QUOTES FROM THE BARD

For it will come to pass that every braggart shall be found an ass

PLAY: All’s Well that Ends Well
ACT/SCENE: 4.3
SPEAKER: Parolles
CONTEXT:
FIRST SOLDIER
You are undone, captain, all but your scarf; that has a knot on’t yet
PAROLLES
Who cannot be crushed with a plot?
FIRST SOLDIER
If you could find out a country where but women were
that had received so much shame, you might begin an
impudent nation. Fare ye well, sir; I am for France too: we shall speak of you there.
PAROLLES
Yet am I thankful if my heart were great
‘Twould burst at this. Captain I’ll be no more;
But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft
As captain shall: simply the thing I am
Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this; for it will come to pass
That every braggart shall be found an ass.
Rust, sword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame! being fooled, by foolery thrive!
There ‘s place and means for every man alive.
I’ll after them.

DUTCH:
Wie zich pocher weet,
Hij lette op mij; dan ziet hij, dat in ‘t end
Elk pocher steeds als ezel wordt herkend.


MORE:
Impudent=Shameless
Braggart=Boaster
Found an ass=Shown to be an ass
Shame=Dishonour, disgrace
Compleat:
Impudent=Onbeschaamd, schaamteloos
Shame (reproach, ignominy)=Schande
Shamefull=Schandelyk, snood; Op een schandelyke wyze

Topics: truth, honesty, discovery

Thy casement I need not open, for I look through thee

PLAY: All’s Well that Ends Well
ACT/SCENE: 2.3
SPEAKER: Lafew
CONTEXT:
LAFEW
I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be a pretty wise fellow: thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel; it might pass: yet the scarfs and the bannerets about thee did manifoldly dissuade me from believing thee a vessel of too great a burthen.
I have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I care not; yet art thou good for nothing but taking up, and that thou’rt scarce worth.
PAROLLES
Hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity upon thee
LAFEW
Do not plunge thyself too far in anger, lest thou
hasten thy trial; which if—Lord have mercy on thee
for a hen! So, my good window of lattice, fare thee
well: thy casement I need not open, for I look
through thee. Give me thy hand.
PAROLLES
My lord, you give me most egregious indignity.

DUTCH:
En daarmee, mijn good tralievenster, vaarwel! ik behoef uw luik niet te openen, want ik zie u door en door. Geef mij de hand.

MORE:
Proverb: As good (better) lost as (than) found

Ordinaries=Mealtimes
Tolerable vent=Reasonable account
Banneret=Little flag
Taking up=Contradict
Window of lattice=Transparent like a latticed window (punning on Lettice, used for ruffs and caps)
Casement=Part of a window that opens on a hinge
Egregious=Extraordinary, enormous
Indignity=Contemptuous injury, insult
Compleat:
Ordinary=Drooggastery, Gaarkeuken, Ordinaris
Vent=Lugt, togt, gerucht
To eat ant an ordinary=In een ordinaris eten
Take up=Berispen; bestraffen
Lattice=Een houten traali
Casement=Een kykvernstertje, een glaze venster dat men open doet
Egregious=Treffelyk, braaf, heerlyk
Indignity=Smaad

Topics: proverbs and idioms, wisdom, appearance, discovery, understanding

I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be a pretty wise fellow

PLAY: All’s Well that Ends Well
ACT/SCENE: 2.3
SPEAKER: Lafew
CONTEXT:
LAFEW
I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be a pretty wise fellow: thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel; it might pass: yet the scarfs and the bannerets about thee did manifoldly dissuade me from believing thee a vessel of too great a burthen.
I have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I care not; yet art thou good for nothing but taking up, and that thou’rt scarce worth.
PAROLLES
Hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity upon thee
LAFEW
Do not plunge thyself too far in anger, lest thou
hasten thy trial; which if—Lord have mercy on thee
for a hen! So, my good window of lattice, fare thee
well: thy casement I need not open, for I look
through thee. Give me thy hand.
PAROLLES
My lord, you give me most egregious indignity.

DUTCH:
Ik hield u, nadat ik een paar maal met u aan een open tafel gezeten had, voor een redelijk verstandigen knaap; gij maaktet tamelijk veel ophef van uw reizen;
dit kon er mee door; maar die wimpels en vlaggen aan u weerhielden mij telkens, u voor een schip met al te
groote lading te houden.

MORE:
Proverb: As good (better) lost as (than) found

Ordinaries=Mealtimes
Tolerable vent=Reasonable account
Banneret=Little flag
Taking up=Contradict
Window of lattice=Transparent like a latticed window (punning on Lettice, used for ruffs and caps)
Casement=Part of a window that opens on a hinge
Egregious=Extraordinary, enormous
Indignity=Contemptuous injury, insult
Compleat:
Ordinary=Drooggastery, Gaarkeuken, Ordinaris
Vent=Lugt, togt, gerucht
To eat ant an ordinary=In een ordinaris eten
Take up=Berispen; bestraffen
Lattice=Een houten traali
Casement=Een kykvernstertje, een glaze venster dat men open doet
Egregious=Treffelyk, braaf, heerlyk
Indignity=Smaad

Topics: proverbs and idioms, wisdom, appearance, discovery, understanding

When I have my meed, I will away, for this will out, and then I must not stay

PLAY: Richard III
ACT/SCENE: 1.4
SPEAKER: First Murderer
CONTEXT:
FIRST MURDERER
How now? What mean’st thou, that thou help’st me not?
By heavens, the duke shall know how slack you have
been.
SECOND MURDERER
I would he knew that I had saved his brother.
Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say,
For I repent me that the duke is slain.
FIRST MURDERER
So do not I. Go, coward as thou art.
Well, I’ll go hide the body in some hole
Till that the duke give order for his burial.
And when I have my meed, I will away,
For this will out, and then I must not stay.

DUTCH:
Vernam hij eer, dat ik zijn broeder redde!
Neem gij het loon en meld hem, wat ik zeg,
Want mij berouwt het, dat de hertog dood is .

MORE:
Proverb: Murder will out

Slack=Neglectful
Meed=Payment, reward, fee
This will out=Murder will out (proverb)
Compleat:
Slack=Slap, traag
Meed=Belooning, vergelding, verdiensten

Topics: discovery, offence

Categories: , |

Why, ’tis a boisterous and a cruel style, a style for challengers

PLAY: As You Like It
ACT/SCENE: 4.3
SPEAKER: Rosalind
CONTEXT:
ROSALIND
Come, come, you are a fool,
And turned into the extremity of love.
I saw her hand. She has a leathern hand,
A freestone-colored hand. I verily did think
That her old gloves were on, but ’twas her hands.
She has a huswife’s hand—but that’s no matter.
I say she never did invent this letter.
This is a man’s invention, and his hand.
SILVIUS
Sure it is hers.
ROSALIND
Why, ’tis a boisterous and a cruel style,
A style for challengers. Why, she defies me
Like Turk to Christian. Women’s gentle brain
Could not drop forth such giant-rude invention,
Such Ethiop words, blacker in their effect
Than in their countenance. Will you hear the letter?

DUTCH:
Kom, ‘t is een woeste, wreede stijl, zooals
Uitdagers kiezen; ja zij tart mij uit,
Als Turken ‘t Christ’nen doen

MORE:
Leathern=Leathery, coarse
Free-stone=Yellow limestone
Turk to Christian=Enemies in the Crusades
Ethiop=Black
Countenance=Appearance, face value
Compleat:
Leathern=Lederen, van leer
Free-stone=Hardsteen
Countenance=Gelaat, gezigt, uitzigt, weezen

Topics: language, clarity/precision, discovery, communication

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