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The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to plague us.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: King Lear (Edgar at V, iii)
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Thou wear a lion's hide! doff it for shame,
And hang a calf's skin on those recreant limbs.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Constance at III, i)
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Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale,
Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man,
And bitter shame hath spoiled the sweet world's taste,
That it yields nought but shame and bitterness.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Lewis at III, iv)
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Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Lewis at III, iv)
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And, oftentimes, excusing of a fault,
Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Pembroke at IV, ii)
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How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds
Makes ill deeds done.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (King John at IV, ii)
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With taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Salisbury at IV, ii)
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Trust not those cunning waters of his eyes,
For villany is not without such rheum.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Salisbury at IV, iii)
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Be stirring as the time, be fire with fire;
Threaten the threat'ner, and outface the brow
Of bragging horror.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life and Death of King John (Bastard at V, i)
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Anger is like
A full hot horse, who being allowed his way,
Self-mettle tires him.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Norfolk at I, i)
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Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot
That it doth singe yourself.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Norfolk at I, i)
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To climb steep hills
Requires slow pace at first.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Norfolk at I, i)
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We may outrun,
By violent swiftness, that which we run at,
And lose by over-running.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Norfolk at I, i)
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New customs,
Though they be never so ridiculous,
(Nay, let 'em be unmanly), yet are followed.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Sandys at I, iii)
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Our content
Is our best having.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Old Lady at II, ii)
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Alas! sir,
In what have I offended you? What cause
Hath my behaviour given to your displeasure?
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Queen Katharine at II, iv)
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A peace above all earthly dignities,
A still and quiet conscience.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Wolsey at III, ii)
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By that sin fell the angels.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Wolsey at III, ii)
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I know myself now, and I feel within me
A peace above all earthly dignities,
A still and quiet conscience.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Wolsey at III, ii)
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My high-blown pride
At length broke under me, and now has left me
Weary and old with service.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Wolsey at III, ii)
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O how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favours!
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Wolsey at III, ii)
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Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
We write in water.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Griffith at IV, ii)
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But we are all men
In our own natures frail.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Chancellor at V, iii)
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A fool's bolt is soon shot.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Fifth (Orleans at III, vii)
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There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distill it out;
For our bad neighbor makes us early stirrers,
Which is both healthful, and good husbandry.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of King Henry the Fifth (King Henry at IV, i)
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The fire i' the flint
Shows not till it be struck.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of TImon of Athens (Poet at I, i)
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Men shut their doors against the setting sun.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Apemantus at I, ii)
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O, that men's ears should be
To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Apemantus at I, ii)
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Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise,
The breath is gone whereof this praise is made.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Flavius at II, ii)
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Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (First Senator at III, v)
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Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,
Since riches point to misery and contempt?
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Flavius at IV, ii)
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What an alteration of honour has
Desperate want made!
Topic: Proverbs
Source: The Life of Timon of Athens (Flavius at IV, iii)
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Fair ladies mask'd are roses in their bud.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Love's Labor's Lost (Boyet at V, ii)
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Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth)
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So from that spring, whence comfort seem'd to come,
Discomfort swells.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Sergeant at I, ii)
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Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at I, iii)
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Win us with honest trifles, to betray us
In deepest consequence.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Banquo at I, iii)
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I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at I, vii)
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This even-handed justice
Commends th' ingredience of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at I, vii)
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We but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at I, vii)
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Whence is that knocking?
How is't with me, when every noise appals me?
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at II, ii)
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Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at III, ii)
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Thou marvell'st at my words, but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at III, ii)
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Things at the worst will cease, or e'en climb upward
To what they were before.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Ross at IV, ii)
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Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak
Whispers the o'erfraught heart, and bids it break.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Malcolm at IV, iii)
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What's done cannot be undone.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Lady Macbeth at V, i)
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It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at V, v)
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To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Macbeth (Macbeth at V, v)
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In time the rod
Becomes more mocked than feared.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Measure for Measure (Vincentio, the Duke at I, iii)
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Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Measure for Measure (Lucio at I, iv)
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