Thomas More Quotes

For as love is oftentimes won with beauty, so it is not kept, preserved, and continued, but by virtue and obedience.

It layeth not in my power but that they devour me. But...they shall not deflower me.

The leaving him thus did not a little gratify one that was more fond of travelling than of returning home to be buried in his own country; for he used often to say, that the way to heaven was the same from all places, and he that had no grave had the heavens still over him.

Some men may be snared by beauty alone, but none can be held except by virtue and compliance.

Why shouldst thou not take even as much pleasure in beholding a counterfeit stone, which thine eye cannot discern from a right stone?

I do no­body harm, I say none harm, I think none harm, but wish everybody good. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith, I long not to live.

The most part of all princes have more delight in warlike manners and feats of chivalry than in the good feats of peace.

Those among them that have not received our religion do not fright any from it, and use none ill that goes over to it, so that all the while I was there one man was only punished on this occasion. He being newly baptised did, notwithstanding all that we could say to the contrary, dispute publicly concerning the Christian religion, with more zeal than discretion, and with so much heat, that he not only preferred our worship to theirs, but condemned all their rites as profane, and cried out against all that adhered to them as impious and sacrilegious persons, that were to be damned to everlasting burnings. Upon his having frequently preached in this manner he was seized, and after trial he was condemned to banishment, not for having disparaged their religion, but for his inflaming the people to sedition; for this is one of their most ancient laws, that no man ought to be punished for his religion.

Quam ob rem pulcherrima similitudine declarat Plato, cur merito sapientes abstineant a capessenda quippe republica. Cum populum videant in plateas effusum assiduis imbribus perfundi, nec persuadere queant illis, ut se subducant pluviae, tectaque subeant. Gnari nihil profuturos sese si exeant, quam ut una compluantur, semet intra tecta continent habentes satis, quando alienae stultitiae non possunt mederi, si ipsi saltem sint in tuto.

No debes extrañarle de ello -me atreví a contestarle delante del Cardenal-: semejante castigo infligido a los ladrones ni es justo ni útil. Es desproporcionadamente cruel como castigo de los robos e ineficaz como remedio. Un robo no es un crimen merecedor de la pena capital. Ni hay castigo tan horrible que prive de robar a quien tiene que comer y vestirse y no halla otro medio de conseguir su sustento.

The folly of men has enhanced the value of gold and silver because of their scarcity; whereas, on the contrary, it is their opinion that Nature, as an indulgent parent, has freely given us all the best things in great abundance, such as water and earth, but has laid up and hid from us the things that are vain and useless.

Natural, as they define it, is synonymous with virtuous.

One of the greatest problems of our time is that many are schooled but few are educated.

A good tale evil told were better untold, and an evil take well told need none other solicitor.

No, do the best you can to make the present production a success - don't spoil the entire play just because you happen to think of another one that you'd enjoy rather more.