William Shakespeare Quotes (3360 Quotes)

Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed, with the furniture.

My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care,
At eighteen years became inquisitive
After his brother, and importun'd me
That his attendant-so his case was like,
Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name-
Might bear him company in the quest of him;
Whom whilst I laboured of a love to see,
I hazarded the loss of whom I lov'd.

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

O truant Muse, what shall be thy amends
For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?

Sir, I am too old to learn.

We came into the world like brother and brother; And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another.

God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another.

A maiden never bold,
Of spirit so still and quiet that her motion
Blush'd at herself; and she- in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, everything-
To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on!

This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange
That even our loves should with our fortunes change;
For 'tis a question left us yet to prove,
Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love.

The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.

Fall Greeks; fail fame; honour or go or stay;
My major vow lies here, this I'll obey.

Rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourself scabs.

I did send to you for certain sums of gold, which you denied me.

I charge
you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of
this play as please you; and I charge you, O men, for the love
you bear to women- as I perceive by your simp'ring none of you
hates them- that between you and the women the play may please.

This life is most jolly.

There is little choice in a barrel of rotten apples.

What is past is prologue.

Confess yourself to heaven Repent what's past avoid what is to come

What tedious homily of love have
you wearied your parishioners withal, and never cried 'Have
patience, good people.

Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge.

Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs;
The Duke shall grant me justice.

It shall be called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom.

If I lov'd many words, lord, I should tell you
You have as little honesty as honour,
That in the way of loyalty and truth
Toward the King, my ever royal master,
Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be
And an that love his follies.

Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it;
and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may.

Learn, good soul,
To think our former state a happy dream;
From which awak'd, the truth of what we are
Shows us but this: I am sworn brother, sweet,
To grim Necessity; and he and
Will keep a league till death.

Come, your answer in broken music- for thy voice is
music and thy English broken; therefore, Queen of all, Katherine,
break thy mind to me in broken English, wilt thou have me?

O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

But do thy worst to steal thy self away,
For term of life thou art assurèd mine,
And life no longer than thy love will stay,
For it depends upon that love of thine.

For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent
In dangerous wars whilst you securely slept;
For all my blood in Rome's great quarrel shed,
For all the frosty nights that I have watch'd,
And for these bitter tears, which now you see
Filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks,
Be pitiful to my condemned sons,
Whose souls are not corrupted as 'tis thought.

The naked, poor, and mangled Peace, Dear nurse of arts, plenty's, and joyful births.

I count myself in nothing else so happy As in a soul remembering my good friends.

Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall?

The best wishes that can be forged in your thoughts be servants to you.

All, with one consent, praise newborn gawds (sic), though they are made and molded of things past

I sometimes do believe and sometimes do not:
As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.

'Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed
When not to be receives reproach of being,
And the just pleasure lost, which is so deemed
Not by our feeling, but by others' seeing.

Here is everything advantageous to life.

One that lies three thirds and uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings with, should be once heard and thrice beaten.

Perseverance, dear my lord, Keeps honour bright to have done, is to hang; Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail; In monumental mockery.

And when love speaks, the voice of all the godsMakes heaven drowsy with the harmony.

But truly, these same
whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women, for in
every ten that they make the devils mar five.

I shall never begin if I hold my peace.

Clarence and Gloucester, love my lovely queen;
And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both.

I would fain die a dry death.

I am nothing if not critical.

What is thy soul of adoration?

Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,
Which husbandry in honour might uphold
Against the stormy gusts of winter's day
And barren rage of death's eternal cold?

Faith, the cry goes that you shall marry her.

Faith, none but Humphrey Hour, that call'd
your Grace
To breakfast once forth of my company.

I am bewitched with the rogue's company. If the rascal have not given me medicines to make me love him, I'll be hanged.