Quotes
Quotes - Shakespeare
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
My lord, they say five moons were seen to-night-- Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about The other four in wondrous motion.
These earthly godfathers of heaven's light, That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights Than those that walk and wot not what they are.
When thou cam'st first, Thou strok'st me and made much of me; wouldst give me Water with berries in't; and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night; and then I loved thee And showed thee all the qualities o' th' isle, The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile.
There's some ill planet reigns. I must be patient till the heavens look With an aspect more favorable.
Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of authority.
Shall remain! Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you His absolute 'shall'?
Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? . . . And the creature run from the cur. There thou mightst behold the great image of authority--a dog's obeyed in office.
Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in live. Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe Upon a dwarfish thief.
Thus can the demigod Authority Make us pay down for our offense by weight The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will, On whom it will not, so: yet still 'tis just.
Merciful heaven, Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man, Dressed in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he's most assured His glassy essence--like an angry ape Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens, would all themselves laugh mortal.
He seems to be of great authority. Close with him, give him gold; and though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold.
I had rather be a kitten and cry mew Than one of these same metre ballet-mongers.
I love a ballad but even too well if it be doleful matter merrily set down, or a very pleasant thing indeed and sung lamentably.
Therefore doth heaven divide The state of man in divers functions, Setting endeavor in continual motion; To which is fixed as an aim or butt Obedience; for so work the honeybees, Creatures that by a rule in nature teach The act of order to a peopled kingdom. They have a king, and officers of sorts, Where some like magistrates correct at home, Others like merchants venture trade abroad, Others like soldiers armed in their stings Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds, Which pillage they with merry march bring home To the tent-royal of their emperor, Who, busied in his majesties, surveys The singing masons building roofs of gold, The civil citizens kneading up the honey, The poor mechanic porters crowding in Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, The sad-eyed justice with his surly hum Delivering o'er to executors pale The lazy yawning drone.
To apprehend thus Draws us a profit from all things we see, And often, to our comfort, shall we find The sharded beetle in a safer hold Than is the full-winged eagle.
The sense of death is most in apprehension, And the poor beetle that we tread upon In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great As when a giant dies.
The sense of death is most in apprehension.
Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks, but I thank you; and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny.
It needs not nor it boots thee not, proud queen, Unless the adage must be verified, That beggars mounted run their horse to death.
Not that I have the power to clutch my hand When his fair angels would salute by palm, But for my hand, as unattempted yet, Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich. Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail And say there is no sin but to be rich; And being rich, my virtue then shall be To say there is no vice but beggary.
I see, sir, you are liberal in offers. You taught me first to beg, and now methinks You teach me how a beggar should be answered.
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
Thou marvell'st at my words, but hold thee still; Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.
