Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be ere one can say it lightens

Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be ere one can say it lightens

The quote "Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be ere one can say it lightens" is from William Shakespeare's play "Troilus and Cressida." In this context, the quote is spoken by the character Troilus as he reflects on the fleeting nature of love and happiness.

The comparison to lightning is a powerful metaphor for the transitory nature of love and joy. Just as lightning flashes across the sky and disappears in an instant, so too can love and happiness be fleeting and ephemeral. Troilus is expressing his realization that the moments of joy and love in life are often brief and fleeting, disappearing before one can fully grasp or appreciate them.

This sentiment is a common theme in Shakespeare's works, as he often explores the impermanence of human emotions and experiences. In many of his plays, characters grapple with the fleeting nature of love, happiness, and success, and the inevitability of change and loss.