QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
ACT/SCENE: 5.1
SPEAKER: Theseus
CONTEXT:
PHILOSTRATE
Hard-handed men that work in Athens here,
Which never laboured in their minds till now,
And now have toiled their unbreathed memories
With this same play against your nuptial.
THESEUS
And we will hear it.
PHILOSTRATE
No, my noble lord.
It is not for you. I have heard it over,
And it is nothing, nothing in the world—
Unless you can find sport in their intents,
Extremely stretched and conned with cru ‘l pain
To do you service.
THESEUS
I will hear that play.
For never anything can be amiss
When simpleness and duty tender it.
Go, bring them in. And take your places, ladies.
HIPPOLYTA
I love not to see wretchedness o’ercharged
And duty in his service perishing.

DUTCH:
Want nooit is iets verkeerd of ongepast,
Wat eenvoud in oprechten ijver biedt.

MORE:
Hard-handed=”Mechanic” hands use for manual work; horny-handed sons of toil
Unbreathed=Unexercised (brains)
Against=In preparation for
Conned=Memorised
Simpleness=Innocence
Wretchedness=Low class or untalented
O’ercharged=Overwhelmed
Perishing=Failing
Compleat:
Mechanick=handwerkman
To conn=Zyne lesse kennen, of van buiten leeren
Simpleness=Eenvoudigheyd
Wretchedness=Elendigheyd, heylloosheyd, oneugendheyd
To perish=Vergaan, sneuvelen, verlooren gaan

Topics: intellect, work, negligence