Bernhard Riemann

The concept of a continuous manifold is the most general concept of quantity.

If only I had the time to write down all the things I know, the world would be a much more interesting place. But then, who would understand them?

One can hardly imagine a more useless occupation than trying to prove something that is already obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. Yet, here we are.

My work is often described as 'abstract.' I assure you, the abstractions are far more concrete than most people's 'reality.'

They say mathematics is the language of the universe. I'm just trying to learn a few more dialects.

Some problems are so simple, they require a genius to make them complicated. I prefer the reverse.

The greatest joy in mathematics is not in solving a problem, but in finding a new one to solve.

I find that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. A truly humbling, and occasionally frustrating, experience.

To understand my work, one must first unlearn everything they thought they knew about space.

My lectures are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who prefer their truths pre-digested.

If a proof is too easy, it's probably wrong. Or, worse, trivial.

The beauty of mathematics lies in its inevitability. The tragedy lies in how few people see it.

I've been accused of living in my own world. I assure you, it's a far more interesting world than this one.

One must be careful not to mistake complexity for profundity. Though, sometimes, they are one and the same.

My ideas are not difficult; they are merely unfamiliar. A distinction often lost on the uninitiated.

The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we *can* imagine. And I'm just trying to give it a proper coordinate system.

I often find myself explaining things to people who are more interested in the answer than the understanding. A common human failing, I suppose.

If you want to truly understand something, try to explain it to someone who knows nothing about it. You'll quickly discover the gaps in your own knowledge.

My greatest fear is not that my work will be misunderstood, but that it will be ignored.

They say genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I find it's more like 1% inspiration, 99% frustration, and a dash of stubbornness.