A Hidden Purpose

Aphorisms, on the other hand, have a "philosophical or theological" and "more hidden" purpose. The best aphorisms admit an infinity of interpretations, a hermeneutic inexhaustibility. "Therefore, what is said" requires interpretation "which must be understood along precise lines bearing in mind that the aphorism offers the maximum condensation and promises an infinity of meaning ( "infinite" is the favorite word in this book.) But the shorter the aphorism, the longer it takes to understand it.