The Tempest (29 page)

35
desert
deserted

36
Ha … paid
most editors assume that the speakers of these two lines should be reversed, so that Antonio wins the bet and laughs, then Sebastian replies that the laugh pays off the debt; but it could be that Sebastian laughs in response to Adrian’s words
(seems
deserted?—
of course
it’s deserted) and that by doing so he has paid off the bet

42
subtle
refined

43
temperance
moderate climate (Antonio’s response treats
Temperance
as the name of a woman)

44
delicate
pleasure-seeking, voluptuous

45
subtle
crafty, sexually experienced

45
learnedly delivered
uttered authoritatively

48
fen
bog, marshland

50
save
except

52
lusty
of vigorous growth

53
tawny
yellowish brown

54
eye
tinge

57
rarity
exceptional nature

58
credit
belief

59
vouched
acknowledged

62
new-dyed
brand new

66
pocket up
conceal

68
Afric
Africa

69
Tunis
North African city, now the capital of Tunisia

74
Dido’s
Dido, Queen of Carthage, was the widow of Sychaeus, but was famed for her love affair with
Aeneas
; she committed suicide when he left her; there may also be a lewd pun on the slang term “dido” (genitals/dildo)

75
How … in?
Antonio contests the reference to an abandoned woman as a widow

77
‘
widower Aeneas’
Aeneas had been married to Creusa, who died in the sack of Troy

79
study of
examine, meditate on

81
This … Carthage
Tunis was about ten miles from Carthage and became the most important city in the region after Carthage fell

84
miraculous harp
in Greek mythology, Amphion’s music caused the walls of Thebes to rebuild themselves

89
kernels
pips

96
rarest
most splendid/beautiful

97
Bate
disregard

98
Ay, widow Dido
if there is a missing speech prefix, this could be a cynical interjection from Sebastian

99
doublet
close-fitting jacket

100
in a sort
to some extent

101
sort
perhaps a reference to the drawing of lots or to the “sorting” of fish for market

104
stomach
appetite/inclination

104
sense
disposition

106
rate
opinion

112
surges
waves

116
oared
rowed

117
lusty
vigorous

118
wave-worn basis
the eroded base of the cliff rising from the shore

119
As
as if

124
loose
release, turn loose (as one would an animal)

126
Who
probably applies to Alonso’s eye, but possibly to Claribel

126
wet the grief
weep

128
importuned
pleaded with

130
loathness
loathing, repulsion

131
Which … bow
which half of the scales should sink

136
dear’st
most precious/significant part (i.e. Ferdinand)

139
time
i.e. appropriate time

142
chirurgeonly
surgeon-like

147
plantation
opportunity for colonization (Antonio plays on the sense of “planting”)

148
nettle-seed … mallows
common wild plants/weeds

151
want
lack

152
by … things
implement the opposite to what is usual

153
traffic
trade, commerce

155
Letters
scholarship, learning

156
use of service
practice of having servants

156
succession
inheritance

157
Bourn
land boundary

157
tilth
farmed land

165
in common
communal

167
pike
spear

167
engine
device/machinery/weapon

169
foison
plenty

174
golden age
in classical mythology, the earliest of ages, when life was idyllic

177
mark
hear, observe

179
minister occasion
provide an opportunity (for laughter)

180
sensible
responsive, sensitive

181
nimble
agile, swift to respond

181
use
are accustomed

186
An … flat-long
if it had not been delivered with the flat side of the sword (rather than the sharp edge)

187
metal
puns on “mettle” (constitution, courage)

188
sphere
position in the heavens

188
five weeks
i.e. rather than the usual four, which ought to be long enough

190
a-batfowling
catching roosting birds/swindling

192
warrant
assure

192
adventure … weakly
risk my sound judgment for such a slight cause

194
heavy
drowsy

200
omit
reject, ignore

200
it
i.e. sleep

211
as
as if

215
occasion speaks
opportunity speaks to

218
waking
awake

227
wink’st
shut your eyes (i.e. refuse to see what is in front of you)

229
distinctly
meaningfully, clearly

231
custom
usual self

232
heed
you heed

233
Trebles thee o’er
makes you three times greater

234
standing water
not ebbing or flowing (i.e. open to ideas/idle)

237
Hereditary sloth
natural laziness/my position as younger brother to a king

239
If … it
if only you realized that your mockery reveals your intentions/if only you realized that despite your mockery you harbor genuine desires

241
invest
clothe, adorn

241
Ebbing
declining

244
say on
speak more, go on

245
setting
look/fixed appearance

246
matter
of importance

247
throes … yield
gives you much pain to bring forth

249
lord
i.e. Gonzalo

249
remembrance
memory

250
of … memory
as little remembered

251
earthed
dead and buried

252
spirit of
expert at, epitome of

252
only Professes
(as an adviser) makes it his sole vocation

260
high a hope
i.e. of gaining the crown

261
Ambition … there
ambition itself could not glimpse it and doubt that there is anything to achieve/ambition itself could not ordinarily proceed a fraction further without fear of discovery

268
leagues
a league was about three miles

268
man’s life
a lifetime’s journey

269
note
communication/information

269
post
messenger

271
from whom
i.e. returning from whose wedding

272
cast
vomited up

274
Whereof … prologue
in relation to which all that has gone before is only a prelude to what is to come

275
discharge
performance/management

276
stuff
notion/rubbish

279
space
distance

280
cubit
about twenty inches (the length of the forearm)

282
Measure us back
travel back over us (i.e. retrace her steps)

282
Keep
remain

283
wake
i.e. to his opportunity

286
he
i.e. Alonso

286
prate
prattle

288
make … chat
train a jackdaw to be as profound

289
bore … do
shared my intention/were of my way of thinking/were resolved like me

293
content
liking

294
Tender
value, regard

296
supplant
overthrow

298
garments
i.e. his duke’s robes

299
feater
with a better fit

300
fellows
companions, equals

300
men
servants

302
kibe
chilblain, blister

303
put me to
force me to wear

304
deity
i.e. conscience

305
candied
made of ice, crystallized

311
perpetual wink
endless sleep

311
aye
ever

312
morsel
piece of flesh/scrap

313
Should not
must not be allowed to

315
tell … hour
declare it is whatever time we require/agree to any business that we propose

320
tribute
annual sum payable by Antonio to Naples in return for receiving Alonso’s help in deposing Prospero

323
rear
raise

328
project
plan

331
time
opportunity

338
ghastly
full of fear

353
verily
certain

Act 2 Scene 2

2
flats
plain, swampy ground

3
inch-meal
inch by inch

4
nor
neither

4
pinch
torment

5
urchin-shows
goblin apparitions

6
firebrand
will-o’-the-wisp, moving light

9
mow
grimace, make faces

13
wound
wound round

13
cloven
split, forked

14.1
Trinculo
perhaps from the Italian
trincare
(“to drink eagerly”)

15
Lo
look

18
mind
notice

19
bear off
ward off

22
bombard
leather wine jug

27
poor-John
dried hake, a fish mainly eaten by the poor

29
fish painted
i.e. on a sign to attract passersby

30
make a man
make a man rich/be taken for a man

32
doit
trifling sum (a small Dutch coin)

33
dead Indian
American Indians were sometimes displayed to the paying public

33
Legged
with legs

34
let loose
take back

37
gaberdine
coarse-textured cloak

39
shroud
shelter

43
scurvy
wretched, disagreeable

45
swabber
sailor who washes the deck

49
tang
sting

51
savour
smell

52
tailor … itch
she would let a tailor (proverbially lecherous) have sex with her (
itch
may suggest venereal disease)

56
the matter
happening

57
Ind
India

59
proper
normal/fine