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QUOTES FROM THE BARD

Nor i’ the judgment, for idiots in this case of favour would be wisely definite

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 1.6
SPEAKER: Iachimo
CONTEXT:
IMOGEN
‘He is one of the noblest note, to whose
kindnesses I am most infinitely tied. Reflect upon
him accordingly, as you value your trust—
Leonatus.’
So far I read aloud:
But even the very middle of my heart
Is warm’d by the rest, and takes it thankfully.
You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I
Have words to bid you, and shall find it so
In all that I can do.
IACHIMO
Thanks, fairest lady.
What, are men mad? Hath nature given them eyes
To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop
Of sea and land, which can distinguish ‘twixt
The fiery orbs above and the twinn’d stones
Upon the number’d beach? and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
‘Twixt fair and foul?
IMOGEN
What makes your admiration?
IACHIMO
It cannot be i’ the eye, for apes and monkeys
‘Twixt two such shes would chatter this way and
Contemn with mows the other; nor i’ the judgment,
For idiots in this case of favour would
Be wisely definite; nor i’ the appetite;
Sluttery to such neat excellence opposed
Should make desire vomit emptiness,
Not so allured to feed.

DUTCH:
t Ligt niet aan ‘t oog: toon aap of baviaan
Twee zulke vrouwen; hierheen zal hij lachen,
Naar de and’re grijnzend schreeuwen; niet aan ‘t oordeel:
Een idioot zou bij deez’ schoonheidskeur
Scherpzinnig zijn en wijs;

MORE:
Reflect=Consider
Orbs=Stars
Identical=Twinned
Unnumbered=Innumerable
Spectacles so precious=Eyes
Partition make=Draw distinction
Compleat:
To reflect=Overpeinzen, overwegen
Orb=Een kloot, rond, hemelkring
Partition=Een verdeeling, middelschot

Topics: reputation, trust, nature, intellect

Categories: Cymbeline, intellect, nature, reputation|

I’ll try whether my old wit be in request with those that have but little: this must be patched with cloth of any colour

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.1
SPEAKER: Menenius
CONTEXT:
MENENIUS
Pray you, be gone:
I’ll try whether my old wit be in request
With those that have but little: this must be patch’d
With cloth of any colour.
COMINIUS
Nay, come away.
A PATRICIAN
This man has marr’d his fortune.
MENENIUS
His nature is too noble for the world:
He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,
Or Jove for’s power to thunder. His heart’s his mouth:
What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent;
And, being angry, does forget that ever
He heard the name of death.

DUTCH:
Hij is voor de aard te grootsch; hij zou Neptunus
Niet om zijn drietand vleien, Jupiter
Niet om zijn dondermacht. Zijn hart en tong
Zijn één; wat de eene smeedt, moet de ander uiten;
En wordt hij toornig, dan vergeet hij steeds,
Dat hij den naam van dood ooit hoorde

MORE:
Proverb: The heart of a fool is in his tongue (mouth)
Proverb: What the heart thinks the tongue speaks

Wit=Sound sense or judgement, understanding. Intelligence
In request=To be of use

Topics: proverbs and idioms, honour, intellect, reason, honesty

Categories: Coriolanus, honesty, intellect, proverbs and idioms, reason|

Let them if I say fine, cry ‘fine’; if death, cry ‘death’

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.3
SPEAKER: Sicinius
CONTEXT:
SICINIUS
Have you a catalogue
Of all the voices that we have procured
Set down by the poll?
AEDILE
I have; ’tis ready.
SICINIUS
Have you collected them by tribes?
AEDILE
I have.
SICINIUS
Assemble presently the people hither;
And when they bear me say ‘It shall be so
I’ the right and strength o’ the commons,’ be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them
If I say fine, cry ‘Fine;’ if death, cry death.’
Insisting on the old prerogative
And power i’ the truth o’ the cause.
AEDILE
I shall inform them.
BRUTUS
And when such time they have begun to cry,
Let them not cease, but with a din confused
Enforce the present execution
Of what we chance to sentence.

DUTCH:
Roep het volk dan daad’lijk hier;
En hooren zij mij zeggen: „Zoo zal ‘t zijn,
Naar recht en eisch van ‘t volk,” hetzij een boete,
Dood of verbanning, laat hen „boete” roepen
Wanneer ik „boete” zeg; „dood “, zeg ik „dood”
Dit vord’rend krachtens onze aloude rechten
En onze goede zaak.

MORE:
Catalogue=Record
Voices=Votes
By the poll=By name
Tribes=Votes were cast by tribe (each tribe having one vote for the favoured person of that tribe)
Old prerogative=Traditional right
Compleat:
Catalogue=Een lyst, naamrol, naamlyst, register
Voice=Stem, recht van stemmen
Poll=Alle de naamen der geenen die een stem in ‘t verkiezen hebben opneemen
Tribe=(A kindred or company of people that dwells together in the same ward or liberty): Stam, gedeete van een gantsch volk; soort
Prerogative=Een voorrecht

Burgersdijk notes:
En naar de wijken opgemaakt, nietwaar? In ‘t Engelsch: Have you collected then by tribes? Plutarchus moge hier opheldering geven: And first of all, the tribunes would in any case (whatsoever came of it) that the people should proceed to give their voices by tribes, and not by hundreds, for by this means the multitude of the poor needy people — — came to be of greater force — because their voices were numbered by the poll — than the noble honest citizens etc.

Topics: leadership, independence, free will, intellect

Categories: Coriolanus, free will, intellect, leadership|

Shall remain! Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you his absolute ‘shall’?

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.1
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
SICINIUS
It is a mind
That shall remain a poison where it is,
Not poison any further.
CORIOLANUS
Shall remain!
Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you
His absolute ‘shall’?
COMINIUS
’Twas from the canon.

DUTCH:
„Blijven moet!” —
Hoort gij dien katvisch-Triton? merkt gij daar
‘t Gebiedend,,moet”?

MORE:
Proverb: A Triton among the minnows

Canon=Rule, law
Absolute=Positive, certain, decided, not doubtful
Compleat:
Canonical=Regelmaatig
Triton=De trompetter van Neptunus; (weather-cock)=Een weerhaan, windwyzer

Burgersdijk notes:
Dien kat visch-Triton. Triton is een mindere zeegod, die dus alleen over de kleine vischjes gebied voert.

Topics: proverbs and idioms, language, intellect, authority, judgment, law/legal

Categories: authority, Coriolanus, intellect, judgment, proverbs and idioms|

Purpose so barred, it follows nothing is done to purpose

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.1
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
BRUTUS
Enough, with over-measure.
CORIOLANUS
No, take more:
What may be sworn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end withal! This double worship,
Where one part does disdain with cause, the other
Insult without all reason, where gentry, title, wisdom,
Cannot conclude but by the yea and no
Of general ignorance,— it must omit
Real necessities, and give way the while
To unstable slightness: purpose so barr’d,
it follows,
Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you,—
You that will be less fearful than discreet,
That love the fundamental part of state
More than you doubt the change on’t, that prefer
A noble life before a long, and wish
To jump a body with a dangerous physic
That’s sure of death without it, at once pluck out
The multitudinous tongue; let them not lick
The sweet which is their poison: your dishonour
Mangles true judgment and bereaves the state
Of that integrity which should become’t,
Not having the power to do the good it would,
For the in which doth control’t.
BRUTUS
Has said enough.
SICINIUS
Has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer
As traitors do.
CORIOLANUS
Thou wretch, despite o’erwhelm thee!
What should the people do with these bald tribunes?
On whom depending, their obedience fails
To the greater bench: in a rebellion,
When what’s not meet, but what must be, was law,
Then were they chosen: in a better hour,
Let what is meet be said it must be meet,
And throw their power i’ the dust.

DUTCH:
Dit dubbel staatsbewind, (…) ‘t laat, natuurlijk,
Het noodigst ongedaan, aan vooze wuftheid
Den vrijen loop; geen weg naar ‘t doel is vrij,
Dus wordt geen doel bereikt.

MORE:
Cited in Shakespeare’s Legal Maxims (William Lowes Rushton)

Proverb: He lives long that lives well

Over-measure=Excess
Double worship=Divided allegiance
Nothing is done to purpose=No policy is effective
Conclude=Decide
General ignorance=The ignorant public (crowd)
Jump=Jolt, put at stake, hazard
Unstable slightness=Inconstant and trifling issues
Less fearful than discreet=More out of prudence than timidity
Should become it=The appropriate (integrity)
Bereave=To rob, take from
Multitudinous=Belonging to the multitude
Become=To fit, suit
Compleat:
Become=Betaamen
An invincible ignorance=Een onverbeterlyke domheid
Unstable=Onbestendig, ongestadig
To conclude=Besluiten, sluiten
To no purpose=Niet baaten

Topics: order/society, conflict, intellect, status, integrity

Categories: Coriolanus, integrity, intellect, order/society, status|

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