WIST Quotations

Shakespeare, William -- Tempest, Act 1, sc. 2, l. 474ff (1.2.474-482) (1611)

Dave — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:56:47 +0000

ARIEL: Full fathom five thy father lies.
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes.
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell.
Ding dong.
Hark, now I hear them — ding dong, bell.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Tempest, Act 1, sc. 2, l. 474ff (1.2.474-482) (1611)
(Source)

Mysterious song from the invisible sprite to Ferdinand.

Ariosto, Ludovico -- Orlando Furioso, Canto 1, st. 50, l. 353 (1532) [tr. Waldman]

Dave — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:50:12 +0000

For when the water is up to your neck you must be truly stubborn not to cry for help.

[Che chi ne l’acqua sta fin’alla gola
Ben’e ostinato se merce non grida.]

Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) Italian poet
Orlando Furioso, Canto 1, st. 50, l. 353 (1532) [tr. Waldman]

Alt. trans.:

"For who, when circling waters round him spread / And menace present death, impores not aid?" [tr. Hoole (1807)]
"For the poor drowning caitiff, who, chin-deep, / Implores not help, is obstinate indeed." [tr. Rose (1831)]
"The drowning man who waits to be exhorted / To cry for help must be a man of pride!" [tr. Reynolds (2006)]

Gaiman, Neil -- Neverwhere, ch. 11 (1996)

Dave — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 12:51:06 +0000

The three of them were walking, with extreme care, along the bank of an underground river. The bank was slippery, a narrow path along dark rock and sharp masonry. Richard watched with respect as the gray water rushed and tumbled, within arm’s reach. This was not the kind of river you fell into and got out of again; it was the other kind.

Neil Gaiman (b. 1960) British author, screenwriter, fabulist
Neverwhere, ch. 11 (1996)
(Source)

Publilius Syrus -- Sententiae [Moral Sayings]

Dave — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:14:17 +0000

Wine has drowned more than the sea.

Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings]

Alt. trans.: "Wine drowns more than the sea." See also Fuller (1723).