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Before I entered here, I called, and thought to have begged or bought what I have took

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 3.6
SPEAKER: Imogen
CONTEXT:
IMOGEN, [as Fidele]Good masters, harm me not.
Before I entered here, I called, and thought
To have begged or bought what I have took. Good troth,
I have stol’n naught, nor would not, though I had found
Gold strewed i’ th’ floor. Here’s money for my meat.
I would have left it on the board so soon
As I had made my meal, and parted
With prayers for the provider.
GUIDERIUS [as Polydor]
Money, youth?
ARVIRAGUS [as Cadwal]All gold and silver rather turn to dirt,
As ’tis no better reckoned but of those
Who worship dirty gods.

DUTCH:
Doet, goede menschen, mij geen leed; ik riep,
Aleer ik binnentrad, en was van plan
Te vragen of te koopen, wat ik nu
Genomen heb.

MORE:
Thought to have:
I had thought (followed by the perf. inf.)=I intended, I supposed, I was going
Part=Depart, go away from
Reckon=To esteem, to think, to hold
Compleat:
He thought to serve me a base trick=Hy meende my een lelyke poets te speelen
To reckon (or esteem)=Achten, voorhouden
Dirty (base)=Vuil, laag

Topics: money, honesty, poverty and wealth

Categories: Cymbeline, money, poverty and wealth|

Plenty and peace breeds cowards; hardness ever of hardiness is mother

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 3.6
SPEAKER: Imogen
CONTEXT:
IMOGEN
I see a man’s life is a tedious one:
I have tired myself, and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me. Milford,
When from the mountain-top Pisanio show’d thee,
Thou wast within a ken: O Jove! I think
Foundations fly the wretched; such, I mean,
Where they should be relieved. Two beggars told me
I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie,
That have afflictions on them, knowing ’tis
A punishment or trial? Yes. No wonder,
When rich ones scarce tell true. To lapse in fullness
Is sorer than to lie for need, and falsehood
Is worse in kings than beggars. My dear lord,
Thou art one o’ th’ false ones. Now I think on thee,
My hunger’s gone; but even before, I was
At point to sink for food. But what is this?
Here is a path to ’t. ’Tis some savage hold.
I were best not call; I dare not call. Yet famine,
Ere clean it o’erthrow nature, makes it valiant.
Plenty and peace breeds cowards; hardness ever
Of hardiness is mother.—Ho! Who’s here?
If anything that’s civil, speak; if savage,
Take or lend. Ho!—No answer? Then I’ll enter.
Best draw my sword; an if mine enemy
But fear the sword like me, he’ll scarcely look on ’t.

DUTCH:
Ja, weelde en vreê kweekt lafaards; ‘t hardste lot
Verhardt en staalt ons steeds

MORE:
Proverb: Afflictions are sent us by God for our good (Will poor folks lie…)

Trial=Test of virtue
To lapse in fullness=Fall from truth in a state of prosperity
Even before=Just before
Hardiness=Bravery
Compleat:
Trial (temptation)=Beproeving
Even=Even. Just now=Zo even
Hardiness=Onvertzaagdheid, stoutheid, koenheid
Hardiness of constitution=Hardheid van gesteltenis

Topics: adversity, proverbs and idioms, poverty and wealth, honesty

Categories: adversity, Cymbeline, honesty, poverty and wealth|

I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 3.6
SPEAKER: Belarius
CONTEXT:
BELARIUS
You, Polydore, have proved best woodman and
Are master of the feast: Cadwal and I
Will play the cook and servant; ’tis our match:
The sweat of industry would dry and die,
But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs
Will make what’s homely savoury: weariness
Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth
Finds the down pillow hard. Now peace be here,
Poor house, that keep’st thyself!
GUIDERIUS
I am thoroughly weary.
ARVIRAGUS
I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite.
GUIDERIUS
There is cold meat i’ the cave; we’ll browse on that,
Whilst what we have kill’d be cook’d.

DUTCH:
k Ben duchtig moe.
– Ik nu voor arbeid zwak, voor eten sterk.

MORE:
Resty is an obsolete form of restive (Century Dictionary: “By transition through the sense ‘impatient under restraint,’ and partly by confusion with ‘restless,’ the word has taken in present use the additional sense ‘restless.'”)
Onions defines restive as inactive, inert and sluggish (rusty).
Schmidt explains resty sloth as “stiff with too much rest”, comparing “resty-stiff” in Edward III

Woodman=Hunter
Match=Compact
Compleat:
Wood-men=Oppassers in des Konings bosschaagie, boomsnoeijers
Match (bargain)=Koop, onderhandeling, overeenstemming
Restive/Resty (froward, stubborn)=Stug, koppig
A resty horse=Een paerd dat niet voort wil of zich niet wil laaten regeeren

Topics: money, honesty, poverty and wealth, work, satisfaction

Categories: Cymbeline, money, poverty and wealth, satisfaction, work|

I will make one of her women lawyer to me, for I yet not understand the case myself

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 2.3
SPEAKER: Cloten
CONTEXT:
CLOTEN
If she be up, I’ll speak with her; if not,
Let her lie still and dream.
By your leave, ho! I know her women are about her: what
If I do line one of their hands? ‘Tis gold
Which buys admittance; oft it doth; yea, and makes
Diana’s rangers false themselves, yield up
Their deer to the stand o’ the stealer; and ’tis gold
Which makes the true man kill’d and saves the thief;
Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man: what
Can it not do and undo? I will make
One of her women lawyer to me, for
I yet not understand the case myself.
By your leave.
LADY
Who’s there that knocks?
CLOTEN
A gentleman.
LADY
No more?
CLOTEN
Yes, and a gentlewoman’s son.
LADY
That’s more
Than some, whose tailors are as dear as yours,
Can justly boast of. What’s your lordship’s pleasure?

DUTCH:
Ik weet, zij heeft haar vrouwvolk bij zich. Wacht!
Vulde ik aan een de handen eens? Voor goud
Verkrijgt men toegang, dikwijls, ja; het maakt
Diana’s jagers zelfs ontrouw, zoodat
Zij ‘t wild den stroopers tegendrijven; goud
Brengt brave kerels om en redt den dief,
Maar soms ook brengt het beiden aan de galg.

MORE:
Proverb: If money go before all ways lie open
Proverb: To line one’s purse (coat, hand)

Line hands=Bribe
Diana’s rangers=Gamekeepers, nymphs vowed to chastity
False=1) (adjective) Betraying a trust; 2) (verb) falsify (see ‘falsing’ in Comedy of Errors, 2.2)
Stand=Hiding-place in the thickest brake, across which the deer were expected to pass”, Madden, Diary of Master William Silence
Lawyer to=Advocate for

Topics: poverty and wealth, corruption, honesty, lawyers, law/legal, understanding, proverbs and idioms

Categories: Cymbeline, honesty, law/legal, lawyers, poverty and wealth|

I would the gods had nothing else to do but to confirm my curses!

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 4.2
SPEAKER: Volumnia
CONTEXT:
BRUTUS
Pray, let us go.
VOLUMNIA
Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:—
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see—
Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.
BRUTUS
Well, well, we’ll leave you.
SICINIUS
Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?
VOLUMNIA
Take my prayers with you.
I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t.
MENENIUS
You have told them home;
And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?

DUTCH:
O ware thans het eenig werk der goden
Mijn vloeken te bezeeg’len! — Trof ik hen
Slechts eenmaal daags, het zou mijn hart verlichten
Van wat het drukt!

MORE:
Meanest=Poorest
Told them home=Rebuked
Sup=Dine
Compleat:
Mean=Gering, slecht
A discourse fitted to the meanest capacity=Een redenvoering die de eenvoudigste kunnen bevatten
To sup=Avondmaalen

Topics: poverty and wealth, order/society

Categories: Coriolanus, poverty and wealth|

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