William Shakespeare Quotes, Quotations, and Sayings

2,311 Famous Quotes by William Shakespeare
“They said they were anhungry; sighed forth proverbs-- That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat, That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not Corn for the rich men only. With these shreds They vented their complainings, which being answered And a petition granted them, a strange one, To break the heart of generosity, And make bold power look pale, they threw their caps As they would hang them on the horns o' th' moon, Shouting their emulation.”
Hunger Quotes
Source: Coriolanus (Marcius at I, i)
“Come, our stomachs Will make what's homely savory.”
Hunger Quotes
Source: Cymbeline (Belarius at III, vi)
“Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.”
Hunger Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar at I, ii)
“With this there grows In my most ill-compos'd affection such A stanchless avarice that, were I King, I should cut off the nobles for their lands, Desire his jewels, and this other's house, And my more-having would be as a sauce To make me hunger more, that I should forge Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal, Destroying them for wealth.”
Hunger Quotes
Source: Macbeth (Malcolm at IV, iii)
“Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for lovers, lacking--God warn us!--matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss.”
Oratory Quotes
Source: As You Like It (Rosalind at IV, i)
“If you did wed my sister for her wealth, Then for her wealth's sake use her with more kindness: Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth; Muffle your false love with some show of blindness: Let not my sister read it in your eye; Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator; Look sweet, spear fair, become disloyalty; Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger; Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted; Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint; Be secret-false: what need she be acquainted?”
Oratory Quotes
Source: The Comedy of Errors (Luciana at III, ii)
“I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts. I am no orator, as Brutus is, But (as you know me all) a plain blunt man That love my friend; and that they know full well That gave me public leave to speak of him.”
Oratory Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Antony at III, ii)
“I must be cruel only to be kind.”
Cruelty Quotes
Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Hamlet at III, iv)
“See what a rent the envious Casca made.”
Cruelty Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Antony at III, ii)
“Men so noble, However faulty, yet should find respect For what they have been: 'tis a cruelty To load a falling man.”
Cruelty Quotes
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Cromwell at V, iii)
“Lady, you are the cruell'st she alive If you will these graces to the grave, And leave the world no copy.”
Cruelty Quotes
Source: Twelfth Night, or, What You Will (Viola at I, v)
“And you, enchantment, Worthy enough a herdsman--yea, him too, That makes himself, but for our honor therein, Unworthy thee-if ever henceforth thou These rural latches to his entrance open, Or hoop his body more with thy embraces, I will devise a death as cruel for thee As thou art tender to't.”
Cruelty Quotes
Source: The Winter's Tale (Polixenes at IV, iv)
“The more thou dam'st it up, the more it burns. The current that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'st, being stopped, impatiently doth rage; But when his fair course is not hindered, He makes sweet music with th' enameled stones, Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge, He overtaketh in his pilgrimage. And so by many winding nooks he strays With willing sport to the wild ocean. Then let me go and hinder not my course. I'll be as patient as a gentle stream And make a pastime of each weary step, Till the last step have brought me to my love; And there I'll rest, as after much turmoil A blessed soul doth in Elysium.”
Brooks Quotes
Source: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Julia at II, vii)
“Omission to do what is necessary Seals a commission to a blank of danger; And danger, like an ague, subtly taints Even then when we sit idly in the sun.”
Necessity Quotes
Source: The History of Troilus and Cressida (Patroclus at III, iii)
“Now we sit close about this taper here And call in question our necessities.”
Necessity Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Brutus at IV, iii)
“No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose To wage against the emnity o' th' air, To be a comrade with the wolf and owl, Necessity's sharp pinch.”
Necessity Quotes
Source: King Lear (King Lear at II, iv)
“At land indeed Thou dost o'ercount me of my father's house: But since the cuckoo builds not for himself, Remain in't as thou mayst.”
Cuckoos Quotes
Source: Antony and Cleopatra (Pompey at II, v)
“And, being fed by us, you used us so As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird, Useth the sparrow--did oppress our nest; . . .”
Cuckoos Quotes
Source: King Henry the Fourth, Part I (Worcester at V, i)
“When daisies pied and violets blue And lady-smocks all silver-white And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue Do paint the meadows with delight, The cuckoo then, on every tree, Mocks married men: for thus sings he, Cuckoo; Cuckoo, cuckoo: O, word of fear, Unpleasing to a married ear!”
Cuckoos Quotes
Source: Love's Labor's Lost (Spring at V, ii)
“I had rather be a dog and bay the moon Than such a Roman.”
Rome Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Brutus at IV, iii)
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
Denmark Quotes
Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Marcellus at I, iv)
“Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault Assemble all the poor men of your sort; Draw them to the Tiber banks, and weep your tears Into the channel, till the lowest stream Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.”
Tiber river Quotes
Source: Julius Caesar (Flavius at I, i)
“Celerity is never more admired Than by the negligent.”
Haste Quotes
Source: Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra at III, vii)
“Nay, but make haste, the better foot before.”
Haste Quotes
Source: The Life and Death of King John (King John at IV, ii)
“Stand not upon the order of your going, But go at once.”
Haste Quotes
Source: Macbeth (Lady Macbeth at III, iv)
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