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QUOTES FROM THE BARD

Flattering, hers; deceiving, hers; lust and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 2.5
SPEAKER: Posthumus Leonatus
CONTEXT:
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
Is there no way for men to be but women
Must be half-workers? We are all bastards;
And that most venerable man which I
Did call my father, was I know not where
When I was stamp’d; some coiner with his tools
Made me a counterfeit: yet my mother seem’d
The Dian of that time so doth my wife
The nonpareil of this. O, vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure she restrain’d
And pray’d me oft forbearance; did it with
A prudency so rosy the sweet view on’t
Might well have warm’d old Saturn; that I thought her
As chaste as unsunn’d snow. O, all the devils!
This yellow Iachimo, in an hour,—wast not?—
Or less,—at first?—perchance he spoke not, but,
Like a full-acorn’d boar, a German one,
Cried ‘O!’ and mounted; found no opposition
But what he look’d for should oppose and she
Should from encounter guard. Could I find out
The woman’s part in me! For there’s no motion
That tends to vice in man, but I affirm
It is the woman’s part: be it lying, note it,
The woman’s; flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Lust and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, disdain,
Nice longing, slanders, mutability,
All faults that may be named, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part or all; but rather, all;
For even to vice
They are not constant but are changing still
One vice, but of a minute old, for one
Not half so old as that. I’ll write against them,
Detest them, curse them: yet ’tis greater skill
In a true hate, to pray they have their will:
The very devils cannot plague them better.

DUTCH:
O, vond ik slechts
Wat vrouwlijk is in mij! want ied’re neiging
Tot ondeugd in den man, voorwaar, zij is
Zijn vrouwlijk erfdeel; liegen, ja, het is zoo,
Komt van de vrouw; van haar ‘t gevlei, ‘t bedriegen;
Onkuische lust, van haar; van haar, de wraakzucht;
Van haar de zucht naar grootheid, hoovaardij,
Inbeelding, dwaze lusten, lasterzucht,
Laatdunkendheid en wuftheid, alle kwaad,
Wat maar een naam heeft, wat de hel maar kent,
Van haar, gedeelt’lijk of geheel; of ja, geheel;

MORE:
May be named=That man can name (See Richard III, 1.2 “tongue may name”)
Motion=Impulse
Nice=Fastidious
Compleat:
Motion (instigation)=Aanporring, aandryving
To plague=Plaagen, quellen

Topics: honesty, truth, flattery, deceit, revenge

Categories: Cymbeline, deceit, flattery, honesty, revenge|

My affairs are servanted to others

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.2
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
MENENIUS
How! away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST “MENENIUS
How! away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST SENATOR
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND “MENENIUS
How? Away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST SENTINEL
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND SENTINEL
The worthy fellow is our general: he’s the rock, the
oak not to be wind-shaken.”

DUTCH:
Vrouw, moeder, zoon, ik ken die niet. Mijn doen
Is and’ren dienstbaar; zij mijn wraak ook mijn,
In Volsker boezems woont mijn medelijden.

MORE:
Servanted=Subjected
Owe=Am owed
Remission=Forgiveness
Ingrate=Ungrateful
Rent=Torn up
Compleat:
Remission=Vergiffenis, vergeeving, quytschelding
Rent=Scheur, scheuring

Topics: friendship, pity, revenge

Categories: Coriolanus, friendship, revenge|

I neither care for the world nor your general: for such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any, ye’re so slight

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.2
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
MENENIUS
How! away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST “MENENIUS
How! away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST SENATOR
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND “MENENIUS
How! away!
CORIOLANUS
Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re so slight. He that hath a will to die by
himself fears it not from another: let your general
do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
as I was said to, Away!
FIRST SENTINEL
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND SENTINEL
The worthy fellow is our general: he’s the rock, the
oak not to be wind-shaken.”

DUTCH:
De geheele wereld is mij niets meer, evenals uw veldheer;
wat zulke wezens aangaat als gij, ik weet nauwelijks,
dat zij er zijn, zoo nietig zijt gij!

MORE:
Servanted=Subjected
Owe=Am owed
Remission=Forgiveness
Ingrate=Ungrateful
Rent=Torn up
Compleat:
Remission=Vergiffenis, vergeeving, quytschelding
Rent=Scheur, scheuring

Topics: friendship, pity, revenge

Categories: Coriolanus, friendship, revenge|

Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
VIRGILIA
The sorrow that delivers us thus changed
Makes you think so.
CORIOLANUS
Like a dull actor now,
I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny; but do not say
For that ‘Forgive our Romans.’ O, a kiss
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!
Now, by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip
Hath virgin’d it e’er since. You gods! I prate,
And the most noble mother of the world
Leave unsaluted: sink, my knee, i’ the earth;
VOLUMNIA
O, stand up blest!
Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint,
I kneel before thee; and unproperly
Show duty, as mistaken all this while
Between the child and parent.

DUTCH:
Als een verbijsterd speler
Ken ik mijn rol niet meer, blijf steken, sta hier
Tot ieders spot.

MORE:
Proverb: Revenge is sweet

Disgrace=A state of being abashed, of being exposed to contempt; discredit
Tyranny=Cruelty
Dull=Not bright, dim, clouded; awkward, stupid
Compleat:
Disgrace (discredit, dishonour or reproach)=Smaadheid, schande, hoon
Tyranny=Geweldenary, tyranny, dwingelandy
Dull=Lui, traag; lomp, ongevoelig
A dull wit=Een dof verstand

Topics: regret, language, revenge, proverbs and idioms, still in use, invented or popularised

Categories: Coriolanus, proverbs and idioms, regret, revenge, still in use|

Desire not to ally my rages and revenges with your colder reasons

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 5.3
SPEAKER: Coriolanus
CONTEXT:
VOLUMNIA
Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself,
Are suitors to you.
CORIOLANUS
I beseech you, peace:
Or, if you’ld ask, remember this before:
The thing I have forsworn to grant may never
Be held by you denials. Do not bid me
Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate
Again with Rome’s mechanics: tell me not
Wherein I seem unnatural: desire not
To ally my rages and revenges with
Your colder reasons.
VOLUMNIA
O, no more, no more!
You have said you will not grant us any thing;
For we have nothing else to ask, but that
Which you deny already: yet we will ask;
That, if you fail in our request, the blame
May hang upon your hardness: therefore hear us.
CORIOLANUS
Aufidius, and you Volsces, mark; for we’ll
Hear nought from Rome in private. Your request?

DUTCH:
Vraag mij niet,
Dit heer te ontbinden of nog eens met Rome’s
Handwerkers te onderhand’len; zeg mij niet,
Dat ik mij onnatuurlijk toon; beproef niet
Met uwe koele gronden mijne woede
En wraak te leen’gen.

MORE:
Forsworn=Denied
Held=Regarded as
Mechanics=Labourers
Compleat:
To forswear one’s self=Eenen valschen eed doen, meyneedig zyn
To forswear a thing=Zweeren dat iets zo niet is
Forsworn=Meyneedig
Mechanick=Handwerkman

Topics: mercy, reason, justification, revenge

Categories: Coriolanus, justification, mercy, revenge|

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