QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER: Posthumus Leonatus
CONTEXT:
(…) These three,
Three thousand confident, in act as many—
For three performers are the file when all
The rest do nothing—with this word ‘Stand, stand,’
Accommodated by the place, more charming
With their own nobleness, which could have turn’d
A distaff to a lance, gilded pale looks,
Part shame, part spirit renew’d; that some,
turn’d coward
But by example—O, a sin in war,
Damn’d in the first beginners!—gan to look
The way that they did, and to grin like lions
Upon the pikes o’ the hunters. Then began
A stop i’ the chaser, a retire, anon
A rout, confusion thick; forthwith they fly
Chickens, the way which they stoop’d eagles; slaves,
The strides they victors made: and now our cowards,
Like fragments in hard voyages, became
The life o’ the need: having found the backdoor open
Of the unguarded hearts, heavens, how they wound!
Some slain before; some dying; some their friends
O’er borne i’ the former wave: ten, chased by one,
Are now each one the slaughter-man of twenty:
Those that would die or ere resist are grown
The mortal bugs o’ the field

DUTCH:
Deez’ drie,
Door moed drieduizend en door daden ook, —
Als de and’ren niets doen, dan zijn drie, die hand’len,
Een leger,

MORE:
Three thousand confident=With the confidence of three thousand
File=Army
Accommodated=Assisted
More charming=Charmed, fascinated
Distaff=Stick for spinning wool
Gilded=Coloured
By example=In imitation
Gan=Began
Fragments=Scraps of food
Life o’ the need=Sustenance at a time of dire need
Before=Earlier
Or ere=Before they would
Compleat:
A file of soldiers=Een gelid of ry soldaaten
To accommodate=Verschaffen, geryven, schikken, voegen
To charm=Bezweeren, bekooren, beleezen, betoveren
Distaff=Een spinrok, spinrokken
Gilded=Verguld

Topics: perception, justification, conflict, courage