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That's a valiant flea that dares eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.
William Shakespeare
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the courage required to face seemingly insurmountable challenges.

In this quote, Shakespeare uses the imagery of a flea, a small creature, daring to eat while perched on the lip of a lion, a powerful and fearsome animal. This highlights the audacity and bravery it takes to confront situations that may appear overwhelmingly daunting or dangerous, suggesting that sometimes courage can be found in unexpected places or individuals.

Themes

CourageBraveryChallengesFearAudacity

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about overcoming fears and taking risks.

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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).
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