QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Titus Andronicus
ACT/SCENE: 5.1
SPEAKER: First Goth
CONTEXT:
LUCIUS
Approved warriors, and my faithful friends,
I have received letters from great Rome,
Which signify what hate they bear their emperor
And how desirous of our sight they are.
Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness,
Imperious and impatient of your wrongs,
And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,
Let him make treble satisfaction.
FIRST GOTH
Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,
Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort;
Whose high exploits and honourable deeds
Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,
Be bold in us: we’ll follow where thou lead’st,
Like stinging bees in hottest summer’s day
Led by their master to the flowered fields,
And be avenged on cursed Tamora.
ALL THE GOTHS
And as he saith, so say we all with him.

DUTCH:
Vertrouw op ons; wij volgen waar ge ons leidt,
Als angelbijën, die op ‘t heetst des zomers
De koningin naar bloemenbeemden voert;
En wreek u op de vloekb’re Tamora.

MORE:
Proverb: He is like the master bee that leads forth the swarm

Approved=Proven, tested
Scath=Harm
Slip=Offspring
Bold in=Have confidence in
Requite=Repays
Master=The queen bee was thought to be a male at the time
Compleat:
Approved=Beproefd; goedgekeurd
Scathe=Quetsuur, ongemak. To do scathe=Bezeeren
Bold=Stout, koen, vrymoedig, onbevreesd, onverslaagd, vrypostig
To requite=Vergelden
To requite a man in his own way=Iemand met gelyke munt betaalen

Topics: proverbs and idioms, leadership, loyalty