QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 3.4
SPEAKER: Pisanio
CONTEXT:
IMOGEN
Where then
Hath Britain all the sun that shines? Day, night,
Are they not but in Britain? I’ the world’s volume
Our Britain seems as of it, but not in ‘t;
In a great pool a swan’s nest: prithee, think
There’s livers out of Britain.
PISANIO
I am most glad
You think of other place. The ambassador,
Lucius the Roman, comes to Milford-Haven
To-morrow: now, if you could wear a mind
Dark as your fortune is, and but disguise
That which, to appear itself, must not yet be
But by self-danger, you should tread a course
Pretty and full of view; yea, haply, near
The residence of Posthumus; so nigh at least
That though his actions were not visible, yet
Report should render him hourly to your ear
As truly as he moves.
IMOGEN
O, for such means!
Though peril to my modesty, not death on’t,
I would adventure.
PISANIO
Well, then, here’s the point:
You must forget to be a woman; change
Command into obedience, fear and niceness—
The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,
Woman it pretty self—into a waggish courage,
Ready in gibes, quick-answered, saucy, and
As quarrellous as the weasel. Nay, you must
Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek,
Exposing it—but O, the harder heart!
Alack, no remedy—to the greedy touch
Of common-kissing Titan, and forget
Your laboursome and dainty trims, wherein
You made great Juno angry.
IMOGEN
Nay, be brief
I see into thy end, and am almost
A man already.

DUTCH:
Vergeet, dat gij een vrouw zijt; ruil ‘t gebieden.
Voor dienstbaarheid, de schuchterheid en kieschheid, —
Der vrouwen gezellinnen, ja veeleer,
Haar lieflijk wezen zelf, — voor dart’len moed;
Wees spotziek, onbeschaamd, vlug met de tong,
En twistziek als een wezel;

MORE:
Niceness=Delicacy, daintiness, coyness
Quarrellous as the weasel. Weasels were kept for killing vermin. Cf. Henry IV Part 1: “A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen as you are tossed with.”
Laboursome=Elabourate, requiring much pains and industry (also laboursome petition, Hamlet)
Common-kissing=Kissing anybody and anything
Trims=Ornamental dress
Compleat:
To gibe=Boerten, gekscheeren
Quarrelsome=Krakeelachtig, twistig, twistgierig, kyfachtig
Laboursom=Lastig, verdrdietig, verveelend
Niceness=Viezigheid, keurigheid

Burgersdijk notes:
Den fellen straler van omhoog. In het oorspronkelijke wordt gesproken van the greedg touch of common-kissing Titan. De zonnegod wordt meermalen Titan genoemd.

Topics: appearance, intellect, independence, language, reply