Definitions HQ

The Temptation (n.) never ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠speaks ill of enthusiasm — he is too clever; he offers the enthusiast the flattering title of the world's greatest enthusiast, if only he will slacken.

Temptation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠spoken of as though its true significance were that people should succumb to it!

Temptation (n.) never ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠really comes from outside — the serpent is a myth that collides with St. James: every man is tempted by himself.

Temptation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠never an excuse: guilt cannot be transferred, and whoever yields to temptation is himself guilty of the temptation.

Temptation (n.) as ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠spiritual trial is most effectively escaped by becoming spiritless — and the sooner the better.

Temptation (n.) ordinarily ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠keeps a man from his duty; in Abraham's case the temptation is the ethical itself, keeping him from God's will.

The Temptation (n.) lives ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠inside one and deceptively brings greetings from others, first dangling their good fortune until you are dejected, then offering compensation.

Temptation (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a man imagines inwardly is greater than any the world offers, and only facing it at that size does he learn who he is.

Temptation (n.) called ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠superhuman is a lying fable, invented by the timid or the cunning to shrink their guilt by enlarging the temptation.

Temptation (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not flattery but the near-ecstasy of watching a deception succeed: secretly the public's darling, and loved all the more for it.

Temptation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a liar whose power is falsehood, so its true size is known only by withstanding it; the one who has yielded knows only what temptation, in order to tempt, made him believe.

Temptation (n.) invents ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the complaint that no one understands, implying the only true understander would be one who also fell, so the two could understand each other in falsehood.