Hannibal Lecter

"The line between civilization and savagery is thinner than we admit."

"Those who cannot appreciate subtlety are destined for mediocrity."

"Consequence flows naturally from choice."

"The mind craves stimulation above all else."

"Power without purpose is merely destruction."

"Understanding comes from asking the right questions."

"The greatest works of art emerge from the darkest impulses."

"Survival belongs to those adaptable enough to thrive in chaos."

"Meaning is constructed by those who refuse to accept randomness."

"The human experience is fundamentally about the exercise of will."

"Structure is the framework within which freedom operates."

"Knowledge of self is the beginning of wisdom."

"Transformation requires the courage to deconstruct and rebuild."

"Excellence demands attention to every detail, no matter how small."

"The civilized world rests upon carefully maintained fictions."

"Curiosity is the mark of an active and superior mind."

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be."

"I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner."

"Discourtesy is unspeakably ugly to me."

"The world is rude, Miss Starling. But I am not."

"You know what you look like to me? You look like dinner."

"I'm having an old friend for dinner."

"Tell me, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?"

"I ate his heart."

"People don't always say what they mean, do they, Clarice?"

"Civilization is not inherited; it has to be learned and earned."

"We covet what we see every day."

"That's the same thing we observe in your case, Clarice."

"You're so ambitious, Clarice."