Authors: William Shakespeare
454
approve … same
i.e. prove yourself true to your name (
Fidele
means “the faithful one” in Latin)
460
prefer
recommend
461
an’t
if it
463
poor pickaxes
i.e. her fingers
465
century of
hundred
466
can
am able to
468
So … me
if it please you to take me into your service
474
pikes
pointed metal tips of a staff or spear
474
partisans
long-handled spears with broad blades
475
arm him
take him up in your arms
475
preferred
commended
477
can
are, have the right to be
Act 4 Scene 3
4.3
Location: Britain
1
Again
i.e. go back again
2
with
due to
3
of
as a result of
4
touch
wound, afflict
6
upon … bed
i.e. she is desperately ill
8
present
i.e. present moment
11
enforce … thee
force it out of you
15
nothing know
know nothing about
16
purposes
intends to
17
Hold
consider
21
subjection
duty as a subject
22
wants
lacks
23
will
he will
25
slip … season
let you be for a while
25
jealousy
suspicion
26
Does yet depend
still hangs in the balance/remains
30
gentlemen
i.e. officers
31
Now for
if only I now had
32
amazed with matter
overwhelmed by all these matters
34
affront
confront, face
35
Come more
if more come
36
The … but
the only thing now needed is
40
annoy
harm
41
chances
events
42
no letter
i.e. no news
46
is betid
has happened
49
find
reveal, prove
50
Even … o’th’king
even to the point where the king takes note
50
fall
die, perish
52
Fortune … steered
i.e. even some boats that are cast adrift are brought safely back to harbor by good fortune
Act 4 Scene 4
4.4
Location: Wales, outside Belarius’ cave
1
noise
i.e. of the armies preparing for battle
3
lock it
lock it away
6
This way
if we do this
7
or for
either as
7
receive … use
recruit us, thinking us rebels to make use of and then kill us
11
secure us
make ourselves safe, find a stronghold
13
not … bands
i.e. not listed among the forces
13
mustered
enlisted as soldiers
14
drive … render
force us to give an account of
15
extort from’s
extract from us
16
answer
reward, recompense
17
Drawn on with
brought about by
23
quartered fires
campfires (from their quarters in the field)
24
cloyed importantly
clogged, filled with important matters
25
upon our note
in taking notice of us
28
Of
by
29
then
was then
29
wore
effaced, removed
30
remembrance
memory
32
want of breeding
lack of education, cultivation
33
certainty
inevitability
33
aye hopeless
forever without hope
34
courtesy
respect/refined manners
34
cradle
i.e. your circumstances at birth
35
still
forever
35
tanlings
i.e. those tanned by constant exposure to the sun
36
shrinking
as
36
slaves
will recoil from and tremble at punishment, so the
36
winter
cold makes one shiver
40
out of thought
forgotten about
40
thereto so o’ergrown
in that respect your memory obscured/your face covered with hair
41
questioned
suspected
43
thing is’t
a shameful thing it is
45
hot
lecherous
45
venison
deer
47
rowel
the rotating blade at the end of the spur
47
rowel Nor iron
i.e. spurs
48
iron
the framework which attaches it
54
care
attention, caution
55
hazard therefore due
chance, danger coming to me
60
cracked
i.e. because old
61
country
country’s
63
their … out
their mettle, noble spirit/royal blood, stock despises everything until it may break out/be shed in battle
Act 5 Scene 1
5.1
Location: Wales
1
bloody cloth
sent by Pisanio to Posthumus as proof that he had murdered Innogen
3
course
i.e. of action
5
wrying
erring, going astray
6
does not
does not carry out
7
No bond but
there is no obligation except
8
Should have
had
9
put on this
instigate Innogen’s murder/take such a fault upon myself/wear these clothes
10
repent
i.e. her supposed unfaithfulness
11
worth
deserving
13
fall
i.e. sin
14
second
support/follow up
14
elder
later, next (with the implication that evils mature with time)/earlier, with the more recent evils diminishing in severity until finally repentance sets in
15
make … it
i.e. make the perpetrators fearful and repentant
15
thrift
gain, advantage (by becoming saved through repentance)
23
weeds
clothes
23
suit
dress
25
part
side
28
pitied
neither pitied
30
habits
peasant’s clothes/customary behavior
32
guise
custom, practice
33
less … within
i.e. to privilege inner qualities over outward finery
Act 5 Scene 2
1
bosom
heart
2
off
away
2
belied
slandered, lied about
3
on’t
of it
4
or could
or else could
4
carl
bondman, peasant
5
very … nature’s
natural-born slave
6
profession
i.e. as a soldier
7
but of scorn
only a mockery
8
go before
outgo, excel
9
odds
likelihood
12
routs
defeats
12
seconds
gives aid to
17
As
as though
17
hoodwinked
blindfolded
19
or … fly
let’s either reinforce our numbers or flee before it’s too late
Act 5 Scene 3
3
fliers
i.e. those who fled
6
But
had it not been
7
wings
flank of the army
8
but
only
9
strait
narrow
9
full-hearted
full of confidence
10
Lolling the tongue
i.e. slavering like dogs, their tongues hanging out
12
mortally
fatally
12
touched
wounded
13
dammed
blocked up, like a dam
15
lengthened
i.e. after spending the rest of their lives in shame
18
ancient
old/noble
19
who … to
who deserved to have lived as long a life as his white beard showed he had
22
striplings
young men
22
run … base
play the rural children’s game of “prisoner’s base,” where players run between two opposing camps or bases and try to capture players on the other team
24
masks
worn by women to protect their delicate complexions from the sun (
preservation
), or for modesty’s sake (
shame
)
26
Made good
defended
27
harts
male deer, plays on “hearts”
28
To … backwards
to hell, damnation with those swift
(fleet)
souls who flee
29
that
i.e. a fight
30
Like beasts
with beastlike ferocity
30
beastly
cowardly
31
frown
i.e. anger, resolved to fight
32
Three … many
as confident as if they were three thousand, and having the effect in their actions as if they were
33
file
entire force (from front file to rear)
35
Accommodated
aided
35
charming
spellbinding
37
distaff
spindle used in spinning wool, i.e. a housewife would have turned soldier at their example
37
gilded pale looks
restored color to
pale
, cowardly faces
38
Part
it was partly through
39
But by example
only by imitating the
first beginners
(those who first began to flee)
40
’gan … did
began to turn and face the way they (Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus) did
41
grin
i.e. bare their teeth, snarl
41
lions … o’th’hunters
cornered lions, kept at bay with (rather than skewered by) the hunters’ spears
43
stop i’th’chaser
halt on the part of the pursuer
43
retire
retreat
43
anon
at once
45
they … eagles
they flee like chickens along the same path they swooped down (
stooped
) as eagles
45
slaves … made
like slaves along the same path they strode as victors
47
Like … need
like scraps of food, gathered up as a last resort on tough voyages at sea, which become the source of
life
in a time of desperate
need
48
having … hearts
i.e. the Romans had dropped their guard, making it easy for the British
cowards
to attack them (possibly literally means stab them in the heart through their backs) as they ran away
50
Some … twenty
i.e. Britons who earlier were cut down, dying, trampled, cowardly (ten being chased by one Roman), are now all the killers of twenty Romans each
50
some … wave
some of their
friends
knocked down in the previous attack/some who their friends knocked down in the previous retreat
53
or ere resist
before they would fight back
53
are grown
have now become