All's Well That Ends Well (36 page)

243
good lord
i.e. patron (rather than employer)

243
Whom
he whom

248
garter
tie (with scarves)

248
hose
stockings, usually tied up with garters

249
set … stands
put your penis where your nose should be/smell your bottom

253
breathe
exercise (through fighting)

254
measure
treatment/judgment

255
Go to
expression of dismissive impatience

255
picking … pomegranate
i.e. a small offense, as an excuse

256
vagabond
itinerant vagrant, traveling without license

257
true
honest/licensed

257
saucy
insolent

258
commission
warrant, allowance

259
heraldry
i.e. authority, entitlement

263
Undone
ruined

263
cares
troubles, sorrows

272
import
content, sense

275
box
container/vagina

276
kicky-wicky
woman

277
Spending
expending/wasting/ejaculating

277
marrow
vitality/sexual energy/semen

278
curvet
horse's leap

280
jades
worn-out horses

286
furnish me to
equip me for

286
fields
battlefields

288
To
compared to

288
dark house
gloomy house/lunatic asylum

289
capriccio
“whim” (Italian)

289
Art
are you

291
straight
immediately

293
balls bound
tennis balls bounce (i.e. are spirited, to be reckoned with; plays on the sense of “testicles”)

294
marred
ruined (plays on
married
)

Act 2 Scene 4

1
kindly
affectionately/as a mother

2
well
i.e. at rest, dead

4
wants
lacks

14
them
i.e. your
good fortune

15
them
i.e. my prayers

16
So
provided that

17
did
may pun on “died”

19
man's
servant's

20
shakes out
brings about

22
title
status as man or servant/name (“Parolles,” or “words”; also puns on “tittle”—i.e. “tiny amount”)

25
Before
in the presence of

26
Before me
i.e. upon my soul

28
Go to
i.e. enough of that

28
found thee
found you out, found you to be a fool

29
me
i.e. folly

31
even to
i.e. enough for

33
well fed
probably refers to “better fed than taught” (proverbial); possibly “energetic, spirited”

36
rite of love
i.e. sexual consummation of marriage

38
to
owing to

39
Whose … delay
the delay and absence of which

39
sweets
sweet-scented flowers

40
they
i.e.
want
and
delay

40
curbèd
restrained

42
drown
overflow

43
else
besides

45
make
represent

45
as
as if it were

45
proceeding
course of action/idea

46
apology
excuse

47
probable need
plausible necessity

50
Attend
await

50
pleasure
command, will

Act 2 Scene 5

2
approof
proven quality/testimony

3
deliverance
utterance

5
dial
timepiece/compass

5
I … bunting
i.e. I underestimated him; reversal of “to take a bunting for a lark” (proverbial; the
lark
was the superior bird)

8
accordingly
suitably

10
state
i.e. condition of my soul

11
find
find it

15
tailor
refers to Parolles' garments; “the tailor makes the man” is proverbial

22
you'll have
you wanted

27
something
i.e. an asset, with plenty of stories to tell the guests

28
three thirds
i.e. all the time

31
unkindness
ill will

35
made shift
contrived

36
him … custard
the jester who traditionally jumped into
custard
at the Lord Mayor's annual feast in London

37
suffer question
endure questioning

38
residence
i.e. why you are there

39
mistaken
misjudged/misidentified (Lafew shifts the sense to “been offended by him”)

43
heavy
serious/not
light

44
them tame
such creatures as pets

45
to deserve
deserve

47
idle
foolish

49
know
i.e. rather than merely
think

51
pass
reputation

51
clog
hindrance (block of wood tied to man or animal to prevent escape)

54
present parting
immediate departure

58
colour
appropriate character

58
time
i.e. the immediate aftermath of marriage

59
ministration … particular
duty and obligation of me as husband

64
muse
wonder

65
respects
reasons

66
appointments
purposes, affairs

75
observance
dutiful service

75
eke out
supplement, increase

76
homely stars
humble origins

77
great fortune
i.e. as your wife

79
Hie
hurry

82
owe
own

84
fain
willingly

85
vouch
affirm to be

88
would
want

90
sunder
part

91
stay
delay

98
corragio
“courage” (Italian)

Act 3 Scene 1

3.1
Location: Florence

1
from … point
in every detail

3
Whose great decision
the deciding of which

6
black
wicked

7
opposer
enemy's part

8
cousin
i.e. fellow sovereign

9
bosom
heart

10
borrowing prayers
entreaties for assistance

12
yield
give up, share

13
But
except as

13
common … man
ordinary external observer

14
figure
scheme, devisings

14
frames
constructs, guesses at

15
self-unable motion
inadequate conjectures

19
his pleasure
as he (the King of France) wishes

20
younger … nature
young men of our temperament, outlook (some editors emend “nature” to “nation”)

21
surfeit … ease
grow sick of overindulgence in leisure

22
physic
cure, perhaps by letting blood through war

24
fly from
be bestowed by

26
better fall
better places fall vacant

26
avails
advantages (as you may fill them)

Act 3 Scene 2

3.2
Location: Rossillion

3
troth
faith

5
observance
observation, signs

6
mend
adjust

8
sold
who sold

12
mind to
inclination for

13
lings
salt cod, slang for “vaginas/whores” (similar play possible in
country
)

14
brains
plays on the sense of “semen” (thus making
Cupid
a personified penis and giving
knocked out
sexual connotations)

16
stomach
appetite

18
E'en
just, the same as

19
recovered
cured

21
“not”
with a pun on the marital knot

23
hold
remain at

26
fly
flee

28
misprizing
despising/undervaluing

29
of empire
even of an emperor

30
heavy
sad/serious

30
within
inside

38
standing to't
standing one's ground/having an erection (both courses of action may lead to death—literally and in the sense of “orgasm”)

39
getting
begetting, conception

41
Save
God save

45
quirks
turns

46
face
appearance

46
on the start
at its sudden arrival

47
woman
make behave like a woman, i.e. weep

49
thitherward
on his way there

49
thence
from there

50
dispatch in hand
settlement of business

51
bend
direct our steps

52
passport
license to travel

56
sentence
statement/judgment

60
have … cheer
bear a happier countenance/be encouraged

61
engrossest
monopolize

61
are
that are

62
moiety
share/half

64
all my
my only

69
convenience
propriety

76
haply
perhaps

81
rude
ignorant/unkind/rough

88
a well-derivèd
his own well-descended

89
his inducement
Parolles' bad influence

91
deal
quantity

91
that
influence

92
holds … have
maintains and benefits him considerably

97
Written
in writing

100
but … courtesies
only insofar as I am able to repay your courtesy

100
change
exchange

101
draw near
come along (with me)

104
Rossillion
i.e. Bertram

107
event
outcome

109
sportive
playful/lighthearted/amorous

110
mark
target

111
leaden messengers
i.e. bullets

113
move
part/stir (to pity) (sometimes emended to “cleave” or “wound”)

113
still-peering
ever watchful (some editors emend to “still-piecing”)

114
sings
i.e. whistles as a bullet pierces it/cries in pain/sings in indifference