QUOTES FROM THE BARD

An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself when a knave is not.

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2 ACT/SCENE: 5.1 SPEAKER: Davy CONTEXT: I grant your Worship that he is a knave, sir, but yet, God
forbid, sir, but a knave should have some countenance at his
friend’s request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for
himself when a knave is not. I have served your Worship
truly, sir, this eight years; an if I cannot once or twice in a
quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have
a very little credit with your Worship. The knave is mine
honest friend, sir; therefore I beseech you let him be
countenanced. DUTCH: Een eerlijk man, heer, kan voor
zichzelf spreken, als een schelm het niet kan
MORE:
Countenance=Favour, support
Bear out=Support
Knave=Rascal, villain
Credit=Good opinion and influence derived from it

Compleat:
To bear out=Goedmaaken, staande houden, bewyzen, voorstaan’
Knave=Een guit, boef
Credit=Geloof, achting, aanzien, goede naam Topics: honesty, truth, law/legal

They flock together in consent like so many wild geese

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2
ACT/SCENE: 5.1
SPEAKER: Falstaff
CONTEXT:
It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men’s spirits and his. They, by observing of him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like servingman. Their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society that they flock together in consent like so many wild geese.

DUTCH:
Hun ziel en zijn zie-reclhterachtige zijn onder den invloed van hun onderlingen omgang zoo met elkander getrouwd, dat zij zich eendrachtig opeendringen als even zoovele wilde ganzen.

MORE:

Schmidt:
Semblable=resembling, similar
Birds of a feather flock together wasn’t invented by Shakespeare but was already in use in the mid 16th century.

Compleat:
Semblable=Gelijk. Semblably=Desgelyks
Semblance of truth=Schyn van waarheid

Topics: leadership, friendship

It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of another.

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2
ACT/SCENE: 5.1
SPEAKER: Falstaff
CONTEXT:
If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humor his men with the imputation of being near their master; if to his men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants. It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of another. Therefore let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six fashions, which is four terms, or two actions, and a’ shall laugh without intervallums.

DUTCH:
Het is zeker , dat zoowel een wijs gedrag als een onnoozele wijs van doen aanstekelijk zijn, zooals de menschen kwalen krijgen, de een van den ander; daarom moet de mensch toezien, met wie hij omgaat.

MORE:

Curry=Curry favour, flatter
Carriage=Behaviour
Six fashions=Four terms (one year for the legal profession) or two actions
Intervallum=Interval, interruption

Compleat:
To curry favour+Smeerschoenen, flikflooijen
To curry with one=Zyn hof by iemand maaken
Carriage=Gedrag, aanstelling, ommegang

Topics: wisdom, emotion and mood, friendship, flattery

I then did use the person of your father; The image of his power lay then in me.

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2
ACT/SCENE: 5.2
SPEAKER: Chief Justice
CONTEXT:
I then did use the person of your father;
The image of his power lay then in me.
And in th’ administration of his law,
Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,
Your Highness pleasèd to forget my place,
The majesty and power of law and justice,
The image of the King whom I presented,
And struck me in my very seat of judgment,
Whereon, as an offender to your father,
I gave bold way to my authority
And did commit you.

DUTCH:
Toen was ik plaatsvervanger van uw vader,
De drager, ‘t zichtbaar beeld van zijne macht.

MORE:
Schmidt:
Use the person of=acting for, in the place of, with the authority of
Place=position, rank
Presented=represented

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

Topics: authority, status, justice

To mock the expectation of the world, To frustrate prophecies, and to raze out Rotten opinion,

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2
ACT/SCENE: 5.2
SPEAKER: Prince Hal
CONTEXT:
There is my hand.
You shall be as a father to my youth,
My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear,
And I will stoop and humble my intents
To your well-practiced wise directions.—
And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you:
My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections,
And with his spirit sadly I survive
To mock the expectation of the world,
To frustrate prophecies, and to raze out
Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flowed in vanity till now.
Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea,
Where it shall mingle with the state of floods
And flow henceforth in formal majesty.
Now call we our high court of parliament,
And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel
That the great body of our state may go
In equal rank with the best governed nation

DUTCH:
En ‘k overleef hem ernstig, met zijn geest,
Om dwaas te maken, wat de wereld wacht,
Profeten te beschamen, en de meening,
Die, voos, alleen naar mijnen schijn, mij boekte,
Te niet te doen.

MORE:

Intent=Intention
Affections=Wild inclinations
Raze out=Erase
Mock=Flout
Rotten=Unwholesome
Seeming=Outward appearance
Vanity=Folly, futility
Proudly=Imperiously, overbearingly
Limbs=Members

Compleat:
Intent=Oogmerk, einde, opzet
To raze out=Uitschrabben, doorhaalen, uitkladden, uitveegen
A man rotten to the core=Een man die van binnen niet deugt
Proudly=Hovaardiglyk, verwaandelyk, hoogmoediglyk
Limbs=Leden

Topics: work, integrity, duty

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