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
Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the idea that the departure of a ruler or king signifies both a loss of freedom and a sense of exile.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker addresses a king, lamenting that his departure marks the end of freedom for the people, as his rule is associated with their autonomy and well-being. The sentiment captures the deep connection between governance and liberty, suggesting that a ruler's absence brings about banishmentβnot only in the physical sense but also in terms of the people's rights and freedoms.
Themes
FreedomKingBanishmentRuleGovernance
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of political engagement, one might reference this quote to emphasize the consequences of losing a leader.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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