Ethics and Morality

An honorable murderer, if you will; For nought I did in hate, but all in honor.

Take note, take note, O world! To be direct and honest is not safe.

But men are men; the best sometimes forget.

Framed to make women false.

The robb’d that smiles steals something from the thief.

I do perceive here a divided duty.

Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure, Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.

They say best men are molded out of faults, And, for the most, become much more the better For being a little bad.

He, who the sword of heaven will bear Should be as holy as severe.

The cunning livery of hell.

That in the captain’s but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.

O! it is excellent To have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous To use it like a giant.

No ceremony that to great ones ’longs, Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed sword, The marshal’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe, Become them with one half so good a grace As mercy does.

Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?

The jury, passing on the prisoner’s life, May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try.

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.

We must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch and not their terror.

My friends were poor, but honest. 41

Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy Rather in power than use, and keep thy friend Under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence, But never tax’d for speech.

I hate ingratitude more in a man Than lying, vainness, babbling drunkenness, Or any taint of vice whose strong corruption Inhabits our frail blood.

When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.

And give to dust that is a little gilt More laud than gilt o’er-dusted.

For honor travels in a strait so narrow Where one but goes abreast.

Perseverance, dear my lord, Keeps honor bright: to have done, is to hang Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail In monumental mockery.