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
But shall we wear these glories for a day? Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?
Interpretation
The quote questions the transient nature of glory and whether it can bring lasting joy.
In this quote, Shakespeare prompts us to ponder the temporary nature of achievements and societal recognition ('glories'). He suggests that while such accolades may provide momentary joy, it is more significant to consider whether they can endure over time, allowing us to continue to find happiness and fulfillment in them. This reflection on the fleeting nature of glory raises deeper philosophical questions about the value of our pursuits and the memories they leave behind.
In practice
This quote can be cited in a graduation speech to emphasize the importance of lasting achievements.
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.
I bow before the authority of special men because it is imposed upon me by my own reason.
Do not live in the future, only the present is real
Vexed sailors cursed the rain, for which poor shepherds prayed in vain.
If you take responsibility for what you are doing to yourself, how you produce your symptoms, how you produce your illness, how you produce your existence-the very moment you get in touch with yourself-growth begins, integration begins.
The opposite of an idealist is too often a man without love.
One of the great fallacies of our time is that the Nazis rose to power because they imposed order on chaos. Precisely the opposite is true - they were successful because they imposed chaos on order. They tore up the commandments, they denied the super-ego, what you will. They said, "You may persecute the minority, you may kill, you may torture, you may couple and breed without love." They offered humanity all its great temptations. Nothing is true, everything is permitted.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.