Cymbeline (40 page)

87
So
so be it

88
pleasure
desire, aim

89
the remain
that remains (to say)

Act 3 Scene 2

1
How?
What?

1
Wherefore
why

5
As … handed
as capable a poisoner by word as by hand

7
truth
loyalty

7
undergoes
endures

9
take in
defeat, conquer

9
some virtue
some people’s virtue

12
Upon
because of

17
fact
deed

20
Senseless bauble
unfeeling, worthless thing

21
fedary
confederate, accomplice

23
ignorant in
to pretend to be ignorant of

27
astronomer
includes sense of an “astrologer”

28
characters
handwriting

30
relish
taste

31
not
i.e. not his content

33
med’cinable
restorative, able to heal

34
physic love
i.e. being apart makes love healthier, stronger

35
wax
i.e. used to seal the letter

35
thy leave
by thy leave; Innogen is asking its permission for her to break it and read the letter

36
locks of counsel
seals to secrecy, private matters

38
forfeiters
defaulters of contracts

39
Cupid’s
of Cupid, Roman god of love

39
tables
writing tablets

42
even renew
could not restore

43
Cambria
Wales

43
Milford Haven
most southwesterly Welsh port

49
mean affairs
trivial business

53
bate
abate, i.e. qualify what I have just said

54
fainter kind
more moderate fashion

55
mine
my longing (to see Posthumus)

55
thick
fast, the words crammed together

56
bores of hearing
i.e. ears

57
smothering
overwhelming

58
by th’way
on the way

61
steal
creep away, surreptitiously go

63
to excuse
i.e. how to explain our absence

63
how get hence
how to get away

64
Why … begot
? i.e. why should an excuse be made before the act which needs excusing has been performed

66
score
twenty

66
well
possibly/comfortably

67
’Twixt … hour
i.e. in an hour

68
’twixt … sun
i.e. in a day

71
riding wagers
horse races with bets on them

73
i’th’clock’s behalf
in place of a clock, i.e. an hourglass

74
feign
pretend to be affected by

75
home
go home

75
presently
immediately

76
fit
be suitable for

77
franklin
small landowner, below the rank of a gentleman

78
you’re best
you had better

79
before me
what’s in front of me

79
nor
neither

80
what ensues
what will happen

80
but
but that they

83
none
no route

Act 3 Scene 3

3.3
Location: Wales, outside Belarius’ cave

1
keep house
stay inside

1
with such
among those

2
gate
entrance

3
Instructs … heavens
i.e. by forcing you to bow

4
office
divine service

5
jet
strut

6
impious turbans
i.e. non-Christian (
giants
were frequently imaged as Saracens in Romance literature)

8
use
treat

8
hardly
badly

9
prouder livers
those who live more ostentatiously

13
these flats
this plain

15
place
physical position/social rank

15
lessens … off
diminishes and enhances

16
revolve
consider/turn over in the mind

17
tricks
accidents

19
so allowed
acknowledged as such

19
apprehend thus
look at things in this way

22
sharded
living in dung/with scaly wings

22
hold
stronghold, refuge

24
attending
serving/awaiting

24
for
in exchange for

24
check
rebuke

25
robe
i.e. robe of office

27
Such
those who do so

27
gain … fine
gain the respect (by doffing the cap) of the tailor that provides their

27
fine
clothes

28
Yet … uncrossed
i.e. the debts in his account book never get crossed off

28
to
compared to

29
proof
experience

29
unfledged
young things; literally of young birds “not yet covered with feathers”

31
air’s from home
the air is like away from home

31
Haply
perhaps

34
stiff
rigid, not flexible or pliant

35
travelling abed
i.e. in the imagination, dreaming of going places

37
stride a limit
step over the threshold, go out

41
pinching
bitingly cold/narrowly restricting

43
beastly
beastlike

44
Like
as

45
what flies
what runs away, i.e. food or prey (as opposed to men who would stand and fight)

49
usuries
corrupt financial practices

50
knowingly
i.e. from experience

50
art
artifice/artfulness

51
keep
stay in

54
pain
labor, effort

56
oft
often

57
record … act
i.e. report of good deeds

58
Doth ill deserve
i.e. is ill rewarded

59
curtsy … censure
bow at the (unjust) reproof

61
report
reputation

62
best of note
most renowned, distinguished

63
theme
topic of discussion

64
as
like

67
mellow hangings
ripe fruit

68
weather
bad weather i.e. ill fortune

69
favour
goodwill, especially of a superior or multitude

72
perfect
unblemished, true

74
this
these

75
demesnes
lands, domains

76
at
in

78
fore-end
early part

78
time
life

80
venison
deer

81
minister
be servants

82
attends … state
is an ever-present threat in places of greater status, pomp

84
sparks of nature
signs of inherent qualities

87
trained … meanly
brought up in such a humble way/in such lowly surroundings

88
they bow
i.e. because the roof is so low

88
hit
i.e. reach as high as

90
prince it
behave like princes

91
trick
capacity, skill

94
three-foot
i.e. having three legs (a modest item of furniture)

96
say
when I say

99
nerves
sinews

101
in … figure
in a similar fashion/posture

102
much more
i.e. than Guiderius

103
conceiving
understanding (of the story)

103
Hark … roused!
Listen, the quarry (the animal being hunted) is driven from cover!

105
whereon
for which reason

107
bar
deprive

107
succession
successors (to the throne)

108
reft’st
robbed

109
nurse
wet nurse, i.e. a woman employed to suckle another woman’s children

110
her
i.e. Euriphile’s

Act 3 Scene 4

3.4
Location: near Milford Haven

1
came from horse
dismounted

2
ne’er … now
i.e. the longing I have now (to see Posthumus) exceeds my mother’s longing to see me for the first time

6
but painted thus
i.e. who looked like that in a picture

7
perplexed
troubled, distressed/confused

8
self-explication
the ability to explain themselves

8
put … fear
i.e. don’t act in such a frightening way

9
ere
before

10
staider
calmer, more settled

11
tender’st thou
do you offer

11
paper
letter

12
summer
i.e. good

13
to’t before
i.e. before giving it to me/in accordance with it (the good news)

13
winterly
i.e. bad

14
But
only

14
hand
handwriting

15
drug-damned Italy
Italians had a reputation for knowledge of poisons and other substances

15
out-craftied
outwitted through guile

16
hard point
tight spot, difficult situation

16
tongue … extremity
i.e. telling me what’s in it may help me bear the worst

18
mortal
fatal

23
testimonies
evidence

23
lies … me
i.e. has cut me to the quick

25
grief
injury/anguish

27
tainted
contaminated

30
pander
procurer, pimp

32
What
why, for what purpose

35
Outvenoms
is more poisonous than

35
worms of Nile
serpents of the Nile; the allusion is to the asp, which Cleopatra used to kill herself

36
posting winds
i.e. speeding, like a post-horse, the winds carry the slanderous news far and wide

36
belie
deceive, spread lies over

37
states
people of high rank, statesmen/countries

42
’twixt … clock
from hour to hour

42
charge
overcomes, i.e. so that I go to sleep

46
Thy conscience witness
perhaps addressed to the absent Posthumus

47
incontinency
unchastity, lack of sexual self-control

49
favour’s
appearance is

49
jay
whore, literally a brightly colored bird

50
painting
use of cosmetics

51
stale
out of date/a lover made the object of ridicule for a rival’s amusement

52
richer … th’walls
too valuable to just hang on a wall (like an old coat)