keeps to himself than through those he says.” – Albert Camus

“Un homme est plus un homme par les choses qu’il tait que par celles qu’il dit.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Conquest, P. 55) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, The Absurd Man, Conquest) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absured, La Conquête, P. 78) source

(The quote in French is aso found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, L’Homme Absured, La Conquête, P. 202) source

“A single certainty is enough for the seeker.” – Albert Camus

“Une seule certitude suffit à celui qui cherche.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 34) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, P. 156)

“In a sense, and as in melodrama, killing yourself amounts to confessing. It is confessing that life is too much for you or that you do not understand.” – Albert Camus

“Se tuer, dans un sens, et comme au mélodrame, c’est avouer. C’est avouer qu’on est dépassé par la vie ou qu’on ne la comprend pas.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurdity And Suicide, P. 5) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurdity And Suicide) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 143) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1961, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 18) source

“…what is called a reason for living is also an excellent reason for dying.” – Albert Camus

“ce, qu’on appelle une raison de vivre est en même temps une excellente raison de mourir.” (French)

(The Myth of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurdity And Suicide) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, An Absurd Reasoning. Absurdity And Suicide)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris : Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Sucide, P. 13) source

(The quote in French can also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Tome 1, Edité Par Roger Grenier, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 135) source

“If I try to seize this self of which I feel sure, if I try to define and to summarize it, it is nothing but water slipping through my fingers.” – Albert Camus

“Car si j’essaie de saisir ce moi dont je m’assure, si j’essaie de le définir et de le résumer, il n’est plus qu’une eau qui coule entre mes doigts.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurdity And Suicide, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Walls, P. 14) source

(This quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage. 1955, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Walls, P. 14) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris : Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 25) source

(This quote in French is aso found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Tome 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, P. 147)

“In the midst of winter, I at last discovered that there was in me an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus

“Au milieu de l’hiver, j’apprenais enfin qu’il y avait en moi un été invincible.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, Return To Tipasa, P. 121) source

(This quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1955, P. 144) source

(This quote in French is found in: Œuvres Complètes: 1949-1956 Par Albert Camus & Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Compiled By Raymond Gay-Crosier, Paris: Gallimard, 2008, P. 613) source

“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.” – Albert Camus

“Il n’y a qu’un problème philosophique vraiment sérieux: c’est le suicide. Juger que la vie vaut ou ne vaut pas la peine d’être vécue, c’est répondre à la question fondamentale de la philosophie.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Ne York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, P. 4) source

(This quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1955, P. 3) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 12) source

(This quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sysyphe Par Albert Camus, Chapitre 1) source

“I have seen people behave badly with great morality and I note every day that integrity has no need of rules.” – Albert Camus

“J’ai vu des gens mal agir avec beaucoup de morale et je constate tous les jours que l’honnêteté n’a pas besoin de règles.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, The Absurd Man, P. 44) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, The Absurd Man) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, P. 63) source

(This quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, P. 187) source

“This world in itself is not reasonable, that is all that can be said. But what is absurd is the confrontation of this irrational and the wild longing for clarity whose call echoes in the human heart.” – Albert Camus

“Mais ce qui est absurde, c’est la confrontation de cet irrationnel et de ce désir éperdu de clarté dont l’appel résonne au plus profond de l’homme.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Walls, P. 15) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1967, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Walls, P. 21) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurde, P. 26) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Paris: Gallimard, 1961, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurde, P. 37) source

“…that is indeed genius: the intelligence that knows its frontiers.” – Albert Camus

“…c’est bien là le génie : l’intelligence qui connaît ses frontières.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 46) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 67) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 98) source

“Longing for desire killed by satisfaction, that commonplace of the impotent man…” – Albert Camus

“Le regret du désir perdu dans la jouissance, ce lieu commun de l’impuissance…” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 46) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Don Juanism, P. 67) source

“…men who live on hope do not thrive in this universe where kindness yields to generosity, affection to virile silence, and communion to solitary courage.” – Albert Camus

“…les hommes qui vivent d’espoir s’accommodent mal de cet univers où la bonté cède la place à la générosité, la tendresse au silence viril, la communion au courage solitaire.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism, P. 46) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, The Absurd Man, Don Juanism) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Don Juanism, P. 67) source

“Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.” – Albert Camus

“Juger que la vie vaut ou ne vaut pas la peine d’être vécue, c’est répondre à la question fondamentale de la philosophie.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, London: Hamish Hamilton, 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurdity And Suicide, P. 3) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1948, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 15) source

“There always comes a time when one must choose between contemplation and action. This is called becoming a man.” – Albert Camus

“Il vient toujours un temps où il faut choisir entre la contemplation et l’action. Cela s’appelle devenir un homme.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1961, The Myth Of Sisyphus, The Absurd Man, Conquest, P. 64) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Conquête, P. 79) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, La Conquête, P. 117) source

“We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking.” – Albert Camus

“Nous prenons l’habitude de vivre avant d’acquérir celle de penser.” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 16) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Œuvres Complètes, Volume 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Un Raisonnement Absurde L’absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 224) source

“I want to know whether I can live with what I know and with that alone.” – Albert Camus

“Je veux savoir si je puis vivre avec ce que je sais et avec cela seulement.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 40) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 41) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Œuvres Complètes, Tome 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 246) source

“From the moment absurdity is recognized, it becomes a passion, the most harrowing of all.” – Albert Camus

“À partir du moment où elle est reconnue, l’absurdité est une passion, la plus déchirante de toutes.” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 27) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Oeuvres Complètes D’Albert Camus, Volume 1, Paris: Aux Éditions Du Club De L’Honnête Homme, 1983, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 150) source

“We turn toward God only to obtain the impossible. As for the possible, men suffice.” – Albert Camus

“On ne se tourne vers Dieu que pour obtenir l’impossible. Quant au possible, les hommes y suffisent.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New york: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 24) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1961, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 53)

“…melancholy people have two reasons for being so: they don’t know or they hope.” – Albert Camus

“…les tristes ont deux raisons de l’être, ils ignorent ou ils espèrent.” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 67) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1961, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 98) source

“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” – Albert Camus

“Il n’est pas de destin qui ne se surmonte par le mépris.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, P. 77) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Le Mythe De Sisyphe, P. 111) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1948, Le Mythe De Sisyphe, P. 166) source

“The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.” – Albert Camus

“L’absurde naît de cette confrontation entre l’appel humain et le silence déraisonnable du monde.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Penguin UK, 2013, An Absurd Reasoning, Absurd Walls) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 31)

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Paris: Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 44) source

(The second part of this quote in French is found here.)

“…the Absurd is not in man…nor in the world, but in their presence together.” – Albert Camus

“…l’absurde n’est pas dans l’homme… ni dans le monde, mais dans leur présence commune.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, Ne York: Vintage Books, 1961, An Absurd Reasoning, Philosophical Suicide, P. 23) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde, Paris: Gallimard, 1961, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 48) source

“Beginning to think is beginning to be undermined.” – Albert Camus

“Commencer à penser, c’est commencer d’être miné.” (French)

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1948, Un Raisonnement Absurde, L’Absurde Et Le Suicide, P. 17) source

“Understanding the world for a man is reducing it to the human…” – Albert Camus

“Comprendre le monde pour un homme, c’est le réduire à l’humain…” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 23) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 32) source

“If the world were clear, art would not exist.” – Albert Camus

“Si le monde était clair, l’art ne serait pas.” (French)

(The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1955, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 63) source

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 98) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 91) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 133) source

“…the mind that aims to understand reality can consider itself satisfied only by reducing it to terms of thought.” – Albert Camus

“…l’esprit qui cherche à comprendre la réalité ne peut s’estimer satisfait que s’il la réduit en termes de pensée.” (French)

(The second part of the quote is found here.)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 23) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 32) source

“Forever I shall be a stranger to myself. In psychology as in logic, there are truths but no truth.” – Albert Camus

“Pour toujours, je serai étranger à moi-même. En psychologie comme en logique, il y a des vérités mais point de vérité.” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 25) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Par Albert Camus, Gallimard, 1948, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurdes, P. 34) source

“What comes after death is futile…” – Albert Camus

“Ce qui vient après la mort est futile…” (French)

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 67) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Œuvres Complètes, Tome 1 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Paris: Gallimard, 2006, Le Mythe De Sisyphe, L’Homme Absurde, Le Don Juanisme, P. 268) source

“Expression begins where thought ends.” – Albert Camus

“L’expression commence où la pensée finit.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 99) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 91) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Œuvres Complètes: 1931-1944 Par Albert Camus, Sous La Direction De Jacqueline Lévi-Valensi, Raymond Gay-Crosier, Paris: Éditions Gallimard, 2006, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 287) source

“Creating is living doubly.” – Albert Camus

“Créer, c’est vivre deux fois.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 94) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 88) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Éditions Gallimard, 1942, P. 128) source

“We always end up by having the appearance of our truths.” – Albert Camus

“Nous finissons toujours par avoir le visage de nos vérités.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 94) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, La Création Absurde, Philosophie Et Roman, P. 88) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1948, P. 130) source

”…that science that was to teach me everything ends up in a hypothesis, that lucidity founders in metaphor, that uncertainty is resolved in a work of art.” – Albert Camus

“…cette science qui devait tout m’apprendre finit dans l’hypothèse, cette lucidité sombre dans la métaphore, cette incertitude se résout en oeuvre d’art.” (French)

(The quote is also found in: The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays By Albert Camus, Translated From The French By Justin O’Brien, New York: Vintage Books, 1983, The Myth Of Sisyphus, Absurd Creation, Philosophy and Fiction, P. 20) source

(The quote in French is found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe, Essai Sur L’Absurde By Albert Camus, Paris: Les Éditions Gallimard, 1942, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Les Murs Absurde, P. 25) source

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe: Essai Sur L’Absurde Par Albert Camus, Paris: Gallimard, 1960, P. 35) source

“There can be no absurd outside the human mind. Thus, like everything else, the absurd ends with death.” – Albert Camus

“Il ne peut y avoir d’absurde hors d’un esprit humain. Ainsi l’absurde finit comme toutes choses avec la mort.” (French)

(The quote in French is also found in: Le Mythe De Sisyphe Par Albert Camus,Paris: Gallimard, 1948, Un Raisonnement Absurde, Le Suicide Philosophique, P. 49) source

Note: All the above The Myth Of Sisyphus quotes are definitely authentic, and all the sources are linked to their original sources.

*Read truth is not virtue Albert Camus wrote this and many other profound views in his Notebooks Volume 3.

A Fate Is Not A Punishment To Don Juan In The Myth Of Sisyphus By Albert Camus

A Fate Is Not A punishment

Quotationize is authentic quotations with valid citations