The king is but a man, as I am; the violet smells to him as it doth to me; the element shows to him as it doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions; his ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man; and though his affections are higher mounted than ours, yet when they stoop, they stoop with the like wing.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Vulgarity in a king flatters the majority of the nation.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
I’d like to be queen of people’s hearts.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
Kings, in this chiefly, should imitate God; their mercy should be above all their works.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Philosopher, Political Leader
It is easy to govern a kingdom but difficult to rule one’s family.
—Chinese Proverb
What are kings, when regiment is gone, but perfect shadows in a sunshine day?
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–93) English Playwright, Poet, Translator
Kings fight for empires, madmen for applause.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Hunger is felt by slave and king alike.
—African Proverb
The example of a vicious prince will corrupt an age, but that of a good one will not reform it.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Aspect are within us, and who seems most kingly is king.
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) English Novelist, Poet
A king’s castle is his home.
—Common Proverb
Loyalty consists not in vain pomp, but in great virtues.
—Agesilaus (c.444–360 BCE) Spartan King, Commander
Happy the kings whose thrones are founded on their people’s hearts.
—John M. Ford (1957–2006) American Novelist, Writer, Poet
Steal goods and you’ll go to prison, steal lands and you are a king.
—Japanese Proverb
The metaphor of the king as the shepherd of his people goes back to ancient Egypt. Perhaps the use of this particular convention is due to the fact that, being stupid, affectionate, gregarious, and easily stampeded, the societies formed by sheep are most like human ones.
—Northrop Frye
The silence of the people is a warning for the king.
—French Proverb
Royalty is a government in which the attention of the nation is concentrated on one person doing interesting actions.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
The foremost art of kings is the ability to endure hatred.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Even the king does not dine twice.
—French Proverb
If you shoot at a king you must kill him.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The thief that is not caught is a king.
—Indian Proverb
Princes give me sufficiently if they take nothing from me, and do me much good if they do me no hurt; it is all I require of them.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Better to be a free bird than a captive king.
—Danish Proverb
They say that kings are made in the image of God. If that is what he looks like, I feel sorry for God.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) King of Prussia, Military Strategist
In sovereignty it is a most happy thing not to be compelled, but so it is a most miserable thing not to be counselled.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
The Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy such as ours, three rights—the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. And a king of great sense and sagacity would want no others.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
It is hard for an ex-king to become a night watchman.
—Indian Proverb
Kings have no friends.
—African Proverb
Divine right of kings means the divine right of anyone who can get uppermost.
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) English Polymath, Philosopher, Political/Social Theorist
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