Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Related Quotes

Thurgood Marshall

Surely the fact that a uniformed police officer is wearing his hair below his collar will make him no less identifiable as a policeman.

History |

Tom Hayden, fully Thomas Emmet "Tom" Hayden

The now legendary Fonda photo shows her with diminutive Vietnamese women examining an antiaircraft weapon, implying in the rightist imagination that she relished the thought of killing those American pilots innocently flying overhead.

History | Rights |

Tom Hayden, fully Thomas Emmet "Tom" Hayden

The politicians of New York have everything that is necessary to make proper decisions and they will have to live with what happens afterwards. The worst scenario is the politicians covering their eyes and turning it over to the FBI.

Justice | Peace |

Tom Robbins, fully Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins

Now tequila may be the favored beverage of outlaws but that doesn't mean it gives them preferential treatment. In fact, tequila probably has betrayed as many outlaws as has the central nervous system and dissatisfied wives. Tequila, scorpion honey, harsh dew of the doglands, essence of Aztec, crema de cacti; tequila, oily and thermal like the sun in solution; tequila, liquid geometry of passion; Tequila, the buzzard god who copulates in midair with the ascending souls of dying virgins; tequila, firebug in the house of good taste; O tequila, savage water of sorcery, what confusion and mischief your sly, rebellious drops do generate!

Age | Body | Children | Resentment | Spirit | Woman |

William Shakespeare

A man may smile, and smile, and be a villain. Hamlet, Act i, Scene 5

Change | Justice | Man | World |

William Shakespeare

Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise, The breath is gone whereof this praise is made. The Life of Timon of Athens (Flavius at II, ii)

Evil |

William Shakespeare

Ah, she doth teach the torches to burn bright, it seems she hangs against the cheek of night like a rich jewel from an Ethiope's ear, beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

Error | Fault | History | Fault |

William Shakespeare

Ah, who is nigh? Come to me, friend or foe, And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick. Why ask I that? My mangled body shows, My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows, That I must yield my body to the earth. And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe. Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge, Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle, Under whose shade the ramping lion slept, Whose top-branch overpeered Jove's spreading tee And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind. Henry VI, Part III, Act v, Scene 2

Evil |

William Shakespeare

A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch, uncapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy. The Merchant of Venice, act iv, Scene 1

History |

William Shakespeare

A tear for pity and a hand open as day for melting charity. Henry IV, Act iv, Scene 4

History | Lord | Love | Nature | Will |

William Shakespeare

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered- we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

Earth |

William Shakespeare

An eye like Mars, to threaten or command.

Evil | Falsehood | Soul |

William Shakespeare

Another lean unwashed artificer cuts off his tale and talks of Arthur's death. The Life and Death of King John (Hubert at IV, ii)

Silence | Will |

William Shakespeare

As the honey of Hybla, my old lad of the castle--and is not a buff jerkin in a most sweet robe of durance? King Henry the Fourth, Part I (Prince Henry at I, ii)

Heaven | Love |

William Shakespeare

As fresh as morning dew distill'd on flowers.

Events | Justice | Life | Life | Man | Mourning | Order |

William Shakespeare

AMIENS: What's that 'ducdame'? JAQUES: 'Tis a Greek invocation, to call fools into a circle.

Desire |

William Shakespeare

As 'tis ever common that men are merriest when they are from home.

Justice |

William Shakespeare

Angels and ministers of grace defend us. Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned, bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, be thy intents wicked, or charitable, thou com'st in such a questionable shape, that I will speak to thee.

Character | History |

William Shakespeare

Blood hath been shed ere now, i' th' olden time, Ere humane stature purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear. The time has been That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end. But now they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools. This is more strange Than such a murder is. Macbeth (Macbeth at III, iv)

Custom | Earth | Pity | Smile |

William Shakespeare

CALIBAN: As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd with raven's feather from unwholesome fen, drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye, and blister you all o'er! PROSPERO: For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps, side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins shall, for that vast of night that they may work, all exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinch'd as thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging than bees that made 'em. The Tempest, Act i, Scene 2