QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: The Merry Wives of Windsor
ACT/SCENE:
SPEAKER: Falstaff
CONTEXT:
SHALLOW.
Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge.
FALSTAFF.
But not kissed your keeper’s daughter?
SHALLOW.
Tut, a pin! this shall be answered.
FALSTAFF.
I will answer it straight: I have done all this.
That is now answered.
SHALLOW.
The Council shall know this.
FALSTAFF.
‘Twere better for you if it were known in counsel:
you’ll be laughed at.

DUTCH:
Gij deedt beter, het in uw geheime lade te houden;
men zal u uitlachen.

MORE:
Proverb: Few words show men wise

Lodge=Hunting or gamekeeper’s lodge
Pin=Small insignificant thing
Known in counsel=Kept quiet, a secret
Compleat:
Lodge=Herberg
Pin=Speld
Not worth a pin=’t is niet een speld waard

Topics: intellect, language, excess, proverbs and idioms