Love’s Labours Lost

Berowne

Why, all delights are vain, but that most vain

Which, with pain purchased, doth inherit pain:

As, painfully to pore upon a book,

To seek the light of truth, while truth the while

Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look.

Light seeking light doth light of light beguile;

So, ere you find where light in darkness lies,

Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes.

Study me how to please the eye indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye,

Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed,

And give him light that it was blinded by.

Act I.i, 72-83

The Comedy of Errors

Luciana

It is a fault that springeth from your eye.

Antipholus S.

For gazing on your beams, fair sun, being by.

Luciana

Gaze where you should, and that will clear your sight.

Antipholus S.

As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night.

Luciana

Why call it love? Call my sister so.

Antipholus S.

Thy sister’s sister.

Luciana

That’s my sister.

Antipholus S.

No;

It is thyself, mine own self’s better part;

Mine eye’s clear eye, my dear heart’s dearer heart;

My food, my fortune, and my sweet hope’s aim;

My sole earth’s heaven, and my heaven’s claim.

Act III.2, ll. 55-64

Richard III

Anne

Out of my sight! Thou dost infect mine eyes.

Richard

Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine.

I.ii., 48-9

Titus Andronicus

Marcus

Come, let us go and make thy father blind,

For such a sight will blind a father’s eye.

One hour’s storm will drown the fragrant meads;

What will whole months of tears thy father’s eyes?

II.4, 52-55

Henry VI, Pt. 3

Warwick

These eyes, that are now dimmed with death’s black veil,

Have been as piercing as the midday sun

To search the secret treasons of the world.

V.2.16-18

King Henry VI, Pt. II

King Henry

And as the butcher takes away the calf,

And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strains

Bearing it to the bloody slaughterhouse,

Even so remorseless have they borne him hence;

And as the dam runs lowing up and down,

Looking the way her harmless one went,

And can do nought but wail her darling’s loss;

Even so myself bewails good Gloucester’s case

With sad unhelpful tears, and with dimmed eyes

Look after him, and cannot do him good,

So mighty are his vowèd enemies.

III.i.210-20

Henry VI, Pt. 1

Countess

Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears,

To give their censure of these rare reports.

II.3, 9-10

*****

Countess

Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,

For in my gallery thy picture hangs;

But now the substance shall endure the like,

And I will chain these legs and arms of thine…

Talbot

I laugh to see your ladyship so fond

To think you have aught but Talbot’s shadow

Whereon to practice your severity.

Countess

Why? Art not thou the man?

Talbot

I am indeed.

Countess

Then have I substance too.

Talbot

No, no, I am but shadow of myself.

You are deceived; my substance is not here.

For what you see is but the smallest part

And least proportion of humanity.

I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here,

It is of such a spacious lofty pitch

Your roof were not sufficient to contain’t.

II.3, 35-38, 44-56

*****

Suffolk

As plays the sun upon the glassy stream,

Twinkling another counterfeited beam,

So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.

V.5, 18-20