William Shakespeare Quotes

So holy and so perfect is my love, And I in such a poverty of grace, That I shall think it a most plenteous crop To glean the broken ears after the man That the main harvest reaps.

Mine eyes smell onions: I shall weep anon.

But when the fox hath once got in his nose, He'll soon find means to make the body follow.

Thou speak'st like him's untutored to repeat: Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

O horror! Horror! Horror! Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee!

Be wise as thou art cruel, do not press My tongue-tied patience with too much disdain: Lest sorrow lend me words and words express, The manner of my pity-wanting pain.

And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence

Men so noble, However faulty, yet should find respect For what they have been: 'tis a cruelty To load a falling man.

He's a soldier; and for one to say a soldier lies, is stabbing.

I shall the effect of this good lesson keeps as watchman to my heart.

And what art thou, thou idol Ceremony? What kind of god art thou, that suffer'st more Of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers?

What infinite heart's-ease Must kings neglect that private men enjoy! And what have kings that privates have not too, Save ceremony, save general ceremony?

He makes a July's day short as December.

Sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.

Come, Let's have one other gaudy night. Call to me All my sad captains. Fill our bowls once more. Let's mock the midnight bell.

Fire that's closest kept burns most of all.

Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney.

Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service

Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content! Farewell the plumed troops, and the big wars That make ambition virtue.

The coward dies a thousand deaths, the valiant, only once!

Equality of two domestic powers Breeds scrupulous faction.

Manhood is melted into courtesies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones, too.

A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.

Cold indeed, and labor lost: Then farewell heat, and welcome frost!

Men at sometime are the masters of their fate.

Do you set down your name in the scroll of youth, that are written down old with all the characters of age?

That island of England breeds very valiant creatures; their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage.

My age is as a lusty winter, frosty but kindly.

For grief is crowned with consolation.

Mercutio: "If love be rough with you, be rough with love.

I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes—and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.

Ambition's debt is paid.

He does it with better grace, but I do it more natural.

And sleep, that sometime shuts up sorrow's eye, Steal me awhile from mine own company.

I do not set my life at a pin's fee, And for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself?

Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast.

Be just, and fear not.

We few. We happy few. We band of brothers, for he today That sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother.

By medicine life may be prolonged, yet death will seize the doctor too.

And do as adversaries do in law, strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Children wish fathers looked but with their eyes; fathers that children with their judgment looked; and either may be wrong.

The seeming truth which cunning times put on to entrap the wisest.

What a deformed thief this fashion is.

This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.

Eternity was in our lips and eyes.

So quick bright things come to confusion.​​​​​​

Tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.

Benvolio: What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours? Romeo: Not having that, which, having, makes them short.

And his unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love.

More matter with less art.