16th century

Explore 285 quotes from the 16th century

Painting is poetry which is seen and not heard, and poetry is a painting which is heard but not seen.

Leonardo da Vinci

More information about this quote

Topic

Poetry Painting Art

Author

Leonardo da Vinci

Source

A Treatise on Painting

Medium

Personal journal

Language

Italian

Time

1519 1510s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Da Vinci, Leonard. Tratto della pittura [A Treatise on Painting]. Raffaelo du Fresne, 1651.

Current Citation

Da Vinci, Leonardo. A Treatise on Painting, translated by John Francis Rigaud. Dover Publications, 2005.

What Fates impose, that men must needs abide;
It boots not to resist both wind and tide.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

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Topic

Yielding to fate Fate

Speaker

King Edward IV

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 3

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry VI, Part 3. London: Thomas Millington, 1595, act 4, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Third Part of Henry the Sixth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 3.

Though Fortune’s malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

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Topic

Delusion Fortune

Speaker

King Edward IV

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 3

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry the Sixth, Part 3. London: Thomas Millington, 1595, act 4, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Third Part of Henry the Sixth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 3.

She cannot love,
Nor take no shape nor project of affection,
She is so self-endeared.

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

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Topic

Narcissism

Speaker

Hero

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Much Ado About Nothing

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1600 1600s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. London: Andrew Wise and William Aspley, 1600, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Much Ado About Nothing." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 1.

What is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
And live we how we can, yet die we must.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

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Topic

Glory

Speaker

Warwick

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 3

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry the Sixth, Part 3. London: Thomas Millington, 1595, act 5, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Third Part of Henry the Sixth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 5, sc. 2.

This benign nature so provides that over all the world you find something to imitate.

Leonardo da Vinci

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More information about this quote

Topic

Art Nature

Author

Leonardo da Vinci

Source

Journals of Leonardo da Vinci

Medium

Personal journal

Language

Italian or Latin

Time

1519 1510s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Da Vinci, Leonardo. The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. c. 1519.

I quote others only in order the better to express myself.

Michel de Montaigne

Essays

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Topic

Quotations Self-expression

Author

Michel de Montaigne

Source

Essays

Medium

Essay

Language

French

Time

1575 1570s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "De l'Institution des Enfants [Of the Education of Children]." Essais [Essays]. Paris: Simon Millanges and Jean Richer, 1580.

Current Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "On Educating Children." The Complete Essays, edited and translated by M. A. Screech. Penguin Classics, 1993.

Frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life.

William Shakespeare

The Taming of the Shrew

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Topic

Positive attitude Laughter Long life

Speaker

Messenger

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Taming of the Shrew

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. London: Cuthbert Burbie, 1594, introduction, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Taming of the Shrew." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, introduction, sc. 2.

Saying is one thing and doing is another.

Michel de Montaigne

Essays

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Topic

Words vs. actions

Author

Michel de Montaigne

Source

Of Anger Essays

Medium

Essay

Language

French

Time

1580 1580s 16th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "De la Colere [Of Anger]." Essais [Essays]. Paris: Simon Millanges and Jean Richer, c. 1588.

Current Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "On Anger." The Complete Essays, edited and translated by M. A. Screech. Penguin Classics, 1993.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

Martin Luther

More information about this quote

Topic

Music

Speaker

Martin Luther

Author

Georg Rhau

Source

Symphoniae iucundae

Language

German

Time

1538 1530s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Luther, Martin. Quoted in Symphoniae Iucundae Atque Adeo Breves Quatuor Vocum, written by Georg Rhau. Wittenberg, 1538, preface.

Painting and sculpture, hard work and fair dealing have been my ruin and things go continually from bad to worse. It would have been better had I been put to making matches in my youth than to be in such a fret!

Michelangelo

More information about this quote

Topic

Art and money

Author

Michelangelo

Source

Letters of Michelangelo

Medium

Letter

Language

Italian

Time

1542 1540s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Michelangelo. Letter to Luigi del Riccio. Oct./Nov. 1542.

From women’s eyes this doctrine I derive.
They sparkle still the right Promethean fire.
They are the books, the arts, the academes
That show, contain, and nourish all the world.

William Shakespeare

Love's Labour's Lost

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Topic

Women

Speaker

Lord Berowne

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Love's Labour's Lost

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Love's Labour's Lost. 1597, England, UK, act 4, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Love's Labour's Lost." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 3.

But times do change and move continually.

Sir Walter Raleigh

The Faerie Queens

More information about this quote

Topic

The only constant is change

Author

Sir Walter Raleigh

Source

The Faerie Queens

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Spenser, Edmund. "Two Cantos of Mutabilitie." The Faerie Queene. London: Mathew Lownes, 1609, canto 7, st. 47.

Current Citation

Spenser, Edmund. "Two Cantos of Mutabilitie." Spenser: The Faerie Queene, edited by A. C. Hamilton, Hiroshi Yamashita, and Toshiyuki Suzuki. Longman, 2006.

How hard it is for women to keep counsel!

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Secrets Women

Speaker

Portia

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Julius Caesar

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play) Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 4.

For there was never yet philosopher
That could endure the toothache patiently.

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

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Topic

Philosophy Managing suffering Suffering

Speaker

Leonato

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Much Ado About Nothing

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1600 1600s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. London: Andrew Wise and William Aspley, 1600, act 5, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Much Ado About Nothing." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 5, sc. 1.

Doomsday is near. Die all, die merrily.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

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Topic

Live for the moment End of the world

Speaker

Hotspur

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 1

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV, Part 1. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1597, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The First Part of Henry the Fourth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Thy wish was father…to that thought.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

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Topic

Wishful thinking Desire

Speaker

King Henry IV

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 2

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV, Part 2. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1597, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Second Part of Henry the Fourth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 5.

Accurst be he that first invented war.

Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine the Great

More information about this quote

Topic

Anti-war

Speaker

Mycetes

Author

Christopher Marlowe

Source

Tamburlaine the Great

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play) Tragedy

Language

English

Time

1587 1580s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Marlowe, Christopher. Tamburlaine the Great. Admiral's Men, 1587, Rose Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

Marlowe, Christopher. Christopher Marlowe: The Complete Plays, edited by Frank Romany and Robert Lindsey. Penguin Classics, 2004, act 2, sc. 4.

So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Suicide

Speaker

Casca

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Julius Caesar

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play) Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 3.

For when this song is sung and past,
My lute, be still, for I have done.

Thomas Wyatt

More information about this quote

Topic

Poetry

Author

Thomas Wyatt

Source

The Lute Awake Tottel's Miscellany

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1557 1550s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Wyatt, Thomas. "The Lute Awake, or The lover complaineth the unkindness of his love." Songes and Sonettes Written By the Ryght Honorable Lord Henry Howard, late Earle of Surrey, Thomas Wyatt the Elder and others. London: Richard Tottel, 1557.

Current Citation

Wyatt, Thomas. "My Lute, Awake! or The Lover Complaineth the Unkindness of his Love." Tottel's Miscellany: Songs and Sonnets of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Sir Thomas Wyatt and Others, edited by Amanda Holton and Tom MacFaul. Penguin Classics, 2012.