Authors: William Shakespeare
173
tender
offer, present
176
to my loss
i.e. to lose my honor
178
him … true
i.e. Posthumus
181
crossed
hindered, thwarted
181
meed
reward
Act 3 Scene 6
3.6
Location: Wales, outside Belarius’ cave
2
tired
exhausted/dressed (attired)
6
ken
sight
7
Foundations … wretched
things recede as the poor or desperate approach/ charitable organizations fail those who need them most
11
trial
test of their moral character/endurance
12
scarce
hardly ever
12
lapse in fullness
do wrong when in a state of prosperity
13
sorer
worse
15
on
of, about
16
even before
only a moment ago
17
At point
ready, just about
18
hold
stronghold, lair
19
were best
had better
20
Ere … nature
i.e. before it kills me
it
nature
21
hardness … mother
hardship always gives rise to (is the mother of) endurance
24
Take or lend
take my life/money, or give me food, help me
25
Best
I had better
27
Such … heavens!
i.e. she begs the heavens to let it be a foe of that sort
28
woodman
hunter
30
match
bargain, agreement
31
The … to
i.e. no one would work if it weren’t for some purpose
33
homely
plain
34
flint
hard, stony ground
34
resty sloth
well-rested laziness
35
down
feather
36
keep’st thyself
i.e. looks after itself, is uninhabited
37
throughly
thoroughly, utterly
39
browse
nibble
42
But that
if it weren’t for the fact that
42
victuals
food
46
paragon
outstanding example
50
good troth
in good truth
51
nought
nothing
52
i’th’floor
on the floor/in among the rushes on the floor
53
board
table
53
so
as
54
parted
departed
58
reckoned
valued, esteemed
58
but of
except by
61
should
would
62
made
committed
63
Whither bound?
Where are you going?
66
Fidele
means “the faithful one” (Latin)
68
spent
exhausted
69
in
into
71
churls
impolite, mean-spirited people/peasants
72
rude
uncivilized
73
cheer
food/entertainment
74
thanks
our approval
77
hard
vigorously, boldly
77
but be
but to be/if I could not otherwise be
77
in honesty
your honest, loyal husband/by honorable means
78
Ay … buy
i.e. woo you in the same way as I would love you as your husband
83
sprightly
cheerful
84
’Mongst … brothers
I must be among friends if I am among brothers
86
prize … ballasting
value would be less since she would no longer be next in line to the throne and thus more equal to Posthumus; puns on
prize
as “cargo, booty in a captured ship”
89
wrings
writhes/wrings his hands
90
free’t
remove the trouble
96
attend themselves
i.e. had no servants
97
sealed them
confirmed in them
97
laying by
setting aside
98
nothing-gift
worthless gift (flattery, adulation)
98
differing multitudes
fickle crowds
99
out-peer
surpass
99
twain
two
101
Leonatus’
Leonatus is
103
dress our hunt
i.e. prepare what we have caught for cooking
104
Discourse … fasting
speech is tedious while hungry
105
mannerly
politely
105
demand
ask
108
The … welcome
i.e. not even the night to the owl or the morning to the lark are as welcome to us
Act 3 Scene 7
3.7
Location: Rome
1
tenor
substance
1
writ
order
2
men
soldiers
3
Pannonians and Dalmatians
ancient inhabitants of what are now Hungary and the Balkans
5
Full
very
6
fall’n off
rebellious/defaulting
6
incite
summon/stir up
9
commands
appoints
10
absolute commission
complete authority
16
supplyant
ready to supply troops/supplementary
Act 4 Scene 1
4.1
Location: Wales
2
fit
fittingly, perfectly
4
fit
inclined, plays on sense of “sexually compatible”
4
saving … word
standard apology for coarse language; in this case
fitness
, meaning “sexual inclination”
5
fits
fits and starts
6
play the workman
use my skill like a craftsman
7
vainglory
idle boasting
7
glass
mirror
10
advantage … time
i.e. current favorable circumstances
11
alike conversant
equally experienced
11
general services
military operations serving alongside others, probably with bawdy connotations
12
single oppositions
individual combats
12
imperceiverant
imperceptive
13
in my despite
in spite of my qualities/to spite me
13
mortality
mankind/existence/death
15
enforced
forced, constrained/raped
16
spurn
kick
17
haply
perhaps
18
usage
treatment
18
power of
control over
18
testiness
short temper/rashness
19
commendations
credit, renown
20
sore
grievous, violent; bawdy quibble on
sword
(penis) and
sore
(wound/vagina)
20
Fortune
may Fortune
Act 4 Scene 2
10
citizen
city-bred
10
wanton
weakling/spoiled child/unchaste, lewd person
11
ere
before
12
journal
daily, usual routine
12
breach of custom
disruption of usual habit
14
amend me
make me better
14
Society
company
16
reason of
talk (lucidly) about
17
none
no one
18
Stealing so poorly
i.e. if I steal from those who have so little
20
weight
intensity
23
yoke me
am joined, associated
26
bier at door
if the coffin were at the door
29
strain
offspring, stock/inherited character/disposition
30
breed
lineage, ancestry
32
meal and bran
grain and husks
33
yet … me
it is a miracle that they should love this boy, whoever he is, more than me
38
so … sir
at your service, sir (to Belarius)
41
but
except
44
tributary
subsidiary
47
stir
move, persuade
48
gentle
wellborn
49
Dishonestly afflicted
unjustly oppressed/troubled by others’ dishonesty
52
To th’field
i.e. let’s go hunting
58
bound
tied, allied/indebted
60
distressed
troubled, afflicted
63
roots
vegetables
63
characters
shapes, especially letters
64
as
as though
64
Juno
wife of Jupiter and queen of the gods
65
dieter
one who regulates the diet/feeder
66
yokes
ties together, attaches
68
that
what
70
commix
mingle
71
rail
utter abusive language
74
spurs
tree roots
75
Grow … vine
the wish is that
grief
, like a
stinking elder
(which had an evil reputation because of its pungent smell), will disentangle its deadly roots from those of the growing vine (
patience
)
77
with
from
78
great morning
broad daylight
79
runagates
runaways/rogues
80
mocked
tricked, fooled
85
held
regarded
86
but
only
87
companies
followers, others
89
soft
not so fast
90
fly
run away, flee from
94
A … knock
I never did anything more slavelike than responding to an insulting slave/someone calling me a slave without beating, hitting them
99
I … mouth
i.e. I am not all talk when it comes to fighting
103
clothes
i.e. courtly clothes, showing rank
107
varlet
scoundrel
111
loath
reluctant
112
injurious
insulting
120
mere confusion
absolute destruction/agitation of the mind
122
not seeming
since you don’t seem
123
So
as
128
proper
own
130
on … heads
the heads of traitors were fixed on poles at the gateway to London Bridge
132
abroad
around, about
133
sure
clearly
135
lines of favour
facial lines, lineaments
136
snatches
catches, hesitancy
137
absolute
certain
138
very
indeed
140
make … with
to do well against
141
fell
fierce
142
Being … man
being intellectually defective/barely come to manhood
143
apprehension
perception, understanding
144
judgement
reason, i.e. the rational mind
148
Hercules
classical hero, who wielded a club, and performed a series of impossible tasks
150
I … this
if I hadn’t done this
153
perfect
well aware