Authors: William Shakespeare
87
So
so be it
88
pleasure
desire, aim
89
the remain
that remains (to say)
Act 3 Scene 2
1
How?
What?
1
Wherefore
why
5
As … handed
as capable a poisoner by word as by hand
7
truth
loyalty
7
undergoes
endures
9
take in
defeat, conquer
9
some virtue
some people’s virtue
12
Upon
because of
17
fact
deed
20
Senseless bauble
unfeeling, worthless thing
21
fedary
confederate, accomplice
23
ignorant in
to pretend to be ignorant of
27
astronomer
includes sense of an “astrologer”
28
characters
handwriting
30
relish
taste
31
not
i.e. not his content
33
med’cinable
restorative, able to heal
34
physic love
i.e. being apart makes love healthier, stronger
35
wax
i.e. used to seal the letter
35
thy leave
by thy leave; Innogen is asking its permission for her to break it and read the letter
36
locks of counsel
seals to secrecy, private matters
38
forfeiters
defaulters of contracts
39
Cupid’s
of Cupid, Roman god of love
39
tables
writing tablets
42
even renew
could not restore
43
Cambria
Wales
43
Milford Haven
most southwesterly Welsh port
49
mean affairs
trivial business
53
bate
abate, i.e. qualify what I have just said
54
fainter kind
more moderate fashion
55
mine
my longing (to see Posthumus)
55
thick
fast, the words crammed together
56
bores of hearing
i.e. ears
57
smothering
overwhelming
58
by th’way
on the way
61
steal
creep away, surreptitiously go
63
to excuse
i.e. how to explain our absence
63
how get hence
how to get away
64
Why … begot
? i.e. why should an excuse be made before the act which needs excusing has been performed
66
score
twenty
66
well
possibly/comfortably
67
’Twixt … hour
i.e. in an hour
68
’twixt … sun
i.e. in a day
71
riding wagers
horse races with bets on them
73
i’th’clock’s behalf
in place of a clock, i.e. an hourglass
74
feign
pretend to be affected by
75
home
go home
75
presently
immediately
76
fit
be suitable for
77
franklin
small landowner, below the rank of a gentleman
78
you’re best
you had better
79
before me
what’s in front of me
79
nor
neither
80
what ensues
what will happen
80
but
but that they
83
none
no route
Act 3 Scene 3
3.3
Location: Wales, outside Belarius’ cave
1
keep house
stay inside
1
with such
among those
2
gate
entrance
3
Instructs … heavens
i.e. by forcing you to bow
4
office
divine service
5
jet
strut
6
impious turbans
i.e. non-Christian (
giants
were frequently imaged as Saracens in Romance literature)
8
use
treat
8
hardly
badly
9
prouder livers
those who live more ostentatiously
13
these flats
this plain
15
place
physical position/social rank
15
lessens … off
diminishes and enhances
16
revolve
consider/turn over in the mind
17
tricks
accidents
19
so allowed
acknowledged as such
19
apprehend thus
look at things in this way
22
sharded
living in dung/with scaly wings
22
hold
stronghold, refuge
24
attending
serving/awaiting
24
for
in exchange for
24
check
rebuke
25
robe
i.e. robe of office
27
Such
those who do so
27
gain … fine
gain the respect (by doffing the cap) of the tailor that provides their
27
fine
clothes
28
Yet … uncrossed
i.e. the debts in his account book never get crossed off
28
to
compared to
29
proof
experience
29
unfledged
young things; literally of young birds “not yet covered with feathers”
31
air’s from home
the air is like away from home
31
Haply
perhaps
34
stiff
rigid, not flexible or pliant
35
travelling abed
i.e. in the imagination, dreaming of going places
37
stride a limit
step over the threshold, go out
41
pinching
bitingly cold/narrowly restricting
43
beastly
beastlike
44
Like
as
45
what flies
what runs away, i.e. food or prey (as opposed to men who would stand and fight)
49
usuries
corrupt financial practices
50
knowingly
i.e. from experience
50
art
artifice/artfulness
51
keep
stay in
54
pain
labor, effort
56
oft
often
57
record … act
i.e. report of good deeds
58
Doth ill deserve
i.e. is ill rewarded
59
curtsy … censure
bow at the (unjust) reproof
61
report
reputation
62
best of note
most renowned, distinguished
63
theme
topic of discussion
64
as
like
67
mellow hangings
ripe fruit
68
weather
bad weather i.e. ill fortune
69
favour
goodwill, especially of a superior or multitude
72
perfect
unblemished, true
74
this
these
75
demesnes
lands, domains
76
at
in
78
fore-end
early part
78
time
life
80
venison
deer
81
minister
be servants
82
attends … state
is an ever-present threat in places of greater status, pomp
84
sparks of nature
signs of inherent qualities
87
trained … meanly
brought up in such a humble way/in such lowly surroundings
88
they bow
i.e. because the roof is so low
88
hit
i.e. reach as high as
90
prince it
behave like princes
91
trick
capacity, skill
94
three-foot
i.e. having three legs (a modest item of furniture)
96
say
when I say
99
nerves
sinews
101
in … figure
in a similar fashion/posture
102
much more
i.e. than Guiderius
103
conceiving
understanding (of the story)
103
Hark … roused!
Listen, the quarry (the animal being hunted) is driven from cover!
105
whereon
for which reason
107
bar
deprive
107
succession
successors (to the throne)
108
reft’st
robbed
109
nurse
wet nurse, i.e. a woman employed to suckle another woman’s children
110
her
i.e. Euriphile’s
Act 3 Scene 4
3.4
Location: near Milford Haven
1
came from horse
dismounted
2
ne’er … now
i.e. the longing I have now (to see Posthumus) exceeds my mother’s longing to see me for the first time
6
but painted thus
i.e. who looked like that in a picture
7
perplexed
troubled, distressed/confused
8
self-explication
the ability to explain themselves
8
put … fear
i.e. don’t act in such a frightening way
9
ere
before
10
staider
calmer, more settled
11
tender’st thou
do you offer
11
paper
letter
12
summer
i.e. good
13
to’t before
i.e. before giving it to me/in accordance with it (the good news)
13
winterly
i.e. bad
14
But
only
14
hand
handwriting
15
drug-damned Italy
Italians had a reputation for knowledge of poisons and other substances
15
out-craftied
outwitted through guile
16
hard point
tight spot, difficult situation
16
tongue … extremity
i.e. telling me what’s in it may help me bear the worst
18
mortal
fatal
23
testimonies
evidence
23
lies … me
i.e. has cut me to the quick
25
grief
injury/anguish
27
tainted
contaminated
30
pander
procurer, pimp
32
What
why, for what purpose
35
Outvenoms
is more poisonous than
35
worms of Nile
serpents of the Nile; the allusion is to the asp, which Cleopatra used to kill herself
36
posting winds
i.e. speeding, like a post-horse, the winds carry the slanderous news far and wide
36
belie
deceive, spread lies over
37
states
people of high rank, statesmen/countries
42
’twixt … clock
from hour to hour
42
charge
overcomes, i.e. so that I go to sleep
46
Thy conscience witness
perhaps addressed to the absent Posthumus
47
incontinency
unchastity, lack of sexual self-control
49
favour’s
appearance is
49
jay
whore, literally a brightly colored bird
50
painting
use of cosmetics
51
stale
out of date/a lover made the object of ridicule for a rival’s amusement
52
richer … th’walls
too valuable to just hang on a wall (like an old coat)