Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Related Quotes

William Shakespeare

Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; and now I'll do 't: and so he goes to heaven; and so am I reveng'd.

Pride | Tears | Will |

William Shakespeare

O how wretched is that poor man that hangs on princes favors! There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to, that sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, more pangs and fears than wars or women have, and when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, never to hope again. Henry VIII (Wolsey at III, ii)

Beauty | Looks | Play | Truth | Virtue | Virtue | Youth | Youth | Beauty |

William Shakespeare

O sir, you are old; nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine; you should be ruled and led by some discretion, that discerns your fate better than you yourself.

Books | Good | Thought | Virtue | Virtue | Will | Thought |

William Shakespeare

OLIVIA: How does he love me? VIOLA: With adoration, with fertile tears, with groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire.

Amends | Counsel | Good | Man | Sin | Virtue | Virtue | Will | Counsel |

William Shakespeare

Pity, like a naked, new-born babe striding the blast, or heaven's cherubins, horsed upon the sightless couriers of the air, shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, that tears shall drown the wind.

Virtue | Virtue |

William Shakespeare

Pour on; I will endure. In such a night as this!

Pride |

William Shakespeare

On your eyelids crown the god of sleep, Charming your blood with pleasing heaviness, Making such difference 'twixt wake and sleep As is the difference betwixt day and night The hour before the heavenly-harness'd team Begins his golden progress in the east.

Pride |

Edwin Percy Whipple

Irony is an insult conveyed in the form of a compliment

Common Sense | Object | Sense | Old | Vice |

Edwin Percy Whipple

There is a serious and resolute egotism that makes a man interesting to his friends and formidable to his opponents.

Antithesis | Character | Good | Understand |

Kautilya, aka Chanakya or Vishnu Gupta NULL

There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it.

Disease | Virtue | Virtue | Happiness |

Ishvarakrishna, aka Iśvarakṛṣṇa NULL

The Self (purusha) exists, since an aggregate must be for another's use, since this must be the converse of that which has the three gunas, since there must be a superintendent and also someone to experience, and since activity is for the sake of freedom.

Rest | Virtue | Virtue |

Kautilya, aka Chanakya or Vishnu Gupta NULL

It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment's grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one's life.

Good | Man | Virtue | Virtue | Value |

Edwin Percy Whipple

A man of letters is often a man with two natures,--one a book nature, the other a human nature. These often clash sadly.

Character | Desire |

Ishvarakrishna, aka Iśvarakṛṣṇa NULL

Thus, through conjunction with the Self (purusha), the insentient seems to be sentient, and though the agency really belongs to the gunas, the neutral stranger appears as if it were active.

Knowledge | Virtue | Virtue | Vice |

Kautilya, aka Chanakya or Vishnu Gupta NULL

A good wife is one who serves her husband in the morning like a mother does, loves him in the day like a sister does and pleases him like a prostitute in the night.

Virtue | Virtue |

Ishvarakrishna, aka Iśvarakṛṣṇa NULL

Through virtue there is ascent; through vice there is descent; through knowledge there is deliverance; there is bondage through the reverse.

Attainment | Rest | Self | Virtue | Virtue |

Ban Zhao, courtesy name Huiban

As Yin and Yang are not of the same nature, so man and woman have different characteristics. The distinctive quality of the Yang is rigidity; the function of the Yin is yielding. Man is honored for strength; a woman is beautiful on account of her gentleness. Hence there arose the common saying: "A man though born like a wolf may, it is feared, become a weak monstrosity; a woman though born like a mouse may, it is feared, become a tiger."

Appearance | Need | Virtue | Virtue | Woman | Words | Work |

Edwin Percy Whipple

The greatness of action includes immoral as well as moral greatness--Cortes and Napoleon, as well as Luther and Washington.

Audacity | Character | Danger | Fear | Genius | Insanity | Man | Men | Danger |

Ban Zhao, courtesy name Huiban

These three ancient customs epitomize woman's ordinary way of life and the teachings of the traditional ceremonial rites and regulations. Let a woman modestly yield to others; 1et her respect others; let her put others first, herself last. Should she do something good, let her not mention it; should she do something bad let her not deny it. Let her bear disgrace; let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her. Always let her seem to tremble and to fear. When a woman follows such maxims as these then she may be said to humble herself before others.

Desire | Love | Virtue | Virtue | Woman |

Ban Zhao, courtesy name Huiban

Let a woman retire late to bed, but rise early to duties; let her nor dread tasks by day or by night. Let her not refuse to perform domestic duties whether easy or difficult. That which must be done, let her finish completely, tidily, and systematically, When a woman follows such rules as these, then she may be said to be industrious.

Character | Love | Order | Principles | Purity | Woman | Gossip |