Much Ado About Nothing

Write the meaning: (Act 5) For, brother, men can counsel and speak comfort to that grief which they themselves not feel, but tasting it, their counsel turns to passion, which before would give preceptial med’cine to rage, fetter strong madness in a sil

Write the meaning: (Act 5)

For, brother, men can counsel and speak comfort to that grief which they themselves not feel, but tasting it, their counsel turns to passion, which before would give preceptial med’cine to rage, fetter strong madness in a silken thread, charm ache with air and agony with words. No, no ‘tis all men’s office to speak patience to those that wring under the load of sorrow, but no man’s virtue nor sufficiency to be so moral when he shall endure the like himself. Therefore, give me no counsel. My griefs cry louder than advertisement. (scene 1, lines 22-34)

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Leonato is trying to convey that you cannot comfort someone unless you've actually experienced the same kind of pain. He's trying to make Antonio understand that words are meaningless, and that you cannot ease someone's grief with words alone because you can never understand the emotions behind its cause.