diff --git a/beamercolorthemeaptero.sty b/beamercolorthemeaptero.sty
index 8e901d8..776e0db 100644
--- a/beamercolorthemeaptero.sty
+++ b/beamercolorthemeaptero.sty
@@ -82,10 +82,18 @@
 \setbeamercolor{message item symbol}{fg=red}
 
 \setbeamercolor{verse}{fg=, bg=black!15}
+\setbeamercolor{verse line top}{fg=green}
+\setbeamercolor{verse line bottom}{fg=green}
+
 \setbeamercolor{quote}{fg=, bg=black!15}
 \setbeamercolor{quote symbol}{fg=red}
+\setbeamercolor{quote line top}{fg=red}
+\setbeamercolor{quote line bottom}{fg=red}
+
 \setbeamercolor{quotation}{fg=, bg=black!15}
 \setbeamercolor{quotation symbol}{fg=blue}
+\setbeamercolor{quotation line top}{fg=blue}
+\setbeamercolor{quotation line bottom}{fg=blue}
 
 \setbeamercolor{section in toc}{parent={normal text}}
 \setbeamercolor{subsection in toc}{parent={normal text}}
diff --git a/beamercolorthemeut.sty b/beamercolorthemeut.sty
index 853b3ef..e06f46e 100644
--- a/beamercolorthemeut.sty
+++ b/beamercolorthemeut.sty
@@ -83,8 +83,18 @@
 \setbeamercolor{message item symbol}{fg=utgold}
 
 \setbeamercolor{verse}{fg=, bg=utgreen!20}
+\setbeamercolor{verse line top}{fg=utgreen}
+\setbeamercolor{verse line bottom}{fg=utgreen}
+
 \setbeamercolor{quote}{fg=, bg=utgreen!20}
+\setbeamercolor{quote symbol}{fg=utred}
+\setbeamercolor{quote line top}{fg=}
+\setbeamercolor{quote line bottom}{fg=}
+
 \setbeamercolor{quotation}{fg=, bg=utgreen!20}
+\setbeamercolor{quotation symbol}{fg=utblue}
+\setbeamercolor{quotation line top}{fg=}
+\setbeamercolor{quotation line bottom}{fg=}
 
 \setbeamercolor{section in toc}{parent={normal text}}
 \setbeamercolor{subsection in toc}{parent={normal text}}
diff --git a/beamerthemelines.sty b/beamerthemelines.sty
index 251443f..71445e4 100644
--- a/beamerthemelines.sty
+++ b/beamerthemelines.sty
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 \ProvidesPackage{beamerthemelines}[2021/02/28 beamer theme with horizontal lines]
 
 \RequirePackage{tikz}
-\RequirePackage{xstring}
 \RequirePackage{pifont}
 
 \newif\if@beamer@footline@author
@@ -66,6 +65,27 @@
 % no headline:
 \setbeamertemplate{headline}[default]
 
+%%%%% horizontal line %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+
+% a horizontal line on top of a box over the whole linewidth
+% arguments: name of color theme, width of line
+\newcommand{\beamer@horizontal@line@top}[2]{%
+  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{#1}{}{%
+    \begin{beamercolorbox}[vmode]{#1}
+      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
+    \end{beamercolorbox}%
+    \par\nointerlineskip}%
+}
+
+% a horizontal line below a box over the whole linewidth
+% arguments: name of color theme, width of line
+\newcommand{\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom}[2]{%
+  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{#1}{}{%
+    \par\nointerlineskip%
+    \begin{beamercolorbox}[vmode]{#1}
+      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
+    \end{beamercolorbox}}%
+}
 
 %%%%% page numbers %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 
@@ -235,14 +255,7 @@
 %%%%% frametitle line:
 
 \defbeamertemplate{frametitle line}{text}[1][1pt]%
-{
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{frametitle line}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\textwidth,dp=0pt,ht=#1,sep=0pt]{frametitle line}%
-      \rule{\columnwidth}{#1}%
-    \end{beamercolorbox}%
-  }%
-}
+  {\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{frametitle line}{#1}}
 \defbeamertemplate{frametitle line}{page}[1][1pt]%
 {
   \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{frametitle line}{}{%
@@ -370,23 +383,15 @@
 \newcommand{\block@lines@begin}[3]{%
   \par\vskip\medskipamount%
   \usebeamerfont{block title#1}%
-  \IfStrEq{\insertblocktitle}{}{}{%    % IfStrEq does not work for theorems!
-    \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{block line#1 top}{}{%
-      \nointerlineskip
-      \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#2]{block line#1 top}
-        \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
-      \end{beamercolorbox}
-      \nointerlineskip%
-    }
+  \setbox0=\hbox{\insertblocktitle\unskip}%   does not work for theorem?!
+  \ifdim\wd0=0pt\else%
+    \beamer@horizontal@line@top{block line#1 top}{#2}
     \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=2.4ex,dp=0.9ex,leftskip=2mm,rightskip=2mm]{block title#1}
       \strut\insertblocktitle
-    \end{beamercolorbox}}
-  \nointerlineskip
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{block line#1 middle}{}{%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#3]{block line#1 middle}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#3}
     \end{beamercolorbox}
-    \nointerlineskip}%
+  \fi
+  \nointerlineskip
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@top{block line#1 middle}{#3}
   \usebeamerfont{block body#1}%
   \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,colsep=2mm]{block body#1}
  }
@@ -394,12 +399,7 @@
 \newcommand{\block@lines@end}[2]{%
     \vspace{-0.4ex}%
   \end{beamercolorbox}%
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{block line#1 bottom}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#2]{block line#1 bottom}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}
-  }%
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{block line#1 bottom}{#2}
 }
 
 %%%%% block environment:
@@ -434,22 +434,12 @@
 \newcommand{\theorem@lines@begin}[3]{%
   \par\vskip\medskipamount%
   \usebeamerfont{#1 title}%
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{#1 line top}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#2]{#1 line top}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}
-    \nointerlineskip%
-  }
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@top{#1 line top}{#2}
   \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=2.4ex,dp=0.9ex,leftskip=2mm,rightskip=2mm]{#1 title}
     \strut \insertblocktitle
   \end{beamercolorbox}
   \nointerlineskip
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{#1 line middle}{}{%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#3]{#1 line middle}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#3}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}
-    \nointerlineskip}%
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@top{#1 line middle}{#3}
   \usebeamerfont{#1 body}%
   \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,colsep=2mm]{#1 body}
  }
@@ -457,12 +447,7 @@
 \newcommand{\theorem@lines@end}[2]{%
     \vspace{-0.4ex}%
   \end{beamercolorbox}%
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{#1 line bottom}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#2]{#1 line bottom}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}
-  }%
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{#1 line bottom}{#2}
 }
 
 \newenvironment<>{theoremblock}[1]{%
@@ -492,20 +477,24 @@
 
 \setbeamertemplate{message symbol}[circle]
 
-% see quotation environment defined in 
-% /usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/beamer/base/beamerbaselocalstructure.sty 
-% for an alternative implementation based on list with empty item!
-
 \newcommand{\message@box@body}{
-  \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,colsep=1mm,leftskip=1mm,rightskip=1mm]{message}
+  \begin{beamercolorbox}[vmode,colsep=1mm,leftskip=1mm,rightskip=1mm]{message}
     \setbox0=\hbox{\usebeamertemplate{message symbol}\unskip}%
     \ifdim\wd0=0pt%
       \strut\insertmessage
     \else
-      \usebeamercolor[fg]{message symbol}
-      \parbox[t][][t]{1.8ex}{\usebeamertemplate{message symbol}}%
-      \usebeamercolor[fg]{message}
-      \parbox[t][][t]{\dimexpr\hsize-3.5ex\relax}{\raggedright\insertmessage}
+      \begin{list}
+        {\usebeamercolor[fg]{message symbol}
+          \usebeamertemplate{message symbol}}
+        {\itemindent  0pt
+          \labelwidth  1ex
+          \labelsep    0.6ex
+          \leftmargin  2.5ex
+          \rightmargin 1mm}
+      \item\relax\usebeamercolor[fg]{message}\relax
+        \insertmessage
+      \end{list}
+      \vspace{-0.6ex}
     \fi
   \end{beamercolorbox}
 }
@@ -519,19 +508,9 @@
 \defbeamertemplate{message}{lines}[2]{%
   \par\vskip\medskipamount%
   \usebeamerfont{message}%
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{message line top}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#1]{message line top}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#1}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}
-    \nointerlineskip}%
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@top{message line top}{#1}
   \message@box@body
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{message line bottom}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\linewidth,ht=#2]{message line bottom}
-      \rule{\linewidth}{#2}
-    \end{beamercolorbox}}%
-  \medskip
+  \beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{message line bottom}{#2}
 }
 
 \setbeamertemplate{message}[lines]{1pt}{1pt}
@@ -549,7 +528,7 @@
 % pbk , phv, pnc, qcs
 \newcommand{\openquote}[1][4]{\tikz[baseline]{%
     \useasboundingbox (0, 0) rectangle (1ex, 1.7ex);
-    \node[scale=#1, xshift=-0.6ex, yshift=-0.77ex] at (current bounding box.north east) {\fontfamily{pbk}\selectfont\textquotedblleft};
+    \node[scale=#1, xshift=-0.45ex, yshift=-0.73ex] at (current bounding box.north east) {\fontfamily{pbk}\selectfont\textquotedblleft};
 }}
 
 \def\insertquoteauthor{}
@@ -583,7 +562,7 @@
 \defbeamertemplate{quotation symbol}{default}{}
 \defbeamertemplate{quotation symbol}{quotes}[1][5]{\usebeamercolor[fg]{quotation symbol}\openquote[#1]}
 
-\setbeamertemplate{quotation symbol}[quotes][6]
+\setbeamertemplate{quotation symbol}[quotes][4]
 
 \defbeamertemplate{quotation author separator}{default}{}
 \defbeamertemplate{quotation author separator}{dash}{ --- }
@@ -597,8 +576,13 @@
 
 \setbeamertemplate{quotation author}[rightline]  % none, left, right, rightline
 
-\defbeamertemplate*{quotation begin}{none}{}
-\defbeamertemplate*{quotation end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quotation begin}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quotation begin}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@top{quotation line top}{#1}\vskip1ex}
+\setbeamertemplate{quotation begin}[lines][0.5pt]
+
+\defbeamertemplate{quotation end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quotation end}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{quotation line bottom}{#1}}
+\setbeamertemplate{quotation end}[lines][0.5pt]
 
 % see definition in /usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/beamer/base/beamerbaselocalstructure.sty 
 \renewenvironment<>{quotation}[1][]
@@ -608,20 +592,33 @@
   \usebeamertemplate{quotation begin}
   \usebeamerfont*{quotation}%
   \usebeamercolor{quotation}%
-  \list{}{
-    \leftmargin    3em
-    \rightmargin   2em
-    \listparindent 1.5em
-    \itemindent    \listparindent
-    \labelsep      \listparindent
-    \advance\labelsep by 1.5ex\relax
-    \parsep        \z@ \@plus\p@
-  }%
-  \item[\usebeamertemplate{quotation symbol}]\relax
+  \setbox0=\hbox{\usebeamertemplate{quotation symbol}\unskip}%
+  \ifdim\wd0=0pt
+    \list{}{
+      \leftmargin    1em
+      \rightmargin   1em
+      \listparindent 1.5em
+      \itemindent    \listparindent
+      \parsep        \z@ \@plus\p@
+    }%
+    \item\relax
+  \else
+    \list{}{
+      \leftmargin    2.5em
+      \rightmargin   2em
+      \listparindent 1.5em
+      \itemindent    \listparindent
+      \labelsep      \listparindent
+      \advance\labelsep by 1.5ex\relax
+      \parsep        \z@ \@plus\p@
+    }%
+    \item[\usebeamertemplate{quotation symbol}]\relax
+  \fi
 }
 {%
   \usebeamertemplate{quotation author}
-  \endlist\usebeamertemplate{quotation end}
+  \endlist
+  \usebeamertemplate{quotation end}
   \endbeamercolorbox
   \endactionenv%
 }
@@ -631,7 +628,7 @@
 \defbeamertemplate{quote symbol}{default}{}
 \defbeamertemplate{quote symbol}{quotes}[1][5]{\usebeamercolor[fg]{quote symbol}\openquote[#1]}
 
-\setbeamertemplate{quote symbol}[quotes][6]
+\setbeamertemplate{quote symbol}[quotes][4]
 
 \defbeamertemplate{quote author separator}{default}{}
 \defbeamertemplate{quote author separator}{dash}{ --- }
@@ -645,35 +642,56 @@
 
 \setbeamertemplate{quote author}[rightline]  % none, left, right, rightline
 
-\defbeamertemplate*{quote begin}{none}{}
-\defbeamertemplate*{quote end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quote begin}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quote begin}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@top{quote line top}{#1}\vskip1ex}
+\setbeamertemplate{quote begin}[lines][0.5pt]
+
+\defbeamertemplate{quote end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{quote end}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{quote line bottom}{#1}}
+\setbeamertemplate{quote end}[lines][0.5pt]
 
 \renewenvironment<>{quote}[1][]
 { \def\insertquoteauthor{#1}
   \actionenv#2%
-  \beamercolorbox[vmode]{quote}
-  \usebeamertemplate{quote begin}
+  \beamercolorbox[vmode]{quote}%
+  \usebeamertemplate{quote begin}%
   \usebeamerfont*{quote}%
   \usebeamercolor{quote}%
-  \list{}{
-    \leftmargin    3em
-    \rightmargin   2em
-    \labelsep      1.5ex
-    \parsep        1ex
-  }%
-  \item[\usebeamertemplate{quote symbol}]\relax
+  \setbox0=\hbox{\usebeamertemplate{quote symbol}\unskip}%
+  \ifdim\wd0=0pt
+    \list{}{
+      \leftmargin    1em
+      \rightmargin   1em
+      \parsep        1ex
+    }%
+    \item\relax%
+  \else
+    \list{}{
+      \leftmargin    2.5em
+      \rightmargin   2em
+      \labelsep      1.5ex
+      \parsep        1ex
+    }%
+    \item[\usebeamertemplate{quote symbol}]\relax%
+  \fi%
 }
 {%
   \usebeamertemplate{quote author}
-  \endlist\usebeamertemplate{quote end}
-  \endbeamercolorbox
+  \endlist
+  \usebeamertemplate{quote end}
+  \endbeamercolorbox%
   \endactionenv%
 }
 
 % verse environment:
 
-\defbeamertemplate*{verse begin}{none}{}
-\defbeamertemplate*{verse end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{verse begin}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{verse begin}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@top{verse line top}{#1}\vskip1ex}
+\setbeamertemplate{verse begin}[lines][0.5pt]
+
+\defbeamertemplate{verse end}{none}{}
+\defbeamertemplate{verse end}{lines}[1][1pt]{\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{verse line bottom}{#1}}
+\setbeamertemplate{verse end}[lines][0.5pt]
 
 \renewenvironment<>{verse}
 { \actionenv#1%
@@ -689,7 +707,8 @@
   \item\relax
 }
 {%
-  \endlist\usebeamertemplate{verse end}
+  \endlist
+  \usebeamertemplate{verse end}
   \endbeamercolorbox
   \endactionenv%
 }
@@ -699,14 +718,7 @@
 %%%%% title page graphic line:
 
 \defbeamertemplate{title page graphic line}{default}[1][1ex]%
-{
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{title page graphic line}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=1\textwidth,dp=0pt,ht=#1,sep=0pt]{title page graphic line}%
-      \rule{1\linewidth}{#1}%
-    \end{beamercolorbox}%
-  }%
-}
+  {\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{title page graphic line}{#1}}
 
 \setbeamertemplate{title page graphic line}[default][1.5ex]
 
@@ -714,14 +726,7 @@
 %%%%% title page title line:
 
 \defbeamertemplate{title page title line}{default}[1][1ex]%
-{
-  \ifbeamercolorempty[fg]{title page title line}{}{%
-    \nointerlineskip%
-    \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=1\textwidth,dp=0pt,ht=#1,sep=0pt]{title page title line}%
-      \rule{1\linewidth}{#1}%
-    \end{beamercolorbox}%
-  }%
-}
+  {\beamer@horizontal@line@bottom{title page title line}{#1}}
 
 \setbeamertemplate{title page title line}[default][0.2ex]
 
@@ -861,10 +866,7 @@
 % section page separator: text
 
 \defbeamertemplate{section name separator}{text}[1][1pt]%
-{
-  {\usebeamercolor[fg]{section name separator}
-    \rule[-0.5ex]{#1}{2.4ex}}
-}
+{{\usebeamercolor[fg]{section name separator}\rule[-0.5ex]{#1}{2.4ex}}}
 
 \setbeamertemplate{section name separator}[text][1pt]
 
@@ -907,10 +909,7 @@
 % subsection page separator: text
 
 \defbeamertemplate{subsection name separator}{text}[1][1pt]%
-{
-  {\usebeamercolor[fg]{subsection name separator}
-    \rule[-0.5ex]{#1}{2.4ex}}
-}
+{{\usebeamercolor[fg]{subsection name separator}\rule[-0.5ex]{#1}{2.4ex}}}
 
 \setbeamertemplate{subsection name separator}[text][1pt]
 
diff --git a/ut-example.tex b/ut-example.tex
index dddd66f..c9073b8 100644
--- a/ut-example.tex
+++ b/ut-example.tex
@@ -238,28 +238,35 @@
     \verb!\messagebox{Take home message}!
   \end{block}
   \vfill
+  Hello, you!
   \messagebox{Take home message}
+  Did you get it?
   \vfill
   Use it!
 \end{frame}
 
 \begin{frame}[fragile]{Quotations}
-  Let's start with a poem:
-  \begin{verse}
-    A \verb!verse! environment.\\With a second line.
-  \end{verse}
-  \vfill
-  Quote something of somebody:
-  \begin{quotation}
-    A \verb!quotation! environment.\\With a second line.
+  Quote something of somebody with indentation:
+  \begin{quotation}[Me And Myself]
+    A \verb!quotation! environment. There is a lot to talk about and
+    it really takes a lot of words to express this. Most likely this
+    does not fit into a single line. We might even need yet another
+    full new line.
+    
+    Here we even start a second paragraph.
   \end{quotation}
   \vfill
-  Quote something else of somebody else:
+  Quote something else of somebody else (empty author argument):
   \begin{quote}
-    A \verb!quote! environment.\\With a second line.
+    A \verb!quote! environment.
+
+    With a second line.
   \end{quote}
   \vfill
-  ... to be improved (with huge quotation marks and horizontal lines)
+  Here is a poem:
+  \begin{verse}
+    A \verb!verse! environment ---\\with a second line.
+  \end{verse}
 \end{frame}
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%