What does this quotation mean?

"Battle not with monsters
lest ye become a monster
and if you gaze into the abyss
the abyss gazes into you."

I know it's very well known. heck, it even opebned 'Baldur's Gate', and my NWN module Bose's Gate begins with a rip-off of this. I opened an eagerly-awaited book the other day, and was faced with this. It was at that point that I realsied i didn't know what it meant. Obviously it's fairly obvious in the literal sense butt something tells me there's more to it than that.

I believe it was Nietzsche who said that. As for what it means. . .there are several interpretations.

"Battle not with monsters
lest ye become a monster
and if you gaze into the abyss
the abyss gazes into you."

I know it's very well known. heck, it even opebned 'Baldur's Gate', and my NWN module Bose's Gate begins with a rip-off of this. I opened an eagerly-awaited book the other day, and was faced with this. It was at that point that I realsied i didn't know what it meant. Obviously it's fairly obvious in the literal sense butt something tells me there's more to it than that.

Mr_Versipellis

I believe it was Nietzsche who said that. As for what it means. . .there are several interpretations.

Theokhoth