A woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not.
 William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra (1623). copy citation

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Author William Shakespeare
Source Antony and Cleopatra
Topic woman devil
Date 1623
Language English
Reference
Note Written between 1603 and 1607
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1534/pg1534-images.html

Context


CLEOPATRA. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded. Clown. Very good. Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding.
CLEOPATRA. Will it eat me? Clown. You must not think I am so simple but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women, for in every ten that they make the devils mar five.
CLEOPATRA. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forsooth. I wish you joy o' the worm.” source

Meaning and analysis

Kwize Master While a farmer brings Cleopatra a fig basket containing the instrument of her suicide (a snake), he explains that women are made for the gods except those who are corrupted by demons.
useful useless
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