Shakespeare and me...

My new room-mate is a classicist. She loves classics of all sorts, whether it be movies, books or plays. So obviously she is a big time fan of William Shakespeare. And hence we have movie based on his plays as "A midsummer nights dream" and "Much ado about nothing".

As far as I am concerned, I do like Shakespeare. I have read quite a lot of his work in school but until now all those 'thou', 'thee', 'hast' had been a little difficult to get over. But watching those movies and later a play (again 'A midsummer nights dream' by Stanford Shakespeare group), I have actually started getting over all those little hung ups. I am now thinking of borrowing few Shakespeare classics for the summer and read them. I think it will be an interesting summer for me!

Anyway, I was searching for a friend's quote when I found this nice little poem attributed to Shakespeare:

Every one that flatters thee
Is no friend in misery.
Words are easy, like the wind;
Faithful friends are hard to find:
Every man will be thy friend
Whilst thou hast wherewith to spend;
But if store of crowns be scant,
No man will supply thy want.
If that one be prodigal,
Bountiful they will him call,
And with such-like flattering,
'Pity but he were a king;'
If he be addict to vice,
Quickly him they will entice;
If to women he be bent,
They have at commandement:
But if Fortune once do frown,
Then farewell his great renown
They that fawn'd on him before
Use his company no more.
He that is thy friend indeed,
He will help thee in thy need:
If thou sorrow, he will weep;
If thou wake, he cannot sleep;
Thus of every grief in heart
He with thee doth bear a part.
These are certain signs to know
Faithful friend from flattering foe.