William Shakespeare on Tears
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“Eye-offending brine.”
Shakespeare's "King Lear" line, comparing life to a stage of fools, echoes Dryden's translation of Lucretius, highlighting the play's exploration of human folly and suffering.
“When we are born we cry that we are come To this great stage of fools.”
“There she shook The holy water from her heavenly eyes, And clamour moisten'd.”
“The big round tears Coursed one another down his innocent nose In piteous chase.”
“My plenteous joys, Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves In drops of sorrow.”
“With sad unhelpful tears; and with dimm'd eyes Look after him, and cannot do him good.”
“I so lively acted with my tears That my poor mistress, moved therewithal, Wept bitterly.”
“That instant shut My woeful self up in a mourning house, Raining the tears of lamentation.”
“I cannot weep; for all my body's moisture Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart.”
“I had not so much of man in me, And all my mother came into my eyes, And gave me up to tears.”
“If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.”
“Then fresh tears Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honey-dew Upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd.”
“What I should say My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes.”
“Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears, Sham'd their aspect with store of childish drops.”
“If the boy have not a woman's gift To rain a shower of commanded tears, An onion will do well for such a shift.”
“I did not think to shed a tear In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me, Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman.”
“One, whose subdu'd eyes, Albeit unused to the melting mood, Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees Their medicinal gum.”
“No, I'll not weep: I have full cause of weeping; but this heart Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws Or ere I'll weep.”
“Did he break into tears? In great measure. A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces truer than those that are so washed.”
“Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears: if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs.”
“I am about to weep; but, thinking that We are a queen, or long have dream'd so, certain The daughter of a king, my drops of tears I'll turn to sparks of fire.”
“The liquid drops of tears that you have shed Shall come again, transform'd to orient pearl, Advantaging their loan with interest Of ten times double gain of happiness.”