William Shakespeare on Conscience
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“They are our outward consciences.”
“The play's the thing, Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.”
“Soft, I did but dream. O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!”
“Now, if you can blush and cry, "guilty," cardinal, You'll show a little honesty.”
“'Tis a blushing shamefast spirit that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one full of obstacles.”
“I know myself now; and I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities; A still and quiet conscience.”
“My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain.”
“Better be with the dead, Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstacy.”
“Conscience is but a word that cowards use, Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe; Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.”
“The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul! Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st, And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends!”
“I know thou art religious, And hast a thing within thee called conscience, With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies, Which I have seen thee careful to observe.”
“Well, my conscience says, "Launcelot, budge not." "Budge," says the fiend: "budge not," says my conscience. "Conscience," say I, "you counsel well." "Fiend," say I, "you counsel well."”
“I hate the murderer, love him murdered. The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labour, But neither my good word nor princely favour: With Cain go wander through shades of night, And never show thy head by day nor light.”
“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought. And enterprises of great pith and moment, With this regard, their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.”