All's Well That Ends Well (32 page)

122
got
begotten, conceived

123
That
that which

123
mettle
substance/coinage (indistinguishable from “metal” in Shakespearean usage)

125
found
i.e. duplicated in reproduction (by producing ten virgins)

125
cold
chaste

127
stand for't
defend it

129
in't
in its defense

130
part
behalf (puns on the sense of “genitals”)

131
infallible
certain

131
He … virgin
i.e. like a virgin who refuses to reproduce, a crime likened to suicide

133
highways … limit
traditionally suicides were buried at crossroads, in unconsecrated ground

134
desperate
reckless/dangerous

134
offendress
female offender

135
paring
rind

136
his
its

136
stomach
appetite/pride

137
peevish
stubborn, perverse

138
inhibited
prohibited

138
canon
list of Church laws

139
lose
fail to profit (puns on the idea of “losing” one's virginity)

139
Out with't!
Away with it!/put it out to interest

139
make itself two
double in value (by increasing at rate of 10 percent per year)

140
principal
initial investment

142
How
what

143
it
i.e. virginity

144
gloss
freshness/shine

144
lying
remaining unused (may play on the sense of “lying down”)

145
vendible
salable, marketable

145
Answer … request
respond to current consumer demand

147
suited
dressed

147
unsuitable
unfashionable

148
toothpick
ornate toothpicks were fashionable for a period

148
wear not
are not in fashion

148
date
fruit/age/penis

149
pie
with vaginal connotations

149
porridge
stew (with vaginal connotations)

149
in your cheek
i.e. as sign of increasing age

151
pears
with vaginal connotations

151
eats dryly
tastes dry

155
There
i.e. at court

156
mother
here begins a list of names and relationships found in love poetry

157
phoenix
i.e. paragon, wonder (literally, mythical Arabian bird that was consumed by fire every five hundred years, then resurrected from the ashes; only one existed at a time)

161
concord
harmony

161
dulcet
sweet

162
disaster
unlucky star

163
fond
affectionate/foolish

163
adoptious
adopted

163
christendoms
baptismal (Christian) names

164
blinking
blind

164
gossips
is godparent to

165
well
fortune

170
body
i.e. something tangible

172
baser stars
lesser fortunes

172
shut … in
confine us to

173
effects of them
i.e. fulfilled wishes

174
alone must think
must only think (not do)

175
Returns us
thanks
give us gratitude, reward

180
Mars
Roman god of war

180
ay
“I” in Folio, but likely to be heard by the audience as an ironic “yes” (Mars not being not known for charity)

183
under
down/in a lowly position

185
predominant
in the ascendant, dominant

186
retrograde
moving in a contrary direction, backward

188
backward
i.e. in retreat, fleeing the enemy

189
advantage
tactical gain (Helen shifts the sense to “personal interest”)

191
composition
mixture/constitution (plays on the sense of “truce”)

192
wing
ability to fly swiftly/jacket's shoulder flap (may pun on the sense of “flank of troops”)

192
wear
fashion

194
perfect
(the) complete

194
in the which
i.e. in which manner

195
naturalize
accustom

196
capable of
receptive to/have (sexual) capacity for

197
thrust
with sexual connotations

198
makes thee away
sees you off

199
leisure
opportunity

201
use
treat/employ sexually

203
fated
fateful/with power over destiny

205
designs
undertakings/plans

205
dull
sluggish

207
feed
satisfy (my longing)

208
The
across the

208
space in fortune
gap in social status/difference in fortunes

209
like likes
kindred affections

209
native
closely related/of similar rank/natural

210
strange attempts
extraordinary endeavors (to be united)

211
weigh … sense
evaluate their efforts according to common sense

213
miss
fail to achieve

Act 1 Scene 2

1.2
Location: Paris

1.2
Flourish
fanfare, usually accompanying a person in authority

1.2
divers
various

1
Florentines
people from Florence (northern Italian city, capital of Tuscany)

1
Senoys
people from Siena

1
by th'ears
at odds, fighting

3
braving
defiant

6
cousin
fellow monarch of

7
move
urge, appeal to

8
dearest friend
i.e. Austria

9
Prejudicates
prejudges

10
make denial
i.e. deny aid to the Florentines

12
Approved
established, proved

13
credence
trust

14
armed
fortified (against entreaties)

15
Florence
ruler of Florence

16
for
as for

16
see
i.e. take part in

17
service
military service

18
stand
serve, fight

18
part
side

20
nursery
training ground

20
sick
longing

21
breathing and exploit
active military employment

26
Frank
generous

26
rather … haste
more fastidious than hasty

27
parts
qualities

30
corporal soundess
good physical health

32
tried
tested

32
did … service
had deep knowledge of military matters

33
was Discipled of
taught/was taught by

34
bravest
boldest/finest/noblest

35
haggish
haglike, repulsive/frosty

36
out of act
down beyond action

36
repairs
restores, revives

40
scorn
mockery

40
return … unnoted
goes unheeded/is visited back upon them

41
Ere
before

41
levity in honour
lightheartedness in honorable action

42
contempt
neither contempt

44
equal
i.e. social equal

44
awaked
provoked

45
Clock to itself
true to itself, reliable, self-governing

45
true
exact

46
Exception
grievance/disapproval

47
hand
hand of action/hand of his honor's clock, showing the appropriate time

47
Who
those who

48
used
treated

48
another place
different (higher) rank

49
top
head

51
humbled
humbled himself

52
copy
example/model

53
them … backward
men of today to be merely inferior

57
So … epitaph
his epitaph is nowhere so profoundly confirmed

57
approof
proof, experience/approbation

60
plausive
praising

61
scattered not
did not disperse randomly

61
grafted
cultivated deliberately

62
bear
i.e. bear fruit

64
On … heel
at the conclusion and end

64
pastime
entertainment, leisure activity

65
out
over

66
snuff
burnt-out wick/hindrance

67
apprehensive
perceptive/quick-witted

69
Mere … garments
only capable of inventing new fashions

69
constancies
loyalties

71
I … too
I, surviving him, also wish (plays on idea of following into death)

72
nor
neither

73
were
would be

73
dissolvèd
released

74
labourers
productive worker bees

76
lend
show, give

76
it
i.e. love

76
lack
miss

82
the rest
i.e. other physicians

83
several
various

83
applications
treatments

84
Debate
contend over

84
it
i.e. his health

Act 1 Scene 3

1.3
Location: Rossillion Lavatch
probably from the French
la vache
(“the cow”)

1
gentlewoman
i.e. Helen

2
even your content
please you

3
calendar
record

4
clearness
purity

5
of … them
we speak openly of our own merits

5
deservings
merits, deserts

6
sirrah
sir (used to a social inferior)

11
poor
wretched, humble (sense then shifts to “impoverished”)

12
Well
i.e. go on (Lavatch shifts the sense to “satisfactory”)

15
go … world
i.e. get married

15
Isbel
typical name for a whore

15
woman
female servant/whore

16
do
act/have sex

17
needs
of necessity

20
case
puns on the sense of “vagina”

20
Service
employment as a servant (plays on the sense of “sex”)

20
heritage
inheritance (for children)

22
issue … body
i.e. children