--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never was monarch better feared and loved…" description: "\"Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your Majesty.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg" --- # Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your… ![“Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your Majesty.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg) > “Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your Majesty.” [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. A ruler is most effective when both feared and loved; balance of respect and affection secures loyalty. **In simple terms:** Best leaders are feared and loved. Key Takeaway Cultivate respect and affection. Themes leadership power human nature Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political leadership - team management - parenting - public speaking Key Concepts political theory emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you earn love without losing authority? - When is fear necessary for safety? A Different Perspective Fear can breed resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feared Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feared-loved-272304/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Loved Majesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-majesty-3930429/) [Majesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majesty/) [Monarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monarch/) [Monarch Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monarch-better-3930430/) ## Related quotes > [But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass; I, that am rudely stamped, and want love's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-i-that-am-not-shaped-for-sportive-tricks-nor-made-to-court-an-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [He that plays the king shall be welcome- his Majesty shall have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/he-that-plays-the-king-shall-be-welcome-his-majesty-shall-have/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [My liege, and madam, to expostulate What majesty should be, what duty is, Why day is day, night night, and time is time, Were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-liege-and-madam-to-expostulate-what-majesty-should-be-what-duty-is/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [So doth the greater glory dim the less: A substitute shines brightly as a king Until a king be by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/so-doth-the-greater-glory-dim-the-less-a-substitute-shines-brightly/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ay; beauty's princely majesty is such, Confounds the tongue and makes the senses rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ay-beauty-s-princely-majesty-is-such-confounds-the-tongue-and-makes/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-royal-throne-of-kings-this-sceptered-isle-this-earth-of-majesty/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-quality-of-mercy-is-not-strain-d-it-droppeth-as-the-gentle-rain/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [King Henry: But what a point, my lord, your falcon made, And what a pitch she flew above the rest! To see how God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/king-henry-but-what-a-point-my-lord-your-falcon-made-and-what-a-pitch/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass; I, that am rudely stamped, and want love's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-i-that-am-not-shaped-for-sportive-tricks-nor-made-to-court-an/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-Paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-royal-throne-of-kings-this-scepter-d-isle-this-earth-of-majesty-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-much-safer-for-the-prince-to-be-feared-than-loved-but-he-ought/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/would-i-rather-be-feared-or-loved-easy-both-i-want-people-to-be/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [“From this arises an argument: whether it is better to be loved than feared. I reply that one should like to be both one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/from-this-arises-an-argument-whether-it-is-better-to-be-loved-than/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The reply is, that one ought to be both feared and loved, but as it is difficult for the two to go together, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-reply-is-that-one-ought-to-be-both-feared-and-loved-but-as-it-is/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Machiavelli taught me it was better to be feared than loved. Because if you are loved they sense you might be weak. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/machiavelli-taught-me-it-was-better-to-be-feared-than-loved-because/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) ## 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 Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your Majesty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-loved-than-is-your-majesty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-loved-than-is-your-majesty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/william-shakespeare-4_friendship_never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-love_2871324.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never was monarch better feared and loved Than is your Majesty.” — William Shakespeare", "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": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never was monarch better feared and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-loved-than-is-your-majesty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/never-was-monarch-better-feared-and-loved-than-is-your-majesty/#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 } } ] } ```