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
A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A wise person doesn't lower themselves to engage in trivial or worthless matters.
This quote by Shakespeare emphasizes the value of maintaining a high standard of thought and action. A 'golden mind' represents someone with true wisdom and insight, while 'shows of dross' refers to superficial or materialistic distractions. Essentially, the quote suggests that those who are truly wise will not waste their time or energy on things that lack substance or meaning.
Themes
WisdomMindValueTrivialSubstance
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about focusing on what truly matters in life.
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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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