QUOTES FROM THE BARD

I paint him in the character

PLAY: Coriolanus ACT/SCENE: 5.4 SPEAKER: Menenius CONTEXT: SICINIUS
He loved his mother dearly.
MENENIUS
So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother
now than an eight-year-old horse. The tartness
of his face sours ripe grapes: when he walks, he
moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before
his treading: he is able to pierce a corslet with
his eye; talks like a knell, and his hum is a
battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made for
Alexander. What he bids be done is finished with
his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity
and a heaven to throne in.
SICINIUS
Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.
MENENIUS
I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy his
mother shall bring from him: there is no more mercy
in him than there is milk in a male tiger; that
shall our poor city find: and all this is long of
you. DUTCH: Ik schilder hem naar ‘t leven. MORE: Tartness=Sour expression
Engine=Machine
Corslet=Armour
Knell=Tolling bell
Battery=Canon fire
Alexander=Alexander the Great
Want=Lack
Long of=On account of
Compleat:
Tartness=Wrangheid, zuurheid, scherpheid
Engine=Een konstwerk, gereedschap, werktuig; Een list, konstgreep
Corslet=Een borstwapen voor de Piekeniers; een breede gordel
Knell=De doodklok
Battery=Een schietschans, beukery, stormkat, battery
Want=Gebrek Topics: memory, mercy, respect, emotion and mood

Ladies, you deserve to have a temple built you: all the swords in Italy, and her confederate arms, could not have made this peace

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER: Aufidius
CONTEXT:
AUFIDIUS
I was moved withal.
CORIOLANUS
I dare be sworn you were:
And, sir, it is no little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good sir,
What peace you’ll make, advise me: for my part,
I’ll not to Rome, I’ll back with you; and pray you,
Stand to me in this cause. O mother! wife!
AUFIDIUS
I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee: out of that I’ll work
Myself a former fortune.
CORIOLANUS
Ay, by and by;
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
A better witness back than words, which we,
On like conditions, will have counter-seal’d.
Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

DUTCH:
Gij verdient, o vrouwen!
Dat u ter eer een tempel word’ gesticht.
Want Rome had met al zijn bondgenooten
Door ‘t zwaard dien vrede niet erlangd!

MORE:
Witness=Testimony, attestation
Countersealed=Ratified together
Like=Similar
Compleat:
To bear witness=Getuigen, getuigenis geeven

Topics: conflict, resolution, respect

Categories: , , |

It is no little thing to make mine eyes to sweat compassion

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER:
CONTEXT:
AUFIDIUS
I was moved withal.
CORIOLANUS
I dare be sworn you were:
And, sir, it is no little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good sir,
What peace you’ll make, advise me: for my part,
I’ll not to Rome, I’ll back with you; and pray you,
Stand to me in this cause. O mother! wife!
AUFIDIUS
I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee: out of that I’ll work
Myself a former fortune.
CORIOLANUS
Ay, by and by;
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
A better witness back than words, which we,
On like conditions, will have counter-seal’d.
Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

DUTCH:
Ik zweer er op, dit waart gij;
En, man, ‘t is niets gerings, te maken, dat
Mijn oog erbarmen drupt.

MORE:
Make eyes to sweat compassion=Cry, force tears
Work myself=Gain for myself
Former fortune=Fortune as before
Countersealed=Both ratified
Confederate=United
Compleat:
To move to compassion=Tot medelyden beweegen
Confederate=Een bondgenoot, bondverwant, metverwant

Topics: pity, emotion and mood, dispute, remedy, respect

You might have been enough the man you are, with striving less to be so

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.2
SPEAKER: Volumnia
CONTEXT:
VOLUMNIA
You might have been enough the man you are,
With striving less to be so; lesser had been
The thwartings of your dispositions, if
You had not show’d them how ye were disposed
Ere they lack’d power to cross you.
CORIOLANUS
Let them hang.
A PATRICIAN
Ay, and burn too.
MENENIUS
Come, come, you have been too rough, something too rough;
You must return and mend it.
FIRST SENATOR
There’s no remedy;
Unless, by not so doing, our good city
Cleave in the midst, and perish.
VOLUMNIA
Pray, be counsell’d:
I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.

DUTCH:
Ik heb een hart, zoo min gedwee als ‘t uwe,
Maar ook een brein, dat, hoe mijn toorn ook zied’,
Zelfs dit ten beste stuurt.

MORE:
Thwartings=Demands imposed by
Cross=Oppose
Compleat:
Thwarting=Dwarsdryving, dwarsdryvende
To cross=Tegenstreeven, dwars voor de boeg komen, dwarsboomen, wederestreeven, kruisen

Topics: nature, work, respect, dignity

I have a heart as little apt as yours, but yet a brain that leads my use of anger to better vantage

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.2
SPEAKER: Volumnia
CONTEXT:
VOLUMNIA
You might have been enough the man you are,
With striving less to be so; lesser had been
The thwartings of your dispositions, if
You had not show’d them how ye were disposed
Ere they lack’d power to cross you.
CORIOLANUS
Let them hang.
A PATRICIAN
Ay, and burn too.
MENENIUS
Come, come, you have been too rough, something too rough;
You must return and mend it.
FIRST SENATOR
There’s no remedy;
Unless, by not so doing, our good city
Cleave in the midst, and perish.
VOLUMNIA
Pray, be counsell’d:
I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.

DUTCH:
Ik heb een hart, zoo min gedwee als ‘t uwe,
Maar ook een brein, dat, hoe mijn toorn ook zied’,
Zelfs dit ten beste stuurt.

MORE:
Thwartings=Demands imposed by
Cross=Oppose
Compleat:
Thwarting=Dwarsdryving, dwarsdryvende
To cross=Tegenstreeven, dwars voor de boeg komen, dwarsboomen, wederestreeven, kruisen

Topics: nature, work, respect, dignity

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