To gild refinèd gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

William Shakespeare

King John

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More information about this quote

Topic

Gilding the lily Lilies Flowers Gold

Speaker

Salisbury

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

King John

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Occupation

Playwright Poet Writer

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Life and Death of King John." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 4, sc. 2.

Current Citation

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

Illustrated Quote

A quote by William Shakespeare about gilding the lily: “To gild refinèd gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful…”
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A quote by William Shakespeare about gilding the lily: “To gild refinèd gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful…”
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A quote by William Shakespeare about gilding the lily: “To gild refinèd gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful…”
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Another quote from European Renaissance

In the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

Erasmus

More information about this quote
Topic
Relativism

Author

Erasmus
Source
Adagia
Statement Type
Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
Latin
Time
1536 1530s 16th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Erasmus. Collectanea Adagiorum. Paris: Enguilbert de Marnef, 1500.

Current Citation

Erasmus. The Adages of Erasmus, edited by William Barker, translated by Margaret Mann Phillips. University of Toronto Press, 2001.

Another quote of the following type Metaphor, analogy and simile

Other people's words are the bridge you use to cross from where you were to wherever you're going.

Zadie Smith

More information about this quote
Topic
Power of words Language

Author

Zadie Smith
Source
That Crafty Feeling Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays
Medium
Essay
Statement Type
Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
English
Time
2010 2010s 21st century
Authentication Score 2
Citation

Smith, Zadie. "That Crafty Feeling." 24 Mar. 2008, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA. Lecture.