An ague in the spring, Is physic for a king.
An ague in the spring, Is physic for a king.
Meaning in plain English
The rhyme presents a spring ague as medicine fit for a king. It gives a feverish illness a surprising positive value rather than simply treating it as misfortune.
Example
A reader notices that the rhyme praises an illness without using its praise to assess an actual person’s condition.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Ague is read through its older fever-and-shivering sense, while physic supplies the medicinal comparison. The seasonal claim itself is not established by those definitions. A responsible interpretation identifies the reversal without suggesting that illness is desirable or beneficial. The royal image intensifies the praise but does not supply evidence for it.
When to use it
Use it to examine a positive seasonal illness claim in historical lore.
Keep in mind
The saying does not verify a benefit of illness or provide treatment guidance.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 18 · Ague
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗