Robert Greene (dramatist)

"Amends may never come too late."

"My God commands, whose power no power resists."

"He kept no Christmas-house for once a year; Each day his boards were fill'd with lordly fare: He fed a rout of yeomen with his cheer, Nor was his bread and beef kept in with care: His wine and beer to strangers were not spare; And yet beside to all that hunger griev'd His gates were ope, and they were there reliev'd."

"For as one star another far exceeds, So souls in heaven are placèd by their deeds."

"Fie upon such as say, "Young saints, old devils"! It is no doubt a devilish and damnable saying; for what is not bent in the cradle, will hardly be bowed in the saddle."

"At last he hath leaped at a daisy, with a halter about his neck."

"On women Nature did bestow two eyes, Like heaven's bright lamps, in matchless beauty shining, Whose beams do soonest captivate the wise, And wary heads, made rare by art's refining"

"Marry, because you have drank with the King, And the King hath so graciously pledg'd you, You shall no more be call'd shoemakers, But you and yours, to the world's end, Shall be call'd the Trade of the Gentle Craft."

"O sir! I love the fruit that treason brings, But those that are the traitors, them I hate."

"Love is a lock that linketh noble minds, Faith is the key that shuts the spring of love."

"Her stature like the tall straight cedar-trees Whose stately bulks do fame th' Arabian groves; A pace like princely Juno when she brav'd The Queen of Love 'fore Paris in the vale; A front beset with love and courtesy; A face like modest Pallas when she blush'd A seely shepherd should be beauty's judge; A lip sweet ruby-red, grac'd with delight; A cheek wherein for interchange of hue A wrangling strife 'twixt lily and the rose; Her eyes two twinckling stars in winter-nights When chilling frost doth clear the azur'd sky; Her hair of golden hue doth dim the beams That proud Apollo giveth from his coach. ... A foot like Thetis when she tripp'd the sands To steal Neptunus' favour with her steps; In fine, a piece, despite of beauty, fram'd To show what Nature's lineage could afford."

"Two moving hills Which, topp'd with pretty teats, discover down a vale Wherein the God of Love may deign to sleep."

"Fair is my love, for April in her face, Her lovely breasts September claims his part, And lordly July in her eyes takes place But cold December dwelleth in her heart."

"He look'd, he sigh'd, he courted with a kiss, No better could the silly swad than this."

"Men when they lust can many fancies feign."

"Oft times many things fall out between the cup and the lip."

"Though men determine, the gods too dispose."

"Ah Franion, treason is loved of many, but the traitor hated of all: unjust offences may for a time escape without danger, but never without revenge."

"And yet Dorastus shame not at thy shepherd's weed: the heavenly gods have sometimes earthly thoughts: Neptune became a ram, Jupiter a bull, Apollo a shepherd: they gods, and yet in love; and thou a man appointed to love."

"Ah, were she pitiful as she is fair, Or but as mild as she is seeming so, Then were my hopes greater than my despair, Then all the world were heaven, nothing woe."

"Sovereign of beauty, like the spray she grows; Compass'd she is with thorns and canker'd bower. Yet, were she willing to be pluck'd and worn, She would be gather'd, though she grew on thorn."

"O glorious sun, imagine me the west, Shine in my arms, and set thou in my breast!"

"Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee; When thou art old there’s grief enough for thee. Mother's wag, pretty boy. Father's sorrow, father's joy; When thy father first did see Such a boy by him and me, He was glad, I was woe; Fortune changed made him so, When he left his pretty boy, Last his sorrow, first his joy."

"The wanton smil'd, father wept, Mother cried, baby lept; More he crow'd, more we cried, Nature could not sorrow hide: He must go, he must kiss Child and mother, baby bless, For he left his pretty boy, Father's sorrow, father's joy."

"Like to Diana in her summer-weed, Girt with a crimson robe of brightest dye, Goes fair Samela; Whiter than be the flocks that straggling feed When wash'd by Arethusa Fount they lie, Is fair Samela."

"As fair Aurora in her morning-grey, Deck'd with the ruddy glister of her love, Is fair Samela. Like lovely Thetis on a calmed day, Whenas her brightness Neptune's fancy move, Shines fair Samela."

"Thus fair Samela Passeth fair Venus in her bravest hue, And Juno in the show of majesty, For she's Samela; Pallas in wit, all three, if you well view. For beauty, wit, and matchless dignity, Yield to Samela."

"How oft have I descending Titan seen His burning locks couch in the sea-queen's lap, And beauteous Thetis his red body wrap In watery robes, as he her lord had been!"

"Not Jove or Nature, should they both agree To make a woman of the firmament, Of his mix'd purity could not invent A sky-born form so beautiful as she."

"Her locks are plighted like the fleece of wool That Jason with his Grecian mates achiev'd; As pure as gold, yet not from gold deriv'd; As full of sweets as sweet of sweets is full."

"Her cheeks like ripen'd lilies steep'd in wine, Or fair pomegranate-kernels wash'd in milk, Or snow-white threads in nets of crimson silk, Or gorgeous clouds upon the sun's decline."

"Her lips are roses over-wash'd with dew, Or like the purple of Narcissus' flower; No frost their fair, no wind doth waste their power, But by her breath her beauties do renew."

"Her paps are like fair apples in the prime, As round as orient pearls, as soft as down; They never vail their fair through winter's frown, But from their sweets Love sucks his summertime."

"Her body Beauty's best-esteemèd bower, Delicious, comely, dainty, without stain."

"Her maiden mount, the dwelling-house of Pleasure; Not like, for why no like surpasseth wonder: O, blest is he may bring such beauties under, Or search by suit the secrets of that treasure!"

"When gods had fram'd the sweet of women's face, And lock'd men's looks within their golden hair, That Phœbus blush'd to see their matchless grace, And heavenly gods on earth did make repair; To 'quip fair Venus' overweening pride, Love's happy thoughts to jealousy were tied. Then grew a wrinkle on fair Venus' brow; The amber sweet of love is turn'd to gall; Gloomy was heaven; bright Phœbus did avow He could be coy, and would not love at all, Swearing, no greater mischief could be wrought Than love united to a jealous thought."

"The swain did woo; she was nice, Following fashion, nay'd him twice."

"A penny for your thought!"

"Hangs in th' uncertain balance of proud time."

"The more the fox is curst, the better he fares."

"Time is...Time was...Time is past."

"Ah! what is love? It is a pretty thing, As sweet unto a shepherd as a king; And sweeter too, For kings have cares that wait upon a crown, And cares can make the sweetest love to frown; Ah then, ah then, If country loves such sweet desires do gain, What lady would not love a shepherd swain?"

"For kings have often fears when they do sup, Where shepherds dread no poison in their cup."

"Sweet Adon, dar'st not glance thine eye— N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?— Upon thy Venus that must die? Je vous en prie, pity me; N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel, N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?"

"And in a sable mantle of disgrace Sat he that is y-clepèd heaven's bright eye."

"In vain it is to strive against the stream."

"A noble mind disdains to hide his head, And let his foes triumph in his overthrow."

"He that will not when he may, When he desires shall surely purchase nay."

"Sweet are the thoughts that savour of content; The quiet mind is richer than a crown; Sweet are the nights in careless slumber spent; The poor estate scorns fortune's angry frown: Such sweet content, such minds, such sleep, such bliss, Beggars enjoy, when princes oft do miss."

"Obscurèd life sets down a type of bliss: A mind content both crown and kingdom is."