QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Antony and Cleopatra
ACT/SCENE: 5.2
SPEAKER: Proculeius
CONTEXT:
CLEOPATRA
Antony
Did tell me of you, bade me trust you, but
I do not greatly care to be deceived,
That have no use for trusting. If your master
Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him,
That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom. If he please
To give me conquered Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.
PROCULEIUS
Be of good cheer.
You’re fall’n into a princely hand. Fear nothing.
Make your full reference freely to my lord,
Who is so full of grace that it flows over
On all that need. Let me report to him
Your sweet dependency, and you shall find
A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness
Where he for grace is kneeled to.

DUTCH:
Laat mij hem berichten,
Dat gij u willig buigt, en hij blijkt u
Een overwinnaar, die uw vriend zich toont,
Waar om genade werd geknield.

MORE:
Pray in aid (Black’s Law Dictionary):
In old English practice. To call upon for assistance. In real actions, the tenant might pray in aid or call for assistance of another, to help him to plead, because of the feebleness or imbecility of his own estate.
Some claim that this is an indication of Shakespeare’s legal experience, although Dunbar Plunket Barton notes that the phrase was in literary use in or before Shakespeare’s time.

Bade=Invited, suggested
Of mine own=What is rightfully mine
Reference=Appeal
Dependency=Submission
Compleat:
Bad=Gebooden, bevoolen (from to bid)
To refer=Wyzen, gedraagen, overwyzen
Dependency=Afhangendheyd, afhanglykheyd, vertrouwen, steunsel, steun

Topics: law/legal, trust, legacy