Consciousness and Self-Knowledge

Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh.

O! what a noble mind is here o’erthrown: The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword.

To put an antic disposition on.

Within the book and volume of my brain.

While memory holds a seat In this distracted globe. Remember thee! Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records.

’Tis in my memory lock’d, And you yourself shall keep the key of it.

Neither a borrower, nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Give it an understanding, but no tongue.

A truant disposition.

A beast, that wants discourse of reason.

But I have that within which passeth show; These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not “seems.” ’Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black.

Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy.

All his faults observ’d, Set in a notebook, learn’d, and conn’d by rote.

He reads much; He is a great observer, and he looks Quite through the deeds of men.

Consideration like an angel came, And whipp’d the offending Adam out of him.

But all the story of the night told over, And all their minds transfigur’d so together, More witnesseth than fancy’s images, And grows to something of great constancy, But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

How use doth breed a habit in a man!

I know all except myself. 5

Ah God! Had I but studied In the days of my foolish youth. 1

Ful wys is he that kan hymselven knowe!

Who knows whether living is dying, and breathing Is eating, and sleeping is a wool blanket?

There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its course: a quiet conscience.

Look upon Oedipus This is the king who solved the famous riddle [of the Sphinx]. 8