QUOTES FROM THE BARD

Wives may be merry, and yet honest too

PLAY: The Merry Wives of Windsor
ACT/SCENE:
SPEAKER: Mistress Page
CONTEXT:
MISTRESS FORD
We’ll try that; for I’ll appoint my men to carry the
basket again, to meet him at the door with it, as
they did last time.
MISTRESS PAGE
Nay, but he’ll be here presently: let’s go dress him
like the witch of Brentford.
MISTRESS FORD
I’ll first direct my men what they shall do with the
basket. Go up; I’ll bring linen for him straight.
MISTRESS PAGE
Hang him, dishonest varlet! we cannot misuse him enough.
We’ll leave a proof, by that which we will do,
Wives may be merry, and yet honest too:
We do not act that often jest and laugh;
‘Tis old, but true, Still swine eat all the draff.

DUTCH:
Aan de galg met dien ontuchtigen schelm! wij kunnen
hem niet genoeg beetnemen.
Bedriegen kan, zoo leere ons doen, de schijn;
Een vrouw kan vroolijk en toch eerbaar zijn;
Zij is niet slecht, die gaarne schertst en lacht,
Neem eer voor stille waat’ren u in acht.


MORE:
CITED IN US LAW: Re. the definition of “honesty”: State v Snover, 63 NJL 382, 43 A. 1059 (1899)

Proverb: The quiet swine eats all the hogwash
Proverb: The humble (meek) lamb sucks its own dam and others also
Proverb: The still sow eats up all the draff

Merry=Talkative, cheerful, fun-loving, flirtatious
Honest=Truthful, also virtuous, chaste
Compleat:
Merry=Vrolyk
Honest=Eerlyk, oprecht, vroom

Burgersdijk notes:
Neem eer voor stille waat’ren u in acht. In het Engelsch staat hier het spreekwoord: „Stille varkens eten allen draf.” Ons spreekwoord is: „Stille waters hebben diepe gronden.”

Topics: cited in law|proverbs and idioms|honesty|loyalty

I have an answer will serve all men…
It is like a barber’s chair that fits all buttocks.

PLAY: All’s Well that Ends Well
ACT/SCENE: 2.2
SPEAKER: Countess
CONTEXT:
CLOWN
Truly, madam, if God have lent a man any manners, he may easily put it off at court: he that cannot make a leg, put off’s cap, kiss his hand, and say nothing, has neither leg, hands, lip, nor cap; and indeed such a fellow, to say precisely, were not for the court. But for me, I have an answer will serve all men.
COUNTESS
Marry, that’s a bountiful answer that fits all questions.
CLOWN
It is like a barber’s chair that fits all buttocks, the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawnbuttock, or any buttock.

DUTCH:
COUNTESS
Nu voorwaar, dat is een rijk antwoord, dat voor alle vragen passend is.
CLOWN
Het is als een scheerdersstoel, die voor alle achterstevens passend is, voor de spitse, voor de platte, voor de ronde, kortom voor alle achterstevens.

MORE:
Proverb: As common a a barber’s chair

Make a leg=A bow, an obeisance made by drawing one leg backward
Lent=To bestow on, to endow with, to adorn, to arm with
Put off=Doff
Bountiful=Of rich contents, full of meaning
Quatch=Squat
Compleat:
To make a leg=Buigen
To put off one’s hat=Zyn hoed afneemen
Bountiful=Milddaadig, goedertieren

Topics: reply, reason, understanding, loyalty, proverbs and idioms

When thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast none, remember thy friends

PLAY: All’s Well that Ends Well
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Parolles
CONTEXT:
HELEN
You go so much backward when you fight.
PAROLLES
That’s for advantage.
HELEN
So is running away, when fear proposes the safety;
but the composition that your valour and fear makes
in you is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear
well.
PAROLLES
I am so full of businesses, I cannot answer thee
acutely. I will return perfect courtier; in the
which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize
thee, so thou wilt be capable of a courtier’s
counsel and understand what advice shall thrust upon
thee; else thou diest in thine unthankfulness, and
thine ignorance makes thee away: farewell. When
thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast
none, remember thy friends; get thee a good husband,
and use him as he uses thee; so, farewell.

DUTCH:
Als gij tijd hebt, zeg dan uwe gebeden op, en hebt gij dien niet, denk dan aan uwe vrienden.

MORE:
Answer thee acutely=Give a witty response
“None” believed by some to be a misprint for “money”.
Courtier=Paradigm of true courtesy
Use=Treat
Makes thee away=Finishes you off
Compleat:
Leisurably=By ledigen tyd
Courtier=Hoveling

Topics: marriage, friendship, loyalty, civility, ingratitude

Oh, my fortunes have corrupted honest men!

PLAY: Antony and Cleopatra
ACT/SCENE: 4.5
SPEAKER: Antony
CONTEXT:
EROS
Sir, his chests and treasure
He has not with him.
ANTONY
Is he gone?
SOLDIER
Most certain.
ANTONY
Go, Eros, send his treasure after. Do it.
Detain no jot, I charge thee. Write to him—
I will subscribe—gentle adieus and greetings.
Say that I wish he never find more cause
To change a master. Oh, my fortunes have
Corrupted honest men! Dispatch.—Enobarbus!

DUTCH:
Ga, Eros, zend zijn schat hem na; ja, doe het;
Houd niets terug; verstaan? En schrijf hem ook, —
Ik onderteeken ‘t, — mijn vaarwel en groeten;
Meld hem mijn wensch, dat niets hem ooit meer noop’
Van meester te veranderen. — O, mijn rampen
Doen braven schurk zijn. — Spoed u! — Enobarbus!

MORE:
Detain=Hold back
Jot=Smallest quantity
Charge=Order
Subscribe=Sign
Compleat:
Jot=Zier
Charge=Belasten
Subscribe=Onderschryven

Topics: fate/destiny, honesty, loyalty

Mine honesty and I begin to square

PLAY: Antony and Cleopatra
ACT/SCENE: 3.13
SPEAKER: Enobarbus
CONTEXT:
ENOBARBUS
Mine honesty and I begin to square.
The loyalty well held to fools does make
Our faith mere folly. Yet he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fall’n lord
Does conquer him that did his master conquer
And earns a place i’ th’ story.
CLEOPATRA
Caesar’s will?
THIDIAS
Hear it apart.
CLEOPATRA
None but friends. Say boldly.
THIDIAS
So haply are they friends to Antony.
ENOBARBUS
He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has,
Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master
Will leap to be his friend. For us, you know
Whose he is we are, and that is Caesar’s.

DUTCH:
Thans strijden saam mijn plichtgevoel en ik.
Wie dwazen eerlijk trouw blijft, maakt de trouwe
Tot dwaasheid; ja, maar wie zijn lust betoomt
En zijn gevallen heer trouwhartig dient
Die overwint zijns meesters overwinnaar,
Oogst eeuw’gen lof.

MORE:
Honesty=Honour, integrity
Square=Conflict
Endure=Persevere
Mere=Utter
Haply=Perhaps
Compleat:
Honesty=Eerbaarheid, vroomheid
To endure=Verdraagen, harden, duuren
Haply=Misschien

Topics: loyalty, truth, honour, judgment, friendship, honesty

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