Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidneywas an English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier, who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poesy, and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 November 1554
mind contentment miserable
The highest point outward things can bring unto, is the contentment of the mind; with which no estate can be poor, without which all estates will be miserable.
judging may clemency
Much more may a judge overweigh himself in cruelty than in clemency.
moon sky faces
With how sad steps, O moon, thou climb'st the skies! How silently, and with how wan a face!
giving soldier battle
As well the soldier dieth who standeth still as he that gives the bravest onset.
perfection wit knows
Our erected wit maketh us to know what perfection is.
bravery quiet
True bravery is quiet, undemonstrative.
heart yellow done
In forming a judgment, lay your hearts void of foretaken opinions; else, whatsoever is done or said, will be measured by a wrong rule; like them who have jaundice, to whom everything appears yellow.
wife desire firsts
Who doth desire that chaste his wife should be, first be he true, for truth doth truth deserve.
blow rumor substance
How violently do rumors blow the sails of popular judgments! How few there be that can discern between truth and truth-likeness, between shows and substance!
passion bent
He whom passion rules, is bent to meet his death.
mind needs body
There needs not strength to be added to inviolate chastity; the excellency of the mind makes the body impregnable.
madness said
Anger, the Stoics said, was a short madness.
courage firsts mark
The first mark of valor is defence.
greatness quality goodness
For as much as to understand and to be mighty are great qualities, the higher that they be, they are so much the less to be esteemed if goodness also abound not in the possessor.