--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a…" description: "\"“And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy; for he perforce must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-shakespeare-4_kate_and-while-thou-livest-dear-kate-take-a-f_1871516.jpg" --- # And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain… ![“And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy; for he perforce must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to woo in other places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhyme themselves into ladies' favours, they do always reason themselves out…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-shakespeare-4_kate_and-while-thou-livest-dear-kate-take-a-f_1871516.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-shakespeare-4_kate_and-while-thou-livest-dear-kate-take-a-f_1871516.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-shakespeare-4_kate_and-while-thou-livest-dear-kate-take-a-f_1871516.jpg) > ““And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy; for he perforce must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to woo in other places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhyme themselves into ladies' favours, they do always reason themselves out again. What! a speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the moon; or, rather, the sun, and not the moon; for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take me; and take me, take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king. And what sayest thou then to my love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee”” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker praises steadfast, honest love over flashy, fickle courtship, arguing true constancy is like the unchanging sun. **In simple terms:** Honest love beats clever but shallow romance. Key Takeaway Value sincere, steady affection. Themes love honesty constancy Mood hopeful thoughtful Type literary romantic When to use this quote - marriage counseling - friendship advice - literary analysis - personal relationships Key Concepts true love courtship character contrast Questions to Reflect On - Can constancy exist without stagnation? - How do you define “true” love today? A Different Perspective Romantic ideals may clash with modern views on gender roles and equality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-heart/) [Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kate/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Rhyme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhyme/) [Rhyme Ballad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhyme-ballad-2585006/) [Sayest Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sayest-thou-2585007/) [Sun And The Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-and-the-moon/) [Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou/) [Thou Livest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-livest-363356/) ## Related quotes > [“Marry, if you would put me to verses or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me: for the one, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/marry-if-you-would-put-me-to-verses-or-to-dance-for-your-sake-kate/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A good heart is the sun and the moon; or, rather, the sun and not the moon, for it shines bright and never changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-good-heart-is-the-sun-and-the-moon-or-rather-the-sun-and-not-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn white; a curl'd pate will grow bald; a fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-good-leg-will-fall-a-straight-back-will-stoop-a-black-beard-will-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [While thou livest keep a good tongue in thy head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/while-thou-livest-keep-a-good-tongue-in-thy-head/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ Thou oughtest to know, since thou livest near the gods. \[Lat., Scire, deos quoniam propius contingis, oportet.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/thou-oughtest-to-know-since-thou-livest-near-the-gods-lat-scire-deos/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live; death is nigh at hand: while thou livest, while thou hast time, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/be-not-as-one-that-hath-ten-thousand-years-to-live-death-is-nigh-at/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I feel my immortality over sweep all pains, all tears, all time, all fears, - and peal, like the eternal thunders of the deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/i-feel-my-immortality-over-sweep-all-pains-all-tears-all-time-all/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [Be useful where thou livest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/be-useful-where-thou-livest/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies! But thou art not dead:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epimenides-cretica/they-fashioned-a-tomb-for-thee-o-holy-and-high-one-the-cretans-always/) [Epimenides Cretica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epimenides-cretica/) > [“O, believe, as thou livest, that every sound that is spoken over the round world, which thou oughtest to hear, will vibrate on thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/o-believe-as-thou-livest-that-every-sound-that-is-spoken-over-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou livest, Live well; how long, or short, permit to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/nor-love-thy-life-nor-hate-but-what-thou-livest-live-well-how-long-or/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayest-be-good/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-there-s-a-wench-come-on-and-kiss-me-kate/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Swear me, Kate, like a lady as thou art, A good mouth-filling oath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/swear-me-kate-like-a-lady-as-thou-art-a-good-mouth-filling-oath/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Away, you trifler! Love! I love thee not, I care not for thee, Kate: this is no world To play with mammets and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/away-you-trifler-love-i-love-thee-not-i-care-not-for-thee-kate-this/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Good heart quotes > [I've always believed that humans are good at heart. But there's always the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carlson/i-ve-always-believed-that-humans-are-good-at-heart-but-there-s-always/) [Amy Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carlson/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/despite-everything-i-believe-people-are-really-good-at-heart/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I'm a good man with a good heart had a tough time, got a rough start But I finally learned to let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-a-good-man-with-a-good-heart-had-a-tough-time-got-a-rough-start/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [“Though I could agree with him that Miss Gamache had a good heart, I couldn't read her book without wanting to plunge an ice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-keenan/though-i-could-agree-with-him-that-miss-gamache-had-a-good-heart-i/) [Joe Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-keenan/) > [A good heart is better than all the heads in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-heart-is-better-than-all-the-heads-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Good Hearts always easily get broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/the-good-hearts-always-easily-get-broken/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [My belief is that the various religious traditions have great potential to increase compassion, the sense of caring for one another, and the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/my-belief-is-that-the-various-religious-traditions-have-great/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In life, if you are intelligent then you will be admired but if you are prominent then you are envied meanwhile if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeka/in-life-if-you-are-intelligent-then-you-will-be-admired-but-if-you/) [Jeka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeka/) > [Make your heart like a lake, with calm, still surface, and great depths of kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/make-your-heart-like-a-lake-with-calm-still-surface-and-great-depths/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In my life, I'm just looking for that life of integrity that my father had. I have a good heart; I'm not a heartbreaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnathon-schaech/in-my-life-i-m-just-looking-for-that-life-of-integrity-that-my-father/) [Johnathon Schaech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnathon-schaech/) > [“The old woman took the umbrella, gratefully, and smiled her thanks. “You’ve a good heart,” she told him. “Sometimes that’s enough to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-old-woman-took-the-umbrella-gratefully-and-smiled-her-thanks-you/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Borrachinha' boxes better Vettori. Vettori throws good strikes, he's fast, has rhythm, good heart and good submissions, he fights well in all areas, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rodrigo-nogueira/borrachinha-boxes-better-vettori-vettori-throws-good-strikes-he-s/) [Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rodrigo-nogueira/) > [“There's no happy ever after. 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What! a speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the moon; or, rather, the sun, and not the moon; for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take me; and take me, take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king. 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