William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (c. 1602), Act IV, scene 5, line 166.
“
What's past and what's to come is strew'd with husks And formless ruin of oblivion.
— William Shakespeare on Oblivion
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "What's past and what's to come is strew'd with husks And formless ruin of oblivion." in the context of "William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (c. 1602), Act IV, scene 5, line 166." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Oblivion" (Quotes, Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 564-65.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
View all quotes →