QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Twelfth Night
ACT/SCENE: 2.5
SPEAKER: Malvolio
CONTEXT:
MALVOLIO
“M.O.A.I.” This simulation is not as the former, and
yet to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for
every one of these letters are in my name. Soft, here
follows prose.
[reads]“If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I am
above thee, but be not afraid of greatness. Some are
born great, some achieve greatness, and some have
greatness thrust upon ’em. Thy Fates open their hands.
Let thy blood and spirit embrace them. And, to inure
thyself to what thou art like to be, cast thy humble
slough and appear fresh. Be opposite with a kinsman,
surly with servants. Let thy tongue tang arguments of
state. Put thyself into the trick of singularity. She
thus advises thee that sighs for thee. Remember who
commended thy yellow stockings and wished to see thee
ever cross-gartered. I say, remember. Go to, thou art
made, if thou desir’st to be so; if not, let me see thee
a steward still, the fellow of servants, and not worthy
to touch Fortune’s fingers. Farewell. She that would
alter services with thee,
The Fortunate Unhappy”
Daylight and champaign discovers not more. This is
open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors, I
will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross
acquaintance, I will be point- devise the very man. I do
not now fool myself, to let imagination jade me, for
every reason excites to this, that my lady loves me. She
did commend my yellow stockings of late, she did praise
my leg being cross-gartered, and in this she manifests
herself to my love, and with a kind of injunction,
drives me to these habits of her liking. I thank my
stars I am happy. I will be strange, stout, in yellow
stockings, and cross-gartered, even with the swiftness
of putting on. Jove and my stars be praised! Here is yet
a postscript.
[reads]“Thou canst not choose but know who I am. If thou
entertainest my love, let it appear in thy smiling. Thy
smiles become thee well. Therefore in my presence still
smile, dear my sweet, I prithee.”
Jove, I thank thee! I will smile. I will do everything
that thou wilt have me.

DUTCH:
Mijn gesternte heeft mij boven u verheven, maar wees niet schroomhartig voor grootheid; sommigen worden groot geboren, anderen worden groot door inspanning, aan enkelen wordt de grootheid in den schoot geworpen.

MORE:
Proverb: To wear yellow stockings and cross garters

Simulation=Disguise, puzzle
Crush=Force
Bow=Yield
Revolve=Consider, reflect
Stars=Fortunes
Inure=Accustom
Like=Likely
Slough=Cast off, like a snake’s skin
Opposite=Openly hostile
Tang=Announce loudly
Arguments of state=Important political topics
Into the trick of=Make a habit of
Singularity=Originality, uniqueness
Cross-gartered=Laces tied up the leg
Fellow=Companion
Alter services=Change places
Compleat:
Simulation=Veinzing, bewimpeling
Crush=Pletteren, kneuzen, verbryzelen, pla duurwen, neerdrukken; verderven, ‘t onderbrengen
Bow=Buigen, bukken
Revolve=Overleggen, overdenken, omwentelen, ontuimelen
To inure=Gewennen, verharden, hard worden, vereelten
Like=Waarschynelyk, verkoedelyk
Slough (cast skin of a sname)=De oude huid die een slang afgeworpen heeft
Opposite=Tegen over, tegenstrydig
Tang=Kwaade smaak
Singularity=(uncommonness, excellence) Zeldzaamheid, uitmuntendheid; (affected way of being particular) Eigenzinnigheid, vreemdheid
Gartered=Gekouseband
Fellow=Medegezel


Topics: proverbs and idioms, custom, leadership, fate/destiny/achievement