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
To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that showcasing our abilities may lead to our downfall.
In this quote, William Shakespeare implies that when individuals or societies focus too much on demonstrating their talents or skills, they may inadvertently set the stage for their own decline. It speaks to the dangers of pride and the idea that overexposure of one's capabilities could provoke challenges or consequences that ultimately lead to failure or downfall. This serves as a cautionary reminder to balance confidence with humility and awareness of the potential repercussions of one's actions.
Themes
SkillPrideDownfallHumilityConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about the risks of overconfidence.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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