Richard III Quotes

“A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!”

“Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York.”

“Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling Struck me — that thought to stay him— overboard Into the tumbling billows of the main.”

“Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv’st, And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends. No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine, Unless it be while some tormenting dream Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils. Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog, Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity The slave of nature and the son of hell. Thou slander of thy heavy mother’s womb. Thou loathed issue of thy father’s loins. Thou rag of honour, thou detested—”

“O, cursed be the hand that made these holes; Cursed the heart that had the heart to do it; Cursed the blood that let this blood from hence.”

“The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight. Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by. Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I. Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am. Then fly! What, from myself? Great reason. Why: Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself? Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good That I myself have done unto myself? O no, alas, I rather hate myself For hateful deeds committed by myself. I am a villain.”

“Was ever woman in this humour wooed? Was ever woman in this humour won?”

“My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain.”

“Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end.”

“Ay me! I see the ruin of my house. The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind.”

“To fly the boar before the boar pursues Were to incense the boar to follow us.”

“We will unite the white rose and the red; Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, That long have frowned upon their enmity.”

“I do not like the Tower, of any place.”

“So wise so young, they say, do never live long.”

“The tyrannous and bloody act is done, The most arch deed of piteous massacre That ever yet this land was guilty of.”

“O, would to God that the inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow Were red-hot steel to sear me to the brains!”

“An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.”

“Thou cam’st on earth to make the earth my hell.”

“And therefore, — since I cannot prove a lover, To entertain these fair well-spoken days, — I am determined to prove a villain, And hate the idle pleasures of these days.”

“Since every Jack became a gentleman There’s many a gentle person made a Jack.”