--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Till swollen with cunning, of a…" description: "\"“Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.”\" — Christopher ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg" --- # Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen… ![“Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.” quote by Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg) > ““Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.”” [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hubris leads to downfall; overconfidence blinds one to limits, causing collapse. **In simple terms:** Pride precedes ruin. Key Takeaway Overreach invites disaster. Themes hubris fallibility pride consequence limitations Mood somber reflective foreboding Type cautionary poetic aphoristic When to use this quote - political ambition - creative projects - personal relationships - business ventures Key Concepts ego overconfidence self-delusion inevitability Practical Applications - cautionary storytelling - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate hubris in a project? - How can humility be cultivated? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conspired Overthrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspired-overthrow-454884/) [Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning/) [Cunning Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning-self-262235/) [Heavens Conspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavens-conspired-454886/) [Swollen Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swollen-cunning-454885/) ## Related quotes > [Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And, melting, Heavens conspir'd his overthrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conceit-his-waxen-wings-did-mount-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [It’s lucky no one else knows what our most secret thoughts are. We’d all be seen for the cunning, self-aggrandizing fools we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/it-s-lucky-no-one-else-knows-what-our-most-secret-thoughts-are-we-d/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“It seemed the heavens themselves conspired to cover up our crime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lloyd/it-seemed-the-heavens-themselves-conspired-to-cover-up-our-crime/) [Jenny Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lloyd/) > [I've never conspired to overthrow the government; all I did was report on the Arab Spring and suggest that something similar might happen in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-ve-never-conspired-to-overthrow-the-government-all-i-did-was-report/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Why do some die and some live? The answer was clearly, that on the whole the best fitted live. From the effects of disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/why-do-some-die-and-some-live-the-answer-was-clearly-that-on-the/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It is a pity that, commonly, more care is had--yea, and that among very wise men--to find out rather a cunning man for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/it-is-a-pity-that-commonly-more-care-is-had-yea-and-that-among-very/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [“When a man possesses the innocence of a child, we call him a fool. When a child possesses the cunning of a man, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/when-a-man-possesses-the-innocence-of-a-child-we-call-him-a-fool-when/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Stratagem is the right hand of cunning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-william-curtis/stratagem-is-the-right-hand-of-cunning/) [George William Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-william-curtis/) > [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [That humanity and sincerity which dispose men to resist injustice and tyranny render them unfit to cope with the cunning and power of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-humanity-and-sincerity-which-dispose-men-to-resist-injustice-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-is-the-final-cunning-of-the-human-soul-which-would-rather-do/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More by Christopher Marlowe > [“O, thou art fairer than the evening air Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars; Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter When he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/o-thou-art-fairer-than-the-evening-air-clad-in-the-beauty-of-a/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [“The mightiest kings have had their minions; Great Alexander loved Hephaestion, The conquering Hercules for Hylas wept; And for Patroclus, stern Achilles drooped. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/the-mightiest-kings-have-had-their-minions-great-alexander-loved/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [Ah fair Zenocrate, divine Zenocrate, Fair is too foul an epithet for thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/ah-fair-zenocrate-divine-zenocrate-fair-is-too-foul-an-epithet-for/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [Accursed be he that first invented war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/accursed-be-he-that-first-invented-war/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [That perfect bliss and sole felicity, the sweet fruition of an earthly crown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/that-perfect-bliss-and-sole-felicity-the-sweet-fruition-of-an-earthly/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [If we say that we have no sin, We deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us. Why then belike we must sin, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/if-we-say-that-we-have-no-sin-we-deceive-ourselves-and-there-s-no/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [O soul, be changed into little waterdrops, / And fall into the ocean, ne'er be found!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/o-soul-be-changed-into-little-waterdrops-and-fall-into-the-ocean-ne/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [Above our life we love a steadfast friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/above-our-life-we-love-a-steadfast-friend/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [“In summers heate and mid-time of the day To rest my limbes upon a bed I lay, One window shut, the other open stood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/in-summers-heate-and-mid-time-of-the-day-to-rest-my-limbes-upon-a-bed/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [“The sight of London to my exiled eyes Is as Elysium to a new-come soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/the-sight-of-london-to-my-exiled-eyes-is-as-elysium-to-a-new-come-soul/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [“Quod Me Nutrit Me Destruit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/quod-me-nutrit-me-destruit/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [What are kings, when regiment is gone, but perfect shadows in a sunshine day?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/what-are-kings-when-regiment-is-gone-but-perfect-shadows-in-a/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [Time doth run with calm and silent foot, Shortening my days and thread of vital life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/time-doth-run-with-calm-and-silent-foot-shortening-my-days-and-thread/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [“Come live with me and be my Love, And we will all the pleasures prove”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/come-live-with-me-and-be-my-love-and-we-will-all-the-pleasures-prove-2/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [Lone women, like to empty houses, perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/lone-women-like-to-empty-houses-perish/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) [Explore all 129 Christopher Marlowe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) ## More Cunning quotes > [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It is a pity that, commonly, more care is had--yea, and that among very wise men--to find out rather a cunning man for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/it-is-a-pity-that-commonly-more-care-is-had-yea-and-that-among-very/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [That humanity and sincerity which dispose men to resist injustice and tyranny render them unfit to cope with the cunning and power of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-humanity-and-sincerity-which-dispose-men-to-resist-injustice-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why do some die and some live? The answer was clearly, that on the whole the best fitted live. From the effects of disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/why-do-some-die-and-some-live-the-answer-was-clearly-that-on-the/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-is-the-final-cunning-of-the-human-soul-which-would-rather-do/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Stratagem is the right hand of cunning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-william-curtis/stratagem-is-the-right-hand-of-cunning/) [George William Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-william-curtis/) > [“When a man possesses the innocence of a child, we call him a fool. When a child possesses the cunning of a man, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/when-a-man-possesses-the-innocence-of-a-child-we-call-him-a-fool-when/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [“Would you like to sit?" Kellen asked her. "You'd better do it soon," Owen whispered close to her ear, "or I'm going to bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-cunning/would-you-like-to-sit-kellen-asked-her-you-d-better-do-it-soon-owen/) [Olivia Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-cunning/) > [I am defined by my will to survive, not by intelligence or cunning or money or good looks. The Creator didn't see her way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaune-quick-to-see-smith/i-am-defined-by-my-will-to-survive-not-by-intelligence-or-cunning-or/) [Jaune Quick–to–See Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaune-quick-to-see-smith/) > [A cunning mind emphatically delights in its own cunning, and is the ready prey of cunning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-brownell-jameson/a-cunning-mind-emphatically-delights-in-its-own-cunning-and-is-the/) [Anna Brownell Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-brownell-jameson/) > [On the television planet, where men make up the tribe, the law of the caveman rules. So, for a woman coming from another world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/on-the-television-planet-where-men-make-up-the-tribe-the-law-of-the/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) [Browse all 535 Cunning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens conspired his overthrow.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Marlowe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conceit-his-waxen-wings-did-mount/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cunning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conceit-his-waxen-wings-did-mount/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/christopher-marlowe-3449_cunning_till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conc_40615.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Till swollen with cunning, of a self-conceit, His waxen wings did mount above his reach, And melting heavens…” — Christopher Marlowe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Marlowe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Till swollen with cunning, of a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conceit-his-waxen-wings-did-mount/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/till-swollen-with-cunning-of-a-self-conceit-his-waxen-wings-did-mount/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```