QUOTES FROM THE BARD

Your pleasure was my mere offence

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.5
SPEAKER: Belarius
CONTEXT:
BELARIUS
So sure as you your father’s. I, old Morgan,
Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish’d:
Your pleasure was my mere offence, my punishment
Itself, and all my treason; that I suffer’d
Was all the harm I did. These gentle princes—
For such and so they are—these twenty years
Have I train’d up: those arts they have as I
Could put into them; my breeding was, sir, as
Your highness knows. Their nurse, Euriphile,
Whom for the theft I wedded, stole these children
Upon my banishment: I moved her to’t,
Having received the punishment before,
For that which I did then: beaten for loyalty
Excited me to treason: their dear loss,
The more of you ’twas felt, the more it shaped
Unto my end of stealing them. But, gracious sir,
Here are your sons again; and I must lose
Two of the sweet’st companions in the world.
The benediction of these covering heavens
Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To inlay heaven with stars.
CYMBELINE
Thou weep’st, and speak’st.
The service that you three have done is more
Unlike than this thou tell’st. I lost my children:
If these be they, I know not how to wish
A pair of worthier sons.

DUTCH:
Uw machtspreuk was mijn heel vergrijp, mijn straf,
En heel mijn hoogverraad; mijn onrecht was
Onrecht te lijden


MORE:
Pleasure=Amusement
Mere offence=Only wrongdoing
Gentle=Noble
Arts=Skills
Moved=Persuaded
Excited=Incited
Unlike=Unlikely
Compleat:
Pleasure=Vermaak, vermaakelykheid, verlustiging, pleizier, welbehaagen
Mere (meer)=Louter, enkel
Gentle=Aardig, edelmoedig
Art=Behendigheid
Moved=Bewoogen, verroerd, ontroerd

Topics: offence, punishment, vanity, betrayal

When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridgement hath to it circumstantial branches which distinction should be rich in

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.5
SPEAKER: Cymbeline
CONTEXT:
CYMBELINE
When shall I hear all through?
This fierce abridgement
Hath to it circumstantial branches which
Distinction should be rich in. Where, how lived you?
And when came you to serve our Roman captive?
How parted with your brothers ? How first met them?
Why fled you from the court? And whither? These,
And your three motives to the battle, with
I know not how much more, should be demanded,
And all the other by-dependences
From chance to chance; but nor the time nor place
Will serve our long interrogatories. See,
Posthumus anchors upon Imogen;
And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him, her brothers, me, her master, hitting
Each object with a joy; the counterchange
Is severally in all. Let’s quit this ground,
And smoke the temple with our sacrifices.
Thou art my brother, so we’ll hold thee ever.

DUTCH:
O, wond’re neiging!
Wanneer verneem ik alles nog? Deez’ schets,
Zoo haastig, duidt het overrijke takwerk
Nauw aan, dat ik nog volgen, kennen moet.
Waar leefdet gij, en hoe?

MORE:
Fierce=Savagely cut (abstract)
Abridgement=Summary, abstract
Circumstantial branches which distinction should be rich in=Providing ample narrative for consideration of parts and details
Your three motives=The motives of you three
By-dependences=Side issues
Interrogatories [Intergatories]=Examination, question
Chance to chance=Describing every event
Counterchange=Reciprocation
Severally=Every one in his particular way and manner
Smoke=Perfume with smoke
Compleat:
Fierce=Heftig, vel, vinnig; wreed; trots
Abridgement=Een verkortsel
Circumstantial=Omstandig
To circumstantiate=Met omstandigheden beschryven
Dependance, dependency=Afhangendheid, afhanglykheid, vertrouwen, steunsel, steun
Interrogatory=Ondervraagende; een ondervraaging, vraagstuk
Chance=Geval, voorval, kans
Counter-change=Ruilen
Severally=Verscheidenlyk

Topics: intellect, nature, justification, reason, reply

Nor the time nor place will serve our long interrogatories

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.5
SPEAKER: Cymbeline
CONTEXT:
CYMBELINE
When shall I hear all through?
This fierce abridgement
Hath to it circumstantial branches which
Distinction should be rich in. Where, how lived you?
And when came you to serve our Roman captive?
How parted with your brothers ? How first met them?
Why fled you from the court? And whither? These,
And your three motives to the battle, with
I know not how much more, should be demanded,
And all the other by-dependences
From chance to chance; but nor the time nor place
Will serve our long interrogatories. See,
Posthumus anchors upon Imogen;
And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him, her brothers, me, her master, hitting
Each object with a joy; the counterchange
Is severally in all. Let’s quit this ground,
And smoke the temple with our sacrifices.
Thou art my brother, so we’ll hold thee ever.

DUTCH:
Ja meer, veel meer nog heb ik na te vragen,
En al wat daarmee samenhangt te volgen,
En stap voor stap. Doch ‘t is nu tijd noch plaats
Voor zulk een onderzoekend vragen.

MORE:
Fierce=Savagely cut (abstract)
Abridgement=Summary, abstract
Circumstantial branches which distinction should be rich in=Providing ample narrative for consideration of parts and details
Your three motives=The motives of you three
By-dependences=Side issues
Interrogatories [Intergatories]=Examination, question
Chance to chance=Describing every event
Counterchange=Reciprocation
Severally=Every one in his particular way and manner
Smoke=Perfume with smoke
Compleat:
Fierce=Heftig, vel, vinnig; wreed; trots
Abridgement=Een verkortsel
Circumstantial=Omstandig
To circumstantiate=Met omstandigheden beschryven
Dependance, dependency=Afhangendheid, afhanglykheid, vertrouwen, steunsel, steun
Interrogatory=Ondervraagende; een ondervraaging, vraagstuk
Chance=Geval, voorval, kans
Counter-change=Ruilen
Severally=Verscheidenlyk

Topics: intellect, nature, justification, reason, reply

Must I repent? I cannot do it better than in gyves, desired more than constrained

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.4
SPEAKER: Posthumus
CONTEXT:
JAILER
You shall not now be stol’n; you have locks upon you.
So graze as you find pasture
SECOND JAILER
Ay, or a stomach
POSTHUMUS
Most welcome, bondage! for thou art a way,
think, to liberty: yet am I better
Than one that’s sick o’ the gout; since he had rather
Groan so in perpetuity than be cured
By the sure physician, death, who is the key
To unbar these locks. My conscience, thou art fetter’d
More than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give me
The penitent instrument to pick that bolt,
Then, free for ever! Is’t enough I am sorry?
So children temporal fathers do appease;
Gods are more full of mercy. Must I repent?
I cannot do it better than in gyves,
Desired more than constrain’d: to satisfy,
If of my freedom ’tis the main part, take
No stricter render of me than my all.
I know you are more clement than vile men,
Who of their broken debtors take a third,
A sixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again
On their abatement: that’s not my desire:
For Imogen’s dear life take mine; and though
‘Tis not so dear, yet ’tis a life; you coin’d it:
‘Tween man and man they weigh not every stamp;
Though light, take pieces for the figure’s sake:
You rather mine, being yours: and so, great powers,
If you will take this audit, take this life,
And cancel these cold bonds. O Imogen!
I’ll speak to thee in silence.

DUTCH:
Verlangt gij
Berouw? toon ik dit meer ooit dan in keet’nen,
Gewenscht, niet opgedrongen

MORE:
You shall not now be stolen=Alluding to the custom of puting a lock on a horse’s leg when it is put out to pasture (Johnson)
Penitent instrument=A means of freeing conscience of its guilt (Rolfe)
Groan=To utter a mournful voice in pain or sorrow
Temporal=Pertaining to this life or this world, not spiritual, not eternal
Gyves=fetters
Render=A surrender, a giving up
Stricter=More rigorous
Stamp=Coin with the sovereign’s head impressed
Though light, take pieces…=It was common practice for forgers lighten the weight of coins in order to conserve material.
Take this audit=Accept this settlement of accounts
Clement=Disposed to kindness, mild
Compleat:
Gyves=Boeijen, kluisters
Constrained=Bedwongen, gedrongen, gepraamd
Strict=Gestreng
Clement=Goedertieren, zachtzinnig
Audit=Het nazien der Rekeningen
Penitent=Boetvaardig, berouw toonend
Temporal (secular, not spiritual)=Waereldlyk

Burgersdijk notes:
“Nu steelt u niemand, met dat blok aan ‘t been; Graas nu zoover gij weide hebt”. Zooals men wel een paard in de weide met een ketting en slot bevestigt opdat het niet gestolen worde of wegloope.

Topics: regret, guilt, remedy, death, conscience

My conscience, thou art fettered more than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give me the penitent instrument to pick that bolt

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.4
SPEAKER: Posthumus
CONTEXT:
JAILER
You shall not now be stol’n; you have locks upon you.
So graze as you find pasture
SECOND JAILER
Ay, or a stomach
POSTHUMUS
Most welcome, bondage! for thou art a way,
think, to liberty: yet am I better
Than one that’s sick o’ the gout; since he had rather
Groan so in perpetuity than be cured
By the sure physician, death, who is the key
To unbar these locks. My conscience, thou art fetter’d
More than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give me
The penitent instrument to pick that bolt,
Then, free for ever! Is’t enough I am sorry?
So children temporal fathers do appease;
Gods are more full of mercy. Must I repent?
I cannot do it better than in gyves,
Desired more than constrain’d: to satisfy,
If of my freedom ’tis the main part, take
No stricter render of me than my all.
I know you are more clement than vile men,
Who of their broken debtors take a third,
A sixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again
On their abatement: that’s not my desire:
For Imogen’s dear life take mine; and though
‘Tis not so dear, yet ’tis a life; you coin’d it:
‘Tween man and man they weigh not every stamp;
Though light, take pieces for the figure’s sake:
You rather mine, being yours: and so, great powers,
If you will take this audit, take this life,
And cancel these cold bonds. O Imogen!
I’ll speak to thee in silence.

DUTCH:
Mijn geweten,
Gij draagt meer kluisters dan mijn pols en enkels;
O, goden, moog’ mijn boete ‘t werktuig zijn,
Die kluisters te oop nen; dan, voor eeuwig Vrij!

MORE:
You shall not now be stolen=Alluding to the custom of puting a lock on a horse’s leg when it is put out to pasture (Johnson)
Penitent instrument=A means of freeing conscience of its guilt (Rolfe)
Groan=To utter a mournful voice in pain or sorrow
Temporal=Pertaining to this life or this world, not spiritual, not eternal
Gyves=fetters
Render=A surrender, a giving up
Stricter=More rigorous
Stamp=Coin with the sovereign’s head impressed
Though light, take pieces…=It was common practice for forgers lighten the weight of coins in order to conserve material.
Take this audit=Accept this settlement of accounts
Clement=Disposed to kindness, mild
Compleat:
Gyves=Boeijen, kluisters
Constrained=Bedwongen, gedrongen, gepraamd
Strict=Gestreng
Clement=Goedertieren, zachtzinnig
Audit=Het nazien der Rekeningen
Penitent=Boetvaardig, berouw toonend
Temporal (secular, not spiritual)=Waereldlyk

Burgersdijk notes:
“Nu steelt u niemand, met dat blok aan ‘t been; Graas nu zoover gij weide hebt”. Zooals men wel een paard in de weide met een ketting en slot bevestigt opdat het niet gestolen worde of wegloope.

Topics: regret, guilt, remedy, conscience, debt/obligation

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