Home › By Play › Antony and Cleopatra
Shakespeare Quotes from Antony and Cleopatra
It were for me To throw my sceptre at the injurious gods; To tell them that this world did equal theirs, Till they had stol'n our jewel, All's but naught; Patience is sottish; and impatience does Become a dog that's mad.— filed under Anger
Of who she but bid follow I saw her once Hop forty paces through the public street And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted, That she did make defect perfection,— filed under Beauty
In nature, there's no blemish but the mind; . None can be called deformed but the unkind : Virtue is beauty; but the beauteous-evil Are empty trunks, o'er-flourished by the devil. T. N. iii. 4. Read not my blemishes in the world's report: I have not kept my square; but that to come— filed under Blemishes
Hath conjur'd to attend. For his bounty, There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas, That grew the more by reaping,— filed under Bounty
I do not like but yet, it does allay The good precedence; fie upon but yet; But yet is as a jailer to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Prythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together.— filed under But Yet
Celerity is never more admir'd. Then by the negligent.— filed under Celerity
Rebukable And worthy shameful check it were to stand— filed under Ceremony
The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold; Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that The winds were love-sick with them: the oars were silver; Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made The water, which they beat, to follow faster, As amorous of their strokes. For her own person, It beggar'd all description: she did lie In her pavilion (cloth of gold of tissue) O'er-picturing that Venus, where we see, The fancy out-work nature; on each side her, Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids, With diversecolour'd fans, whose wind did seem To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool ;- And what they undid, did. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides, So many mermaids, tended her i' the eyes, And made their bends adornings: at the helm, A seeming mermaid steers; the silken tackle Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands, That yarely frame the office. From the barge, A strange invisible perfume hits the sense Of the adjacent wharfs.— filed under Cleopatra, Sailing
That, which is now a horse, even with a thought, The rack The rack dislimns ; and makes it indistinct, As water is in water.— filed under Clouds
Sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish; A vapour, sometimes, like a bear, or lion, A tower'd citadel, a pendant rock, A forked mountain, or blue pro nontory, With trees upon't, that nod unto the world, And mock our eyes with air: Thou hast seen these signs— filed under Clouds
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar The horned herd! for I have savage cause; And to proclaim it civilly, were like A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank— filed under Complaint
Friend and companion in the front of war.— filed under Comrade
Why, this is to have a name in great men's fellowship.— filed under Connexions
Drawing all things to it. Now from head to foot, I am marble constant; now the fleeting moon No planet is of mine.— filed under Constancy
I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards To run, and show their shoulders.— filed under Coward
Thus credulous fools are caught! But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do.— filed under Credulity
'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.— filed under Danger
This morning, like the spirit of youth That means to be of note, begins betimes.— filed under Dawn
Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch Which hurts and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking.— filed under Death
Finish, good lady, the bright day is done, And we are for the dark.— filed under Death
Where art thou, death? Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen Worth many babes and beggars,— filed under Death
To the young man send humble treaties, dodge— filed under Degradation
What our contempts do often hurl from us,— filed under Deprivation Of Things Discloses Their Value
Now let not Nature's hand Keep the wild flood confin'd! Let order die! And let this world no longer be a stage, To feed contention in a lingering act; But let one spirit of the first-born Cain Reign in all bosoms, that, each heart being set On bloody courses, the rude scene may end, And darkness be the burier of the dead. H. IV. PT. II. i. 1. O sovereign mistress of true melancholy, The poisonous damp of might disponge upon me; That life, a very rebel to my will, May hang no longer on me; throw my heart Against the flint and hardness of my fault; Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder, And finish all foul thoughts.— filed under Despair
Take the hint Which my despair proclaims; let that be left Which leaves itself.— filed under Despair
My very hairs do mutiny; for the white Reprove the brown for rashness; and they them— filed under Despair
Ah, women, women! come; we have no friend But resolution and the briefest end.— filed under Desperation
My resolution, and my hands I'll trust; None about Cæsar.— filed under Determination
I am fire and air; my other elements I give to baser life.— filed under Determination
My best attires :-I am again for Cydnus To meet Marc Antony.— filed under Devotion
Away, and mock the time with fairest show, False face must hide what the false heart doth know. M. i. 7 Good now, play one scene, Of excellent dissembling; and let it look Like perfect honour.— filed under Dissimulation
I have Immortal longings in me.— filed under Elevation Of Soul
The long day's task is done, And we must sleep.— filed under End
For his ordinary, pays his heart, For what his eyes eat only.— filed under Eye
O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more : Fortune and Antony part here; even here Do we shake hands. - All come to this? The hearts That spaniel'd me at heels, to whom I gave Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets On blossoming Cæsar; and this pine is bark'd That over-topp'd them all.— filed under Fallen Greatness
Was, by a mousing owl, hawk'd at, and kill'd. An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither He sends so poor a pinion of his wing, Which had superfluous kings for messengers, Not many moons gone by.— filed under Fallen Greatness
O wither'd is the garland of the war, The soldier's pole is fallen; young boys, and girls Are level now with men; the odds is gone, And there is nothing left remarkable Beneath the visiting moon.— filed under Fallen Greatness
Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close; And golden Phœbus never be beheld Of eyes again so royal!— filed under Fallen Greatness
for a feather. Nature wants stuff— filed under Fancy
I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail— filed under Favour
You shall find there A man, who is the abstract of all faults— filed under Favour
In time we hate that which we often fear.— filed under Fear
I'll yet follow The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason— filed under Fidelity
The loyalty well held to fools, does make Our faith mere folly:-yet, he, that can endure To follow with allegiance a fallen lord, Does conquer him that did his master corquer, And earns a place i' the story.— filed under Fidelity
Dogs, easily won to fawn on any man ! Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise, made. T.— filed under Flattery
Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate To grace it with your sorrows; bid that welcome Which comes to punish us, and we punish it, Seeming to bear it lightly.— filed under Fortitude
I see men's judgments are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward To draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike.— filed under Fortune
Would you praise Cæsar, say, -Cæsar; go no further.— filed under Greatness
Why have you stolen upon us thus! You come not Like Cæsar's sister; the wife of Antony Should have an army for an usher, and The neighs of horse to tell of her approach, Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way, Should have borne men; and expectation fainted. Longing for what it had not: nay, the dust Shakespearian Dictionary. GRI Should have ascended to the roof of heaven, Rais'd by your populous troops: But you are come A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown, Is often left unlov'd: we should have met you By sea, and land; supplying every stage— filed under Greeting
The gods rebuke me, but it is a tidings To wash the eyes of kings.— filed under Grief
To this dead man, than thou shalt see me pay. J.C. v. 3. Strange it is, That nature must compel us to lament— filed under Rief
It stands in like request? Who does i' the wars more than his captain can, Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition, The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss, Than gain, which darkens him.— filed under Honour
To business that we love, we rise betimes, And go to it with delight.— filed under Inclination
When we in our viciousness grow hard, (0, misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes; In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut To our confusion.— filed under Infatuation
So our leader's led, And we are women's men.— filed under Influence
Monster ingratitude! The ingratitude of this Seleucus does Even make me wild.— filed under Ingratitude
With one that I have bred? The gods !-It smites me Beneath the fall I have.— filed under Ingratitude
How poor an instrument— filed under Instrument
Of human dealings. Is this the man? Is't you, Sir, that know things?— filed under Knowing Man
O excellent! I love long life better than figs!— filed under Life
Oh, he is more mad Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly Was never so imbost.— filed under Madness
Had I great Juno's power, The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up, And set thee by Jove's side.— filed under Magnanimity
My noble girls !-Ah, women, women! look, Our lamp is spent, its out: Good Sirs, take heart: We'll bury him: and then, what's brave, what's noble, Let's do it after the high Roman fashion, And make death proud to take us.— filed under Magnanimity
A rarer spirit never Did steer humanity; but you, gods, will give us— filed under Man
The first bringer of unwelcome news Hath but a losing office; and his tongue Sounds ever after as a sullen bell, Remember'd knolling a departed friend. H. IV. PT. II. i. 1. Though it be honest, it is never good To bring bad news: Give to a gracious message A host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell— filed under Messenger
His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'd arm Crested the world; his voice was propertied As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends; But when he meant to quail and shake the orb, He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty, There was no winter in't.— filed under Mighty Dead
In his livery Walk'd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were As plates dropp'd from his pockets.— filed under Mighty Dead
The death of Antony 18 not a single doom; in the name lay Amoiety of the world.— filed under Mighty Dead
That do corrupt my air. Mechanic slaves, With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths, Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,— filed under Mob
The shouting varletry.— filed under Mob
What's amiss, May it be gently heard: When we debate Our trivial difference loud, we do commit Murder in healing wounds: Thou, noble partner, (The rather, for I earnestly beseech,) Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, Nor curstness grow to the matter.— filed under Moderation
O sovereign mistress of true melancholy.— filed under Moon
Give me some music; music, moody food— filed under Music
Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,— filed under News
Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,— filed under News
The nature of bad news infects the teller. With news the time's with labour; and throes forth— filed under News
Who seeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd, Shall never find it more.— filed under Opinion
But go at once. Come; Our separation so abides, and flies, That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me,— filed under Parting
Tend me to-night; May be, it is the period of your duty; Haply, you shall not see me more; or if, A mangled shadow: perchance, to-morrow, You'll serve another master I look on you, As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends; I turn you not away; but, like a master,— filed under Parting
O thou sun, Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in! darkling stand The varying shore o' the world!— filed under Perdition
It hath been taught us from the primal state, That he, which is, was wish'd until he were; And the ebb'd man, ne'er loved, till ne'er worth love, Comes dear'd by being lack'd. This common body, Like a vagabond flag upon the stream, Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, To rot itself with motion.— filed under Popularity
In his livery Walk'd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were— filed under Power
We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers. Deny us for our good; so find we profit— filed under Prayers
When mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives Of me for jests.— filed under Prosperity
Let us score their backs, And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind:— filed under Pursuit
When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted Even to falling.— filed under Rage
Be witness to me, O thou blessed moon, When men revolted shall upon record Bear hateful memory, poor Enobarbus did Before thy face repent.— filed under Repentance
I'll never see't; for, I am sure, my nails Are stronger than mine eyes.— filed under Repugnance
without merit, and lost without deserving. I have offended reputation;— filed under Reputation
Cheer your heart: Be you not troubled with the time, which drives O'er your content these strong necessities; But let determin'd things to destiny Hold unpewail'd their way.— filed under Resignation
He seems Proud and disdainful; harping on what I am; Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry; And at this time most easy 'tis to do't; When my good stars, that were my former guides, Have left their orbs, and shot their fires, Into the abysm of hell.— filed under Reverses
Against the blown rose may they stop their nose, That kneel'd unto the buds.— filed under Reverses
Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in it.— filed under Sea
The shame itself doth speak for instant remedy. K. L. i. 4 He is unqualitied with very shame.— filed under Shame
Alack! Why does he so? O, behold, How pomp is follow'd.— filed under Slavishness
Seeking sweet savours for this hateful fool. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?— filed under Slavishness
'Tis one of those odd tricks which sorrow shoots Out of the mind.— filed under Sorrow
All strange and terrible events are welcome, But comforts we despise; our size of sorrrow, Proportion'd to our cause must be as great, As that which makes it.— filed under Sorrow
The tears live in an onion that should water this sorrow.— filed under Sorrow
Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. His speech sticks in my heart.— filed under Speech
Now he'll outstare the lightning.— filed under Stare
He is dead: Not by a public minister of justice, Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand Which writ his honour in the acts it did, Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it,— filed under Suicide
Splitted the heart. All's but naught; Patience is sottish; and impatience does Become a dog that's mad: Then is it sin, To rush into the secret house of death, Ere death dare come to us?— filed under Suicide
Unhand me, gentlemen ;- By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me. H. i. 4. What say you? Hence, Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head; Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle.— filed under Threat
Immoment toys, things of such dignity As we greet modern friends withal.— filed under Trinkets
Trumpeters, With brazen din, blast you the city's ear; Make mingle with our rattling tabourines; That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,— filed under Trumpet
Antony Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd, That have no use for trusting.— filed under Trust
What, can the devil speak true That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot. A.C. ii.— filed under Ruth
The city cast Her people out upon her, and Antony, Enthroned in the market-place, did sit alone, Whistling to the air; which, but for vacancy, Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,— filed under Tyrant
When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with.— filed under Valour
Slave, soulless villain, dog! O rarely base!— filed under Villain
Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows Which break themselves in swearing.— filed under Vows
As for my wife, I would you had her spirit in such another: The third 'o the world is yours: which, with a snafle, You may pace easy, but not such a wife.— filed under Wife
Women are not In their best fortunes, strong; but want will perjure— filed under Woman