William Shakespeare Quotes

"Fair, kind, and true" is all my argument, "Fair, kind, and true" varying to other words; And in this change is my invention spent, Three themes in one, which wondrous scope affords.

Ah, what a sign it is of evil life, Where death's approach is seen so terrible!

Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar school.

O madam, my old heart is cracked, it's cracked!

Where I could not be honest, I never yet was valiant.

O momentary grace of mortal men, Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!

There is no creature loves me; And if I die, no soul will pity me.

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear: And you all know, security Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

...an old man is twice a child.

Religious canons, civil laws, are cruel; then what should war be?

Thou art a boil, a plague sore, an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted blood.

Can it be chat modesty may more betray Our sense than woman's lightness?

Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own

Oh! that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves.

Downy sleep, death's counterfeit.

A book? O, rare one, Be not, as is our fangled world, a garment Nobler than that it covers.

I wish you well and so I take my leave, I Pray you know me when we meet again.

The hideous god of war.

I am as true as truth's simplicity, And simpler than the infancy of truth.

Let us kill all lawyers

To fear the worst oft cures the worst.

Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.

I am sure care's an enemy to life.

As many arrows, loosed several ways, come to one mark...so many a thousand actions, once afoot, end in one purpose.

I am too old to fawn upon a nurse, Too far in years to be a pupil now.

We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit By losing of our prayers.

O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wreckful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?

Would I were in an alehouse in London.

To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, gives in your weakness strength unto your foe.

Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting That would not let me sleep.

Things in motion sooner catch the eye than what not stirs.

How slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a stepdame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue.

Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were but little happy, if I could say how much. Lady, as you are mine, I am yours: I give away myself for you and dote upon the exchange.

An two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind.

Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition

How many fond fools serve mad jealousy!

On Rumor's tongue continual slanders ride.

For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lillies that fester smell far worse than weeds.

All places that the eye of heaven visits Are to a wise man ports and happy havens. Teach thy necessity to reason thus; There is no virtue like necessity.

Love's mind of judgment rarely hath a taste: Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste.

All is well ended, if the suit be won.

We must every one be a man of his own fancy.

Ay, is it not a language I speak?

Within the hollow crown That rounds the mortal temples of a king Keeps Death his court.

This fellow pecks up wit, as pigeons peas; And utters it again when God doth please: He is wit's pedler; and retails his wares.

Alas, how love can trifle with itself!

Men that make Envy and crooked malice nourishment, Dare bite the best.

Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.

Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.

All the world's a stage ... and you better have a zoning variance or it's coming down.