William Shakespeare May Quotations

I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.

Show me a mistress that is passing fair, what doth her beauty serve but as a note where I may read who pass'd that passing fair?

Then happy I that love and am beloved, where I may not remove nor be removed.

Wisdom and fortune combating together, If that the former dare but what it can, No chance may shake it.

The gates of monarchs Are arched so high that giants may jet through And keep their impious turbans on without Good morrow to the sun.

All his successors gone before him have done 't; and all his ancestors that come after him may.

But since the affairs of men rests still incertain, Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

Can it be chat modesty may more betray Our sense than woman's lightness?

Things may serve long, but not serve ever.

How much an ill word may empoison liking!

Should the poor be flattered? No; let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp, and crook the pregnant hinges of the knee where thrift may follow fawning.

If ever (as that ever may be near) you meet in some fresh cheek the power of fancy, then shall you know the wounds invisible that love's keen, arrows make.

For my part, I may speak it to my shame, I have a truant been to chivalry; And so I hear he doth account me too.

Thus may poor fools Belive false teachers.

What else may hap, to time I will commit.

My business was great, and in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy.

Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud.

A good man's fortune may grow out at heels.

A sentence is but a cheveril glove to a good wit; How quickly the wrong side may be turned outward!

For my part, if a lie may do thee grace, I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have.

Two may keep counsel putting one away!

There is a history in all men's lives, Figuring the nature of the times deceased, The which observed, a man may prophesy, With a near aim, of the main chance of things As yet not come to life, which in their seeds And weak beginnings lie intreasured.

I will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me he shall never make me such a fool.

A woman that is like a German clock, Still a-repairing, ever out of frame, And never going aright, being a watch, But being watched that it may still go right!

Great men may jest with saints; 'tis wit in them; But, in the less foul profanation.

He that will have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding. Have I not tarried? Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. Have I not tarried? Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the leavening. Still have I tarried. Ay, to the leavening; but here's yet in the word 'hereafter' the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips.

I have thrust myself into this maze, Haply to wive and thrive as best I may.

So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.

I have been studying how I may compare This prison where I live unto the world; And, for because the world is populous, And here is not a creature but myself, I cannot do it. Yet I'll hammer it out.

O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do.

When rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they will

I will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster

Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear.

The amity that wisdom knits not, folly may easily untie.

As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.

On a day - alack the day! - Love, whose month is ever May, Spied a blossom passing fair Playing in the wanton air

Women may fail when there is no strength in man

You may my Glories and my State depose, But not my Griefes; still I am King of those.

We will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Shakespeare, Midsummer Night's Dream. Spoken by Bottom, Act I Sc. 2

It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational increase, and there was never virgin got till virginity was first lost. That you were made of is metal to make virgins. Virginity, by being once lost, may be ten times found: by being ever kept, it is ever lost. ’Tis too cold a companion: away with ’t!

I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist.

And his unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love.

But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.

And then he drew a dial from his poke, And looking with lack-lustre eye, Says very wisely, 'It is ten o'clock: Thus we may see', Quoth he, 'how the world wags: 'Tis but an hour ago since it was nine, And after one hour more 'twill be eleven; And so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe, And then from hour to hour we rot and rot.

If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death!

And worse I may be yet: the worst is not So long as we can say 'This is the worst.

Accommodated; that is, when a man is, as they say, accommodated; or when a man is, being, whereby a' may be thought to be accommodated,?which is an excellent thing.

I may command where I adore.

Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in, bear t that th' opposed may beware of thee.

We may outrun By violent swiftness And lose by over-running.

Alas, their love may be call'd appetite. No motion of the liver, but the palate

I fill up a place, which may be better... when I have made it empty.

Nay, do not think I flatter. For what advancement may I hope from thee, That no revenue hast but thy good spirits To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered?

There's her cousin, an she were not possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December.

Come, go with us, speak fair; you may salve so, Not what is dangerous present, but the los Of what is past.

I do desire we may be better strangers.

I am your wife if you will marry me. If not, I'll die your maid. To be your fellow You may deny me, but I'll be your servant Whether you will or no.

Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner. BENEDICK Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. BEATRICE I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me: if it had been painful, I would not have come. BENEDICK You take pleasure then in the message? BEATRICE Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's point ... You have no stomach, signior: fare you well. Exit BENEDICK Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner;' there's a double meaning in that... (Much Ado About Nothing)

New friends may be poems but old friends are alphabets. Don't forget the alphabets because you will need them to read the poems.