William Shakespeare Quotes

Audio Files

William Shakespeare

Quotes

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool."

 

"When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools"

 

"They do not love that do not show their love"

 

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

 

"What, man, defy the devil. Consider, he's an enemy to mankind."

 

"Tis not enough to help the feeble up, but support them after."

 

"If music be the food of love play on."

 

"My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy."

 

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."

 

"To be or not to be that is the question."

 

"To be generous, guiltless, and of free disposition is to take those things for bird-bolts that you deem cannon-bullets. There is no slander in an allowed fool, though he do nothing but rail. Nor no railing in a known discreet man, though he do nothing but reprove."

 

"Better a witty fool, then a foolish wit"

 

"Excellently done, if God did all."

 

"I do I know not what, and fear to find, Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind. Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe. What is decreed must be; and be this so."

 

"Now, sir, thought is free. I pray you, bring your hand to the buttery-bar and let it drink."

 

"O, had I followed the arts!"

 

"Nothing that can be can come between me and the full prospect of my hopes. Well, Jove, not I, is the doer of this, and he is to be thanked."

 

"though ignorance were dark as hell"

 

"Expose thyself, to feel what wretches feel!"

 

"None is deformed but he that is unkind."

 

"You take my life when you do take the means by which I live"

 

"Plate sin with gold, And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks. Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw doth pierce it."

 

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

 

"Past reason hunted and, no sooner had, Past reason hated."