Laudator Temporis Acti

Excerpts from Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet:

1.1.150-156 (Montague, speaking of the secretive Romeo):

But he, his own affections' counsellor,
Is to himself—I will not say how true,
But to himself so secret and so close,
So far from sounding and discovery,
As is the bud bit with an envious worm
Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air
Or dedicate his beauty to the sun.

1.1.234 (Romeo):

O, teach me how I should forget to think!

1.2.62-64 (servingman and Romeo):

Serv. I pray, sir, can you read?
Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
Serv. Perhaps you have learned it without book.

1.4.14-16 (Romeo, to be said when asked to dance):

Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.

2.1.22-23 (Mercutio, part of an oath):

By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,
And the demesnes that there adjacent lie...

2.2.1 (Romeo):

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

2.3.17-20 (Friar Lawrence):

For naught so vile that on the earth doth live
But to the earth some special good doth give;
Nor aught so good but, strain'd from that fair use,
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.

2.3.34-40 (Friar Lawrence to Romeo):

What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
Young son, it argues a distempered head
So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.
Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
And where care lodges sleep will never lie;
But where unbruisèd youth with unstuff'd brain
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.

2.3.101 (Friar Lawrence):

Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast.

2.5.16-17 (Juliet):

But old folks, many feign as they were dead,
Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.

3.1.17-25 (Mercutio to Benvolio):

Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat; and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling.

3.1.207 (Prince):

Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.

3.3.13-15 (Romeo):

Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say "death,"
For exile hath more terror in his look,
Much more than death. Do not say "banishment."

3.3.58 (Friar Lawrence):

...Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy...

3.3.95 (Nurse, chiasmus):

Blubb'ring and weeping, weeping and blubb'ring.

3.5.74-75 (Lady Capulet):

Some grief shows much of love;
But much of grief shows still some want of wit.

4.2.6-7 (servingman):

Marry, sir, 'tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers.

4.5.55-60 (Nurse, suitable to be said on many occasions):

O woe, O woeful, woeful, woeful day!
Most lamentable day, most woeful day
That ever, ever I did yet behold!
O day, O day, O day, O hateful day!
Never was seen so black a day as this!
O woeful day, O woeful day!