William Shakespeare Quotes

3,205 Sourced Quotes

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.

William Shakespeare
Lords, I protest my soul is full of woe
That blood should sprinkle me to make me grow.
Come, mourn with me for what I do lament,
And put sullen black incontinent.
I'll make a voyage to the Holy Land
To wash this blood off from my guilty hand.
March sadly after. Grace my mournings here
In weeping after this untimely bier.

William Shakespeare
I do the wrong, and first begin to brawl.
The secret mischiefs that I set abroach
I lay unto the grievous charge of others.

William Shakespeare
Spirits are not finely touched But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence But like a thrifty goddess she determines Herself the glory of a creditor,Both thanks and use.

William Shakespeare
Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan For that deep wound it gives my friend and me; Is't not enough to torture me alone, But slave to slavery my sweet'st friend must be?...

William Shakespeare
Haply a woman's voice may do some good
When articles too nicely urged be stood on.

William Shakespeare
Wisdom and fortune combating together,
If that the former dare but what it can,
No chance may shake it.

William Shakespeare
The sweets we wish for, turn to loathed sours,
Even in the moment that we call them ours.

William Shakespeare
I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

William Shakespeare
And do so, love, yet when they have devised
What strainèd touches rhetoric can lend,
Thou, truly fair, wert truly sympathized
In true plain words by thy true-telling friend;
And their gross painting might be better used
Where cheeks need blood; in thee it is abused.

William Shakespeare
Can it be That modesty may more betray our sense Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary And pitch our evils there?

William Shakespeare
For the success,
Although particular, shall give a scantling
Of good or bad unto the general;
And in such indexes, although small pricks
To their subsequent volumes, there is seen
The baby figure of the giant mass
Of things to come at large.

William Shakespeare
Value dwells not in particular will;
It holds his estimate and dignity
As well wherein 'tis precious of itself
As in the prizer.

William Shakespeare
ARMANDO: How hast thou purchased this experience?
MOTH: By my penny of observation.

William Shakespeare
The devil shall have his bargain; for he was never yet a breaker of proverbs--he will give the devil his due.

William Shakespeare
Behold the threaden sails,
Borne with the invisible and creeping wind,
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow'd sea,
Breasting the lofty surge

William Shakespeare
If he were open'd, and you find so much blood in his liver as will clog the foot of a flea, I'll eat the rest of th' anatomy.

William Shakespeare
In persons grafted in a serious trust,
Negligence is a crime.

William Shakespeare
When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow?
If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad,
Threatening the welkin with his big-swollen face?

William Shakespeare
O good old man, how well in thee appears The constant service of the antique world, When service sweat for duty, not for meed! Thou art not for the fashion of these times, Where none will sweat but for promotion, And having that do choke their service up Even with the having....

William Shakespeare
My cake is dough, but I'll in among the rest, Out of hope of all but my share of the feast.

William Shakespeare
Every inordinate cup is unbless'd, and the ingredient is a devil.

William Shakespeare
Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canter dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

William Shakespeare
Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touched;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard.

William Shakespeare
Watch tonight, pray tomorrow. Gallants, lads, boys, hearts of gold, all the titles of good fellowship come to you!

William Shakespeare
I am now of all humors that have showed themselves humors
since the old days of goodman Adam to the pupil age of this
present twelve o'clock at midnight.

William Shakespeare
May never glorious sun reflex his beams
Upon the country where you make abode!
But darkness and the gloomy shade of death
Environ you till mischief and despair
Drive you to break your necks or hang yourselves.

William Shakespeare
Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn but I shall have my pocket picked?

William Shakespeare
Methinks a father Is at the nuptial of his son a guest That best becomes the table.

William Shakespeare
Of all complexions the culled sovereignty Do meet, as at a fair, in her fair cheek, Where several worthies make one dignity, Where nothing wants that want itself doth seek.

William Shakespeare