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
That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once: how the knave jowls it to the ground, as if it were Cain's jaw-bone, that did the first murder! It might be the pate of a politician, which this ass now o'er-reaches; one that would circumvent God, might it not?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the themes of mortality and the folly of political ambition.
In this profound observation by Shakespeare, the imagery of a skull with a tongue serves as a metaphor for the transience of life and the inevitability of death. It critiques the ambition of politicians who, in their quest for power, may ignore moral boundaries, suggesting that their attempts to manipulate fate or cheat death are ultimately futile and absurd, akin to the first murderer, Cain, whose actions bring forth the weights of guilt and consequence.
Themes
MortalityPoliticsAmbitionDeathFutility
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophical discussion on morality, one might use this quote to illustrate humanity's struggles with power and consequence.
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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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