John Lyly Quotes

51 Sourced Quotes

Marriages are made in heaven and consummated on earth.

John Lyly
The bee that hath honey in her mouth hath a sting in her tail.

John Lyly
Though women have small force to overcome men by reason; yet have they good fortune to undermine them by policy.

John Lyly
Your eyes are so sharp that you cannot only look through a millstone, but clean through the mind.

John Lyly
I am glad that my Adonis hath a sweet tooth in his head.

John Lyly
Ambition hath one heel nailed in hell, though she stretch her finger to touch the heavens.

John Lyly
How at heaven's gates she claps her wings,
The morn not waking till she sings.

John Lyly
Did not Jupiter transforme himselfe into the shape of Amphitrio to embrace Alcmæna; into the form of a swan to enjoy Leda; into a Bull to beguile Io; into a showre of gold to win Danae?

John Lyly
Whatsoever is in the heart of the sober man, is in the mouth of the drunkard.

John Lyly
There can no great smoke arise, but there must be some fire.

John Lyly
Is it not true which Seneca reporteth, that as too much bending breaketh the bowe, so too much remission spoyleth the minde?

John Lyly
I mean not to run with the Hare and holde with the Hounde.

John Lyly
Campaspe: Were women never so fair, men would be false.
Apelles: Were women never so false, men would be fond.

John Lyly
Gentlemen use books as Gentlewomen handle their flowers, who in the morning stick them in their heads, and at night strawe them at their heeles.

John Lyly
If all the earth were paper white
And all the sea were ink
'Twere not enough for me to write
As my poor heart doth think.

John Lyly
The empty vessel giveth a greater sound than the full barrel.

John Lyly
Lips are no part of the head, only made for a double-leaf door for the mouth.

John Lyly
The rattling thunderbolt hath but his clap, the lightning but his flash, and as they both come in a moment, so do they both end in a minute.

John Lyly
Oh ye Gods, have ye ordeyned for every malady a medicine, for every sore a salve, for every paine a plaster...

John Lyly
The greater the kindred is, the lesse the kindnesse must bee.

John Lyly
Things of greatest profit are set forth with least price. Where the wine is neat there needeth no live blush.

John Lyly
A merry companion is as good as a wagon, For you shall be sure to ride though ye go a foot.

John Lyly
The measure of love is to have no mean, the end to be everlasting.

John Lyly
An Englishman hath three qualities, he can suffer no partner in his love, no stranger to be his friend, nor to be dared by any.

John Lyly
It is the eye of the master that fatteth the horse, and the love of the woman that maketh the man.

John Lyly
To love women and never enjoy them, is as much to love wine and never taste it.

John Lyly
Time draweth wrinkles in a fair face, but addeth fresh colors to a fast friend, which neither heat, nor cold, nor misery, nor place, nor destiny, can alter or diminish

John Lyly
Be valyaunt, but not too venturous. Let thy attyre bee comely, but not costly.

John Lyly
Goe to bed with the Lambe, and rise with the Larke.

John Lyly
What bird so sings, yet so does wail?
O 'tis the ravished nightingale.
Jug, jug, jug, jug, tereu, she cries,
And still her woes at midnight rise.

John Lyly