The Winter's Tale

• You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely. ~ Camillo (I, i)

• Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance. ~ Archidamus (I, i)

• You put me off with limber vows; but I,
  Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths,
  Should yet say 'Sir, no going.' Verily,
  You shall not go; a lady's verily is
  As potent as a lord's. Will go yet?
  Force me to keep you as a prisoner,
  Not like a guest: so you shall pay your fees
  When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?
  My prisoner or my guest? by your dread verily,
  One of them you shall be. ~ Hermione (I, ii)

• We were, fair queen, Two lads that thought there was no more behind But such a day to-morrow as to-day, And to be boy eternal. ~ Polixenes (I, ii)

• What we chang'd was innocence for innocence; we knew not the doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd that any did. ~ Polixenes (I, ii)

• Of this make no conclusion, lest you say
  Your queen and I are devils: yet, go on;
  The offences we have made you do we'll answer;
  If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us
  You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not
  With any but with us. ~ Hermione (I, ii)

• Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st to better purpose. ~ (Leontes (I, ii)

• What! have I twice said well? when was't before? ~ Hermione (I, ii)

• My last good deed was to entreat his stay;
  What was my first? it has an elder sister,
  Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace!
  But once before I spoke to the purpose—when?
  Nay, let me have't; I long. ~ Hermione (I, ii)

• I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful:
  In every one of these no man is free
  But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
  Among the infinite doings of the world,
  Sometime puts forth. In your affairs, my lord,
  If ever I were wilfull-negligent,
  It was my folly; if industriously
  I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,
  Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
  To do a thing where I the issue doubted,
  Whereof the execution did cry out
  Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
  Which oft infects the wisest. These, my lord,
  Are such allow'd infirmities that honesty
  Is never free of. But, beseech your Grace,
  Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass
  By its own visage; if I then deny it,
  'Tis none of mine. ~ Camillo (I, ii)

• You may as well
  Forbid the sea for to obey the moon
  As or by oath remove or counsel shake
  The fabric of his folly, whose foundation
  Is pil'd upon his faith and will continue
  The standing of his body. ~ Camillo (I, ii)

• I am sure 'tis safer to avoid what's grown than question how 'tis born. ~ Camillo (I, ii)

• This jealousy is for a precious creature; as she's rare must it be great; and, as his person's mighty, must it be violent; and as he does conceive he is dishonour'd by a man which ever profess'd to him, why, his revenges must in that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me. ~ Polixenes (I, ii)

• The silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails. ~ Paulina (II, ii)

• It shall scarce boot me
  To say 'Not guilty': mine integrity
  Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
  Be so receiv'd. But thus,—if powers divine
  Behold our human actions,—as they do,—
  I doubt not, then, but innocence shall make
  False accusation blush, and tyranny
  Tremble at patience. ~ Hermione (III, ii)

• Leontes.: I ne'er heard yet that any of these bolder vices wanted less impudence to gainsay what they did than to perform it first.
  Hermione: That's true enough; though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. ~ Leontes & Hermione (III, ii)

• Tell me what blessings I have here alive, that I should fear to die. Therefore proceed. But yet hear this; mistake me not;—no life,— I prize it not a straw,—but for mine honour (which I would free), if I shall be condemn'd upon surmises—all proofs sleeping else, but what your jealousies awake—I tell you 'tis rigour, and not law.—Your honours all, I do refer me to the oracle: Apollo be my judge! ~ Hermione (III, ii)

• Apollo's angry; and the heavens themselves do strike at my injustice. ~ Leontes (III, ii)

• I,—that please some, try all; both joy and terror
  Of good and bad; that make and unfold error,—
  Now take upon me, in the name of Time,
  To use my wings. Impute it not a crime
  To me or my swift passage, that I slide
  O'er sixteen years, and leave the growth untried
  Of that wide gap, since it is in my power
  To o'erthrow law, and in one self-born hour
  To plant and o'erwhelm custom. ~ Time (IV, i)

• Daffodils that come before the swallow dares, and takes the winds of March with beauty. ~ Perdita (IV, iii)

• I am asham'd: does not the stone rebuke me for being more stone than it? ~ Leontes (V, iii)

• The Winter's Tale at Wikisource
• Shakespeare's Plays at Wikisource