Luther, modernin ihmisen edeltäjä, oli kaikin tavoin epätasapainoinen: hänessä oli sekä Hitler että Pascal.

E.M. Cioran(1911-1995): Katkeruuden syllogismeja(2004; Syllogisme de l´amertune, 1952, 1980), sivu 15.

The first thing that stand out in this period[c.700-c.1050 AD] is the inferiority of western Europe to its Greek and Moslem neighbours... The West was the poor relation of Byzantium, making, after the manner of poor relations, strident claims to a superiority which were derisory by any objective test. Similarly with Islam.

R.W. Southern(1912-2001): Western Society and the Church in the Middle Ages(1978[1970]), sivu 27.