William Shakespeare Quotes on Lies & Deceit (24 Quotes)

He's a soldier; and for one to say a soldier lies, is
stabbing.

None in the world; but return with an invention, and
clap upon you two or three probable lies.

O that way madness lies.

In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie
Larding the plain; and by his bloody side,
Yoke-fellow to his honour-owing wounds,
The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies.

Because I cannot flatter and look fair,
Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive, and cog,
Duck with French nods and apish courtesy,
I must be held a rancorous enemy.

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.

Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak Lay open to my earthy-gross conceit, Smother'd in errors, feeble, shallow, weak, The folded meaning of your words' deceit.

Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,
To say within thine own deep sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.

For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.

Lady, with me, with me thy fortune lies.

It is engender'd in the eyes,
With gazing fed; and Fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies.

The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, But in ourselves if we are underlings.

Which means she to deceive, father or mother?

Mark me
with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging and
telling her fantastical lies.

Whose tongue soe'er speaks false,
Not truly speaks; who speaks not truly, lies.

Grief fills the room up of my absent child, lies in his bed, walks up and down with me, puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words.

But these
are all lies: men have died from time to time, and worms have
eaten them, but not for love.

What need I fear of thee But yet I'll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate thou shalt not live That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, And sleep in spite of thunder

For as a surfeit of the sweetest things The deepest loathing to the stomach brings, Or as tie heresies that men do leave Are hated most of those they did deceive, So thou, my surfeit and my heresy, Of all be hated, but the most of me.

I'll hold thee any wager,
When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
And speak between the change of man and boy
With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride; and speak of frays
Like a fine bragging youth; and tell quaint lies,
How honourable ladies sought my love,
Which I denying, they fell sick and died-
I could not do withal.

When my love swears that she is made of truth I do believe her, though I know she lies, That she might think me some untutor'd youth, Unlearned in the world's false subtleties. Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young, Although she knows my days are past the best, Simply I credit her false speaking tongue On both sides thus is simple truth suppress'd. But wherefore says she not she is unjust And wherefore say not I that I am old O, love's best habit is in seeming trust, And age in love loves not to have years told Therefore I lie with her and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be.

Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle shape,
And with a virtuous vizor hide deep vice!

Was ever book containing such vile matterSo fairly bound O, that deceit should dwellIn such a gorgeous palace

Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb
Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts:
If I could write the beauty of your eyes,
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say, "This poet lies,
Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.