"The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief". Othello (Act I, Scene III). The Duke is saying this to Brabantio, meaning that if you can’t change something, don’t cry about it. When you lament something bad that’s already happened, you’re setting yourself up for more problems. Brabantio replies that even if the Turks steal Cyprus from them it won’t be bad as long as they keep smiling. It’s easy to accept that if you haven’t lost anything.