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
By the apostle Paul, shadows tonight Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers.
Interpretation
Fear can often be more impactful than actual threats we face.
This quote by Shakespeare expresses the profound psychological impact that fear and anxiety can have on an individual, suggesting that the mere idea of danger can instill more terror than the danger itself. It highlights the theme that our perceptions and emotions often dictate our reality more than external circumstances.
In practice
In a motivational speech about overcoming challenges, one might reference this quote to emphasize the power of fear.
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).
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
The world is full of cravens who pretended to be heroes.
One must need to be strong, otherwise one will never become strong.
Because of where I come from, I never thought I'd see in my life a black candidate running for President.
If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he'll eat you last.
If I can sit down for freedom, you can stand up for children.
That is why our masters in Washington are so anxious to disarm us. They are not afraid of criminals. They are afraid of a populace which cannot be subdued by tyrants.
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