William Shakespeare Quotes, Quotations, and Sayings

2,311 Famous Quotes by William Shakespeare
“It is a pretty mocking of the life.”
Satire Quotes
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Painter at I, i)
“Mine eyes Were not in fault, for she was beautiful; Mine ears, that heard her flattery; nor my heart, That thought her like her seeming. It had been vicious To have mistrusted her.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: Cymbeline (Cymbeline at V, v)
“Nay, do not think I flatter. For what advancement may I hope from thee, That no revenue hast but thy good spirits To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered? No, let the candied tongue like absurd pomp, And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee Where thrift may follow fawning.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Hamlet at III, ii)
“If he be so resolved, I can o'ersway him; for he loves to hear That unicorns may be betrayed with trees And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, Lions with toils, and men with flatterers, He says he does, being then most flattered.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Decius at II, i)
“By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy The tongues of soothers! but a braver place In my heart's love hath no man than yourself. Nay, task me to my word; approve me, lord.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: King Henry the Fourth, Part I (Hotspur at IV, i)
“What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet, But poisoned flattery?”
Flattery Quotes
Source: The Life of King Henry the Fifth (King Henry at IV, i)
“O that men's ears should be To counsel deaf but not to flattery!”
Flattery Quotes
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Apemantus at I, ii)
“They do not abuse the king that flatter him. For flattery is the bellows blows up sin; The thing the which is flattered, but a spark To which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing; Whereas reproof, obedient and in order, Fits kings as they are men, for they may err.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: Pericles Prince of Tyre (Helicanus at I, ii)
“Take no repulse, whatever she doth say; For 'get you gone,' she doth not mean 'away.' Flatter and praise, commend, extol their graces; Though ne'er so black, say they have angels' faces. That man that hath a tongue, I say is no man, If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.”
Flattery Quotes
Source: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Valentine at III, i)
“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times. And now how abhorred in my imagination it is!”
Jesting Quotes
Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Hamlet at V, i)
“Jesters do oft prove prophets.”
Jesting Quotes
Source: King Lear (Regan at V, iii)
“A jest's prosperity lies in the ear Of him that hears it, never in the tongue Of him that makes it.”
Jesting Quotes
Source: Love's Labor's Lost (Rosaline at V, ii)
“(Andrew:) I am not such an ass but I can keep my hand dry. But what's your jest? (Maria:) A dry jest, sir. (Andrew:) Are you full of them? (Maria:) Ay, sir, I have them at my fingers' ends. Marry, now I let go your hand, I am barren.”
Jesting Quotes
Source: Twelfth Night, or, What You Will (Andrew & Maria at I, iii)
“Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.”
Hearing Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Brutus at II, i)
“Friends, Romans countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”
Hearing Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Antony at III, ii)
“Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear.”
Hearing Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Brutus at III, ii)
“The birds chaunt melody on every bush, The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun, The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind, And make a checkered shadow on the ground; Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit, And whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds, Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns, As if a double hunt were heard at once, Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise; And after conflict such as was supposed The wand'ring prince and Dido once enjoyed, When with a happy storm they were surprised, And curtained with a counsel-keeping cave, We may, each wreathed in the other's arms, Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber, Whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds Be unto us as is a nurse's song Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep.”
Echo Quotes
Source: Titus Andronicus (Tamora at II, iii)
“All gold and silver rather turn to dirt, An 'tis no better reckoned but of these Who worship dirty gods.”
Wealth Quotes
Source: Cymbeline (Arviragus at III, vi)
“If thou art rich, thou'rt poor, For, like an ass whose back with ingots bows, Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey, And death unloads thee.”
Wealth Quotes
Source: Measure for Measure (Vincentio, the Duke at III, i)
“All that glisters is not gold; Often have you heard that told; Many a man his life hath sold; But my outside to behold.”
Wealth Quotes
Source: The Merchant of Venice (Morocco at II, vii), requoting a proverb
“O, what a world of vile ill-favored faults Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year.”
Wealth Quotes
Source: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Anne Page at III, iv)
“When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness, And oftentimes excusing of a fault Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse, As patches set upon a little breach Discredit more in hiding of the fault Than did the fault before it was so patched.”
Covetousness Quotes
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Pembroke at IV, ii)
“By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if me my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive.”
Covetousness Quotes
Source: The Life of King Henry the Fifth (King Henry at IV, iii)
“Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis receiv'd, And is enough for both.”
Gain Quotes
Source: All's Well That Ends Well (King of France at II, i)
“This casket threatens; men that hazard all Do it in hope of fair advantages. A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.”
Gain Quotes
Source: The Merchant of Venice (Morocco at II, vii)
« Previous  [1-25]  [26-50]  [51-75]  [76-100]  [101-125]  [126-150]  [151-175]  [176-200]  [201-225]  [226-250]  [251-275]  [276-300]  [301-325]  [326-350]  [351-375]  [376-400]  [401-425]  [426-450]  [451-475]  [476-500]  [501-525]  [526-550]  [551-575]  [576-600]  [601-625]  [626-650]  [651-675]  [676-700]  [701-725]  [726-750]   Next »