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
He that loves to be flattered is worthy o' the flatterer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Those who seek compliments often deserve the insincerity of those who flatter them.
This quote by William Shakespeare suggests that individuals who enjoy and seek out flattery may not be as virtuous as they appear. It implies a reciprocal relationship between those who flatter and those who desire to be flattered, hinting at the idea that a personβs character can be revealed by their willingness to accept superficial praise.
Themes
FlatteryLovePraiseCharacterInsincerity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about self-esteem, you might use this quote to highlight the dangers of seeking validation from others.
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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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