Ay, that I had not done a thousand more. Even now I curse…
““Ay, that I had not done a thousand more. Even now I curse the day—and yet, I think, Few come within the compass of my curse,— Wherein I did not some notorious ill, As kill a man, or else devise his death, Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it, Accuse some innocent and forswear myself, Set deadly enmity between two friends, Make poor men's cattle break their necks; Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night, And bid the owners quench them with their tears. Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves, And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, Even when their sorrows almost were forgot; And on their skins, as on the bark of trees, Have with my knife carved in Roman letters, 'Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.' Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things As willingly as one would kill a fly, And nothing grieves me heartily indeed But that I cannot do ten thousand more.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Even extreme cruelty can become routine; moral decay erodes humanity.
In simple terms: Cruelty becomes habit; lose humanity.
Key Takeaway
Guard against desensitization.
Themes
morality
power
humanity
Mood
tragic
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- personal relationships
- justice systems
Key Concepts
Ethical decay
psychology of cruelty
Questions to Reflect On
- What limits your capacity for cruelty?
- How do you restore empathy?
A Different Perspective
Even the most vicious acts may be rationalized.