QuoteProject
Angels and ministers of grace defend us!_x000D_ _x000D_ Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,_x000D_ _x000D_ Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,_x000D_ _x000D_ Be thy intents wicked, or charitable,_x000D_ _x000D_ Thou com'st in such a questionable shape,_x000D_ _x000D_ That I will speak to thee.
William Shakespeare
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote expresses a desire for divine protection while grappling with the duality of good and evil.

In this quote, the speaker calls upon angels and ministers of grace for protection, acknowledging the ambiguous nature of the spirit they are addressing. Whether the spirit is one of health or a malevolent being, the speaker is open to communication, highlighting the complexity of existence and the interplay between good and evil. This contemplation reflects a philosophical inquiry into the nature of intentions and appearances.

Themes

AngelsSpiritualityGoodEvilCommunicationProtection

In practice

Example use cases

In a public speech about ethics, one might refer to this quote when discussing the need for guidance amidst moral dilemmas.

More from William Shakespeare

As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead

Similar quotes

The first requisite of civilization is that of justice.
Sigmund FreudRead
I got to thinking about the Book of Revelation that was written by a Jewish prophet who was also a follower of Jesus who hated the Roman Empire. I realized that the Book of Revelation could be a way to reflect on the issue of religion's relationship to politics.
Elaine PagelsRead
Without peace, there is little hope for human rights
Martin EnnalsRead
The sacred is in the ordinary...it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbors, friends, and family, in one's own backyard...travel may be a flight from confronting the scared--this lesson can be easily lost. To be looking elsewhere for miracles is to me a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous.
Abraham MaslowRead
In a free society, one does not have to deal with those who are irrational. One is free to avoid them.
Ayn RandRead
No idea is conceived in our mind independent of our five senses [i.e., no idea is divinely inspired].
Albert EinsteinRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.