“I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. “ (AWEW.2.2)
Tips for use. Alternative to ‘Maybe this is a stupid question’ or when you wish to pull the leg of the speaker, especially if he thinks of having been clear in his exposition.
In the play. At Rousillon, the clown and the Countess exchange some banter. The Countess apologizes to the clown before asking him an irrelevant question.
“May I never
To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
Dream of impediment.” (AC.2.2)
Tips for Use. Answer to ‘Do you agree?’, particularly if the agreement is important or represents a compromise reached after intense negotiations.
In the play. Antony agrees to the proposal, put forward by Agrippa, that he, Antony, marries Octavia, Octavian’s sister, thus sealing the peace between the two political enemies
“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.” (AC.2.5)
Tips for use. When she is almost ready to say yes but there is still some hesitation expressed by “but yet”. Or in any occasion where a positive statement is followed by a ‘but’ or ‘and yet’. In “Your Daily Shakespeare” see also ‘Argument, good a. but honest dealing is best – didst thou never hear that things ill got had ever bad success?’
In the play. Cleopatra to messenger who hesitates (knowing Cleopatra’s character) to tell her that Antony married Octavia while in Rome.
Image obtained from http://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/tag/numbers/
No fast food
“…on the Alps
It is reported thou didst eat strange flesh,
Which some did die to look on:” (AC.1.4)
Tips for use. A good reason for not eating fast food. You can quote the observation about Antony. Or you could just say, “This is food which some did die to look on.” Equally applicable to a particularly nasty plate.
In the play. In Rome Octavian recounts to Antony some of his (Antony’s) previous exploits
Cleopatra
“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety. Other women cloy
The appetite they feed, but she makes
Hungry, where most she satisfies.” (AC.2.2)
Tips on Use. Answer to “Will you always love me even when I am old?” Change the case of the particle from ‘her’ to you and from ‘she makes’ to ‘you make’ and from ‘she’ to ‘you’. ‘Age cannot wither you, nor custom stale / Your infinite variety. Other women cloy / The appetite they feed, but you make / Hungry where most you satisfy.’ See also ‘Writing. Confidence in your writing power.’
In the play. Lt. Enobarbus, while in Rome accompanying Antony to a meeting with Octavian and Lepidus, extols to a friend Cleopatra’s talents.
Do you wish to remember this quote by heart? Go to Mnemonic Frame #1 in the Mnemonic Frames Page.
“You are not worth the dust which the rude wind
Blows in your face.” (King Lear 4.2)
Comments and How to Use. When you want to express your deep contempt for an individual of either sex. See also ‘Insult, not worth another word – You are not worth another word, else I’d call you knave.’ (This reference is to be found in the book “Your Daily Shakespeare”
In the actual play. The duke of Albany begins to discover what stuff his evil wife Goneril is made of.
“… Here’s that which is too weak to
be a sinner, honest water, which ne’er left man i’ the mire” (TOA 1.2)
Comments and How to Use. Applicable if you are a teetotaler when invited to drink alcohol. Or if you want to stop drinking before driving.
In the actual play. The ornery Apemantus scorns the parasites who attend Timon’s table and by the nature of the toast toast he hints at what may come out of Timon’s prodigality.
Sweet Ornament that Decks a Thing Divine (TGV 2.1)
Comments and How to Use. “I can live for two months on a good compliment”. The statement is attributed to Mark Twain. Being complimented can be sometimes embarrassing, because agreeing may suggest conceit while disagreeing may hide false modesty. But saying that you can live for two months on a good compliment is a neutral reply that fits all occasions. Or, as Shakespeare would say, it is like a barber chair that fits all buttocks (see “Your Daily Shakespeare” p. 71).
With ladies the situation is greatly different as laying it thick never hurts. This was, by the way, the approach of Prime Minister Disraeli in his dealings with Queen Victoria who initially disliked him but was won over by his barrage of endless compliments. Lesson learned.
The boundary between compliments and flattery is never well defined but a romantic Shakespearean quote exempts you from any suspicion of second purposes however obvious they may even be.
“Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine” (Two Gentlemen from Verona, see “Your Daily Shakespeare” p. 63) is the perfect compliment whenever she wears something new or unusual. Or maybe it is something that surprises you or that she wants to surprise you with – a new hat, a pair of gloves, maybe even a tanga.
In the actual play, the ornament is Silvia’s glove, Valentine’s newly found love in Milan. “Your Daily Shakespeare” gives you hundreds of compliment options based on romantic Shakespeare quotes and perfectly suited to particular situations, along with tips of usage and alternative suggestions. You will also find the context in which the original quote appears in the play, poem or sonnet.
“… trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poison, and he slays
More than you rob.” (TOA.4.3)
How to Use. A reliable example to indicate your general lack of confidence in modern medicine.
In the play. Two robbers stumble upon Timon who has retreated and retired to a wood. He talks with the robbers and almost converts them away from their profession, by inciting them to pursue it.
“Those girls of Italy, take heed of them;
They say, our French lack language to deny,
If they demand.” (AWEW.2.1)
How to Use. A befitting romantic Shakespeare line for tongue-in-cheek praise of Italian ladies and attractions thereof. With minimal poetic license you can change ‘Italy’ to any other country and ‘French’ to the other applicable nationality. E.G. “Those girls of Belgium, take heed of them; they say our Dutch lack language to deny, if they demand.” Though with the current animosities lurking between French and Dutch speaking Belgians different nationalities may happen to be more appropriate.
See “Your Daily Shakespeare” p. 31 from “All’s Well that Ends Well”.
In the actual play. The Florentines are engaged in a totally fictional war with Siena where they want a regime change and to establish freedom and democracy. The French lend support to the Florentines and as some French lords leave for Italy, the king offers words of warning.