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
There is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murder in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the corrupting influence of money and greed on humanity.
In this line from Shakespeare, the author contrasts the perceived value of gold and wealth with the moral decay they can cause in individuals. It suggests that the pursuit of wealth can lead to more harm than any physical poison, as it corrupts souls and leads to destructive behavior, making us question the true cost of our desires and ambitions.
Themes
GoldGreedMoneyCorruptionHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on ethics in business, one could use this quote to illustrate the dangers of prioritizing profit over moral values.
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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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