1600s

Explore 100 quotes from the 1600s

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Summer The ephemeral Seasons

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 18 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile Question

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 18, I. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 18.

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

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Topic

Flaws of men Nature of men Men and women Infidelity Relationships

Speaker

Balthasar

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 2, sc. 3.

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 2, sc. 3.

Love and War are the same thing, and stratagems and policy are as allowable in the one as in the other.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Love and war

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Language

Spanish

Time

1615 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Segunda Parte Del ingenioso caballero don Quixote de la Mancha [The Second Part of Don Quixote de la Mancha]. Spain: Francisco de Robles, 1615.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Beautiful women

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 18 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Statement Type

Profession of love

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 18, I. 9.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 18.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red...
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Being in love Love

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 130 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Statement Type

Profession of love

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 130, I. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 130.

Ancient times were the youth of the world.

Francis Bacon

More information about this quote

Topic

The ancient world Youth The past

Author

Francis Bacon

Source

The Advancement of Learning

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

1605 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Bacon, Francis. The Advancement of Learning. London: Oxford: Rob Youn and Ed Forrest, 1605, bk. 1, pt. 5, no. 1.

Current Citation

Bacon, Francis. "The Advancement of Learning." Francis Bacon: The Major Works, edited by Brian Vickers. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, pt. 5, no. 1.

Can we ever have too much of a good thing?

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Too much of a good thing Excess

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Question

Language

Spanish

Time

1605 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha [The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha]. Madrid: Francisco de Robles, 1605.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

I was so free with him as not to mince the matter.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Candor Honesty

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Language

Spanish

Time

1605 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha [The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha]. Madrid: Francisco de Robles, 1605.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

You are a king by your own fireside, as much as any monarch in his throne.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Home

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Language

Spanish

Time

1605 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha [The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha]. Madrid: Francisco de Robles, 1605.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

The whirligig of time brings in his revenges.

William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

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Topic

Passage of time Time Comeuppance

Speaker

Clown

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Twelfth Night

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Romantic comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1602 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. 1602, Middle Temple Hall, London, England, UK, act 5, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Twelfth Night." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 5, sc. 1.

How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?

William Shakespeare

Othello

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Topic

Healing Impatience Patience

Speaker

Iago

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Othello

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1604 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Othello. King's Men, 1 Nov. 1604, Palace of Whitehall, Westminster, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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

Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

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Topic

Love as trap Dangers of love Love

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.

My salad days,
When I was green in judgment.

William Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

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Topic

Prime of life Youth

Speaker

Cleopatra

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Antony and Cleopatra

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1607 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. King's Men, c. 1607, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Antony and Cleopatra." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 5.

If music be the food of love, play on.
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.

William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

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Topic

Music Excess Love

Speaker

Duke Orsino

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Twelfth Night

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Romantic comedy (play)

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile Opening lines

Language

English

Time

1602 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. 1602, Middle Temple Hall, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 1.

Current Citation

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

But be not afraid of greatness.
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.

William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

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Topic

Greatness

Speaker

Malvolio

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Twelfth Night

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Romantic comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1602 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. 1602, Middle Temple Hall, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Twelfth Night." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 5.

That's the nature of women... Not to love when we love them, and to love when we love them not.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Nature of women

Speaker

Don Quixote

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Language

Spanish

Time

1605 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha [The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha]. Madrid: Francisco de Robles, 1605.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

Now blessings light on him that first invented this same sleep! It covers a man all over, thoughts and all, like a cloak; "Tis meat for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, heat for the cold, and cold for the hot." Tis the current coin that purchases all the pleasures of the world cheap; and the balance that sets the king and the shepherd, the fool and the wise man even.

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote

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Topic

Sleep

Speaker

Sancho Panza

Author

Miguel de Cervantes

Source

Don Quixote

Medium

Novel

Language

Spanish

Time

1615 1600s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Segunda Parte Del ingenioso caballero don Quixote de la Mancha [The Second Part of Don Quixote de la Mancha]. Spain: Francisco de Robles, 1615.

Current Citation

De Cervantes, Miguel. Don Quixote, translated and edited by John Rutherford. Penguin Classics, 2003.

Time’s the king of men.
He’s both their parent, and he is their grave,
And gives them what he will, not what they crave.

William Shakespeare

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

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Topic

Fate Mortality Passage of time Time The human condition

Speaker

Pericles

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1608 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William and George Wilkins. Pericles, Prince of Tyre. King's Men, c. 1608, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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

How apt the poor are to be proud!

William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will

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Topic

The poor

Speaker

Olivia

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Romantic comedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1602 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. 1602, Middle Temple Hall, London, England, UK, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

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

I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,
Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Wolf in sheep's clothing Looks are deceiving Appearance vs. reality

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 147 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 147, I. 13.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 147.