QUOTES FROM THE BARD

It is not fit your lordship should undertake every companion that you give offence to

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 2.1
SPEAKER: Second Lord
CONTEXT:
SECOND LORD
It is not fit your lordship should undertake every
companion that you give offence to.
CLOTEN
No, I know that: but it is fit I should commit
offence to my inferiors.
SECOND LORD
Ay, it is fit for your lordship only.
CLOTEN
Why, so I say.
FIRST LORD
Did you hear of a stranger that’s come to court
to-night?
CLOTEN
A stranger, and I not know on’t!
SECOND LORD
He’s a strange fellow himself, and knows it not.
FIRST LORD
There’s an Italian come; and, ’tis thought, one of
Leonatus’ friends.

DUTCH:
Het gaat niet aan, dat uwe edelheid met Jan en alleman
gaat vechten, wien gij goed vindt te beleedigen.


MORE:
Undertake=Take on, fight
Companion=Fellow
Commit offence=Fight with
Compleat:
To undertake=Onderneemen, by der hand vatten
Companion=Medegezel, medegenoot, maat, makker

Topics: conflict, offence, status, order/society

Rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others’ experiences

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 1.4
SPEAKER: Posthumus Leonatus
CONTEXT:
FRENCHMAN
Sir, you o’er-rate my poor kindness: I was glad I
did atone my countryman and you; it had been pity
you should have been put together with so mortal a
purpose as then each bore, upon importance of so
slight and trivial a nature.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller;
rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in
my every action to be guided by others’ experiences:
but upon my mended judgment—if I offend not to say
it is mended—my quarrel was not altogether slight.
FRENCHMAN
‘Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords,
and by such two that would by all likelihood have
confounded one the other, or have fallen both.
IACHIMO
Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?

DUTCH:
Met uw verlof, heer, toen ik die reis deed, was ik
wel is waar nog jong, en ik vermeed eer mee te gaan
met wat mij gezegd werd, dan dat ik mij van stap tot
stap had laten leiden door de ondervinding van anderen;
doch ook naar mijn rijper oordeel, — als het niet aanmatigend
is, het nu rijper te noemen, — was mijn geschil
geenszins zoo onbeteekenend.

MORE:
Atone=Reconcile
Put together=Set against each other
Mortal=Deadly
Importance=Affairs
Shunned=Refused
To go even=To accord
Mended=Improved
Arbitrement=Settlement
Confounded=Broken
Difference=Dispute
Compleat:
Atone=Verzoeen, bevreedigen
To shun=Vermyden, ontwyken, ontvlieden
To mend=Verbeteren, beteren’ verstellen, lappen
Arbitrable=Beslechtbaar, bemiddelbaar
Confound=Verwarren, verstooren, te schande maaken, verbysteren
Difference=Verschil, onderscheyd

Topics: conflict, age/experience, resolution

A contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 1.5
SPEAKER: Frenchman
CONTEXT:
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller;
rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in
my every action to be guided by others’ experiences:
but upon my mended judgment—if I offend not to say
it is mended—my quarrel was not altogether slight.
FRENCHMAN
‘Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords,
and by such two that would by all likelihood have
confounded one the other, or have fallen both.
IACHIMO
Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?
FRENCHMAN
Safely, I think: ’twas a contention in public,
which may, without contradiction, suffer the report.
It was much like an argument that fell out last
night, where each of us fell in praise of our
country mistresses; this gentleman at that time
vouching—and upon warrant of bloody
affirmation—his to be more fair, virtuous, wise,
chaste, constant-qualified and less attemptable
than any the rarest of our ladies in France.

DUTCH:
Volstrekt niet, naar ik meen; ‘t was een openlijke
woordentwist, die dus buiten tegenspraak ook verder
verteld mag worden

MORE:
Shunned=Refused
To go even=To accord
Mended=Improved
Arbitrement=Settlement
Confounded=Broken
Difference=Dispute
Contention in public=Public argument
Suffer=Allow
Attemptable=Easy
Compleat:
To shun=Vermyden, ontwyken, ontvlieden
To mend=Verbeteren, beteren’ verstellen, lappen
Arbitrable=Beslechtbaar, bemiddelbaar
Confound=Verwarren, verstooren, te schande maaken, verbysteren
Difference=Verschil, onderscheyd
Contention=Twist, krakkeel, geharrewar
Suffer=Toelaten

Topics: age/experience, wisdom, conflict

Ladies, you deserve to have a temple built you: all the swords in Italy, and her confederate arms, could not have made this peace

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER: Aufidius
CONTEXT:
AUFIDIUS
I was moved withal.
CORIOLANUS
I dare be sworn you were:
And, sir, it is no little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good sir,
What peace you’ll make, advise me: for my part,
I’ll not to Rome, I’ll back with you; and pray you,
Stand to me in this cause. O mother! wife!
AUFIDIUS
I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee: out of that I’ll work
Myself a former fortune.
CORIOLANUS
Ay, by and by;
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
A better witness back than words, which we,
On like conditions, will have counter-seal’d.
Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

DUTCH:
Gij verdient, o vrouwen!
Dat u ter eer een tempel word’ gesticht.
Want Rome had met al zijn bondgenooten
Door ‘t zwaard dien vrede niet erlangd!

MORE:
Witness=Testimony, attestation
Countersealed=Ratified together
Like=Similar
Compleat:
To bear witness=Getuigen, getuigenis geeven

Topics: conflict, resolution, respect

Categories: , , |

The people will remain uncertain whilst ’twixt you there’s difference; but the fall of either makes the survivor heir of all

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.6
SPEAKER: Third Conspirator
CONTEXT:
SECOND CONSPIRATOR
Most noble sir,
If you do hold the same intent wherein
You wish’d us parties, we’ll deliver you
Of your great danger.
AUFIDIUS
Sir, I cannot tell:
We must proceed as we do find the people.
THIRD CONSPIRATOR
The people will remain uncertain whilst
’Twixt you there’s difference; but the fall of either
Makes the survivor heir of all.
AUFIDIUS
I know it;
And my pretext to strike at him admits
A good construction. I raised him, and I pawn’d
Mine honour for his truth: who being so heighten’d,
He water’d his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
He bow’d his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable and free.

DUTCH:
Steeds wankel blijft het volk, zoolang er strijd
Is tusschen u en hem, maar de ondergang
Van de’ een doet de’ ander alles erven.

MORE:
Construction=Interpretation
A good construction=Well-founded
Pawn=Pledge
To bow=To crush, to strain
Compleat:
To bow=Buigen, neigen, bukken
Construction=Uitlegging; woordenschikking
To pawn=Verpanden

Topics: reputation, uncertainty, conflict, rivalry

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