But thoughts the slave of life, and life, Time's fool,And Time, that takes survey of all the world,Must have a stop.
In Shakespeare's "King Henry IV, Part 1," the quote reflects on the transient nature of life and time. It suggests that while our thoughts might be bound by the experiences of life, time plays a dominant role, ultimately leading everything to an inevitable conclusion. Life is portrayed as a fleeting event, with time acting as a relentless overseer of life's journey.
This phrase emphasizes the inevitability of mortality and the limitations of human existence. Despite our attempts to navigate and understand life, we are all subject to the constraints of time. Shakespeare's work poignantly captures the essence of human experience and the understanding that all things, including our thoughts and life's pursuits, must eventually come to an end.