Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity; Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.
 William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (1609). copy citation

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Author William Shakespeare
Source Troilus and Cressida
Topic simplicity truth
Date 1609
Language English
Reference
Note Written between 1600 and 1602
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1790/pg1790-images.html

Context

“PARIS. [Within] Brother Troilus! TROILUS. Good brother, come you hither; And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you. CRESSIDA. My lord, will you be true? TROILUS. Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault! Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity; Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare. Enter AENEAS, PARIS, ANTENOR, DEIPHOBUS, and DIOMEDES
Fear not my truth: the moral of my wit Is 'plain and true'; there's all the reach of it. Welcome, Sir Diomed! Here is the lady Which for Antenor we deliver you; At the port, lord, I'll give her to thy hand, And by the way possess thee what she is.” source