As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Angels and ministers of grace defend us!_x000D_ _x000D_ Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,_x000D_ _x000D_ Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,_x000D_ _x000D_ Be thy intents wicked, or charitable,_x000D_ _x000D_ Thou com'st in such a questionable shape,_x000D_ _x000D_ That I will speak to thee.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a desire for divine protection while grappling with the duality of good and evil.
In this quote, the speaker calls upon angels and ministers of grace for protection, acknowledging the ambiguous nature of the spirit they are addressing. Whether the spirit is one of health or a malevolent being, the speaker is open to communication, highlighting the complexity of existence and the interplay between good and evil. This contemplation reflects a philosophical inquiry into the nature of intentions and appearances.
Themes
AngelsSpiritualityGoodEvilCommunicationProtection
In practice
Example use cases
In a public speech about ethics, one might refer to this quote when discussing the need for guidance amidst moral dilemmas.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
Sadness usually results from one of the following causes either when a man does not succeed, or is ashamed of his success.
Seneca The YoungerRead
If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.
Samuel ButlerRead
Every thing possible to be believ'd is an image of truth.
William BlakeRead
We need to defend the interests of those whom we've never met and never will.
Jeffrey SachsRead
The actual life of a thought lasts only until it reaches the point of speech...As soon as our thinking has found words it ceases to be sincere...When it begins to exist in others it ceases to live in us, just as the child severs itself from its mother when it enters into its own existence.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Ambition and hatred are enough to bring Iraq and al Qaeda together.
Colin PowellRead