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
To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that showcasing our abilities may lead to our downfall.
In this quote, William Shakespeare implies that when individuals or societies focus too much on demonstrating their talents or skills, they may inadvertently set the stage for their own decline. It speaks to the dangers of pride and the idea that overexposure of one's capabilities could provoke challenges or consequences that ultimately lead to failure or downfall. This serves as a cautionary reminder to balance confidence with humility and awareness of the potential repercussions of one's actions.
Themes
SkillPrideDownfallHumilityConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about the risks of overconfidence.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove 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
Nothing surely is as potent as a law that may not be disobeyed. It has the force of the water drop that hollows the stone. A small dainty task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.
Anthony TrollopeRead
My effort should never be to undermine another's faith but to make him a better follower of his own faith.
Mahatma GandhiRead
One evening at Chequers the film was Oliver Twist. Rufus, as usual, had the best seat in the house, on his master's lap. At the point when Bill Sikes was about to drown his dog to put the police off his track, Churchill covered Rufus's eyes with his hand. He said, "Don't look now, dear. I'll tell you about it afterwards."
Winston ChurchillRead
People ask me why it is that when I portray the 'angry young man' on screen, I really look angry. They reason that it is due to some suppression in my childhood. But, it's just that I can't help it; it's in my genes.
Amitabh BachchanRead
People don't become inured to what they are shown - if that's the right way to describe what happens - because of the quantity of images dumped on them. It is passivity that dulls feeling. The states described as apathy, moral or emotional anesthesia, are full of feelings; the feelings are rage and frustration.
Susan SontagRead
Where there is no property there is no injustice.
John LockeRead