Act 1 quotes

• 'Their judicious king begins at home' -A
• 'Flattering sycophants'

  'Dissolute and infamous persons'
• 'A prince’s court Is like a common fountain, whence should flow Pure silver drops in general, but if ’t chance Some curs’d example poison ’t near the head, Death and diseases through the whole land spread'
• 'court-gall'

  'would be as lecherous, covertous or proud, bloody or envious as any man if he had means to do so'
• 'Miserable age, where the only reward of doing well is the doing of it' - Bosola

  'I have long served virtue, and ne'er ta'en wages of her' - Antonio
• Bosola argues that the Cardinal could 'possess the greatest devil and make him worse'
• Bosola's likens the brothers to 'plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools' that are 'rich and o'erladen with fruit'
• Delio claims he 'knew this fellow seven years in the galleys for a notorious murder, and 'twas thought the Cardinal suborned it' (Bosola)
• Antonio claims that the Cardinal's 'foul melancholy will poison all his goodness' (meaning Bosola)
• Ferdinand orders the courtiers to 'take fire when I give fire, that is, laugh when I laugh'
• Antonio describes the Cardinal as a 'melancholy churchman' and claims the 'spring in his face is nothing but the engendering of toads'
• Cardinal 'lays worse plots for them than ever was imposed on Hercules'
• Antonio describes Ferdinand's 'most perverse and turbulent nature' and claims that 'if he laugh heartily, it is to laugh all honesty out of fashion'
• 'The law to him is like a foul black cobweb to a spider' Delio about Ferdinand
• Ferdinand 'ne'er pays debts unless they be shrewd turns'
• Antonio's speech for the Duchess has a semantic field of goodness and holiness - repetition 'sweet countenance' & 'so sweet a look'
• 'Her very sleeps are more in heaven than other ladies' shrifts'
• 'Let all sweet ladies break their flattering glasses and dress themselves in her'
• 'Stains the time past, lights the time to come'
• Antonio is 'too honest for such business'
• 'Whose throat must I cut?'
• 'I would not have her marry again' - Ferdinand
• 'I am your creature'
• 'You are a widow. You know already what man is' - F
• 'They that are most luxurious wed twice' - F
• 'Diamonds are of most value ... that have passed through most jewellers hands' - D
• 'Rank pasture'
• 'The marriage night is the entrance into some prison' - C

  'Lustful pleasure' - F

  'Lusty widow' -F
• 'This was my father's poniard ... I'd be loathed to see't look rusty' - F
• 'Shall this move me?'

  'Let old wives report I winked a chose a husband'
• 'I am going into a wilderness where I shall find nor path, nor friendly clew to be my guide' - D
• 'Twas my wedding ring and I did vow never to part with it but to my second husband' - D
• 'You have made me stark blind' -A

  'A saucy and ambitious devil is dancing in this circle' -A
• [Puts ring on finger]

  [He kneels]

  [He rises]
• 'This goodly roof of yours is too low built' - D
• 'Ambition, madam, is a great man's madness' - A
• 'But he's a fool that, being cold, would thrust his hands in the fire to warm them.' -A
• 'The misery of us that are born great'

  'Forced to woo because none dare woo us' -D
• 'Sir, be confident' - D
• 'This is flesh and blood sir. 'Tis not the figure cut in alabaster kneels at my husband's tomb' - D