Quotes from William Shakespeare

Thou calledst me a dog before thou hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.

More fools know Jack Fool than Jack Fool knows.

Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty?

O, grief hath changed me since you saw me last, And careful hours with Time's deformed hand Have written strange defeatures in my face. But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice?

Grief fills the room up of my absent child, Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me, Puts on his pretty look, repeats his words, Remembers me of his gracious parts, Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form

O, why should wrath be mute, and fury dumb? I am no baby, I, that with base prayers I should repent the evils I have done: Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did Would I perform, if I might have my will; If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it from my very soul.

Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.— Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love Accompany your hearts!

I am indeed not her fool, but her corrupter of words. (Act III, sc. I, 37-38)

They are but beggars that can count their worth; But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up half of my wealth.

But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail.

But, for my own part, it was Greek to me.

Let it be virtuous to be obstinate.

My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain. Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree; Murder, stern murder in the dir'st degree, Throng to the bar, crying all, 'Guilty!, guilty!

I think the devil will not have me damned, lest the oil that's in me should set hell on fire.

But thoughts the slave of life, and life, Time's fool, And Time, that takes survey of all the world, Must have a stop.

Every subject's duty is the King's; but every subject's soul is his own. Therefore, should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of his conscience; and dying so, death is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained; and in him that escapes, it were no sin to think that, making God so free an offer, He let him outlive the day to see His greatness and to teach others how they should prepare.

They are the books, the arts, the academes, That show, contain and nourish all the world.

Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides: Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.

By this hand, I love thee. Beatrice Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.

The iron tongue of Midnight hath told twelve lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time. I fear we shall outstep the coming morn as much as we this night over-watch'd.

Let me play the lion too: I will roar that I will do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again, let him roar again.

Since brevity is the soul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief.

Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.

Present fears are less than horrible imaginings.