The Two Gentlemen of Verona (28 page)

85
Had come
would have come

86
looks
gaze

87
Belike that
perhaps

87
enfranchised … fealty
freed his eyes in return for an alternative pledge of loyalty/freed them in favor of another lover’s pledge of loyalty

93
Love … all
Cupid was blind

95
homely
plain/unattractive

95
wink
shut its eyes

99
warrant
guarantee

101
entertain
receive

103
low
humble/short

103
high
dignified/superior/tall

104
mean
unworthy

106
Leave … disability
stop this talk of inadequacy

108
duty
i.e. a servant’s duty

109
want his meed
lack its recompense

111
die
i.e. in a fight

111
but
except for

121
them much commended
conveyed their hearty greetings

125
were wont to
used to

128
contemning
condemning, despising

129
imperious
magisterial/commanding

130
penitential
undergoing penance

133
enthrallèd
enslaved

134
watchers of
sleepless over/vigilant over

137
no … correction
no misery as bad as that which results from Love’s punishment

138
to
in comparison to

141
very naked
mere

143
this
i.e. Silvia

144
Even she
she indeed/exactly so

145
paragon
person of surpassing excellence

149
sick
i.e. with love (for Julia)

149
bitter pills
i.e. did not indulge me, but administered unpleasant-tasting medicine

150
minister the like
give you the same treatment

151
by
about

152
principality
one of the nine orders of angels

155
Sweet
a term of friendly affection

156
Except
unless

156
except against
object to

158
prefer
promote, advance

161
from … kiss
brush against her clothing

163
Disdain … flower
refuse to allow the flowers to take root in it

165
braggardism
bragging arrogance

166
can
i.e. can say

167
To
compared to

167
worthies
things of value

168
alone
unique

174
dream on thee
pay you much attention

175
dote upon
focus lovingly on/be infatuated with

177
for
because

182
With … flight
along with every detail of our ingenious escape plan

183
Determined of
decided on

185
’greed
agreed

188
inquire you forth
seek you out

189
disembark
unload (from the boat)

190
necessaries
personal luggage

194
expels
drives out (applying heat was thought to ease a burn)

196
remembrance
memory

197
object
sight

199
false transgression
faithless sin/wrongful violation of loyalty

200
reasonless
without cause

200
to reason thus
justify myself/explore matters in this way

205
zeal
devotion/loyalty

209
advice
reflection

210
without advice
unadvisedly

211
picture
appearance

213
look
come to look (in the future)

213
perfections
exquisite inner qualities

214
no reason but
no doubt that

215
check
restrain/reprimand

215
erring
wandering/wrongful

216
compass
win/embrace

Act 2 Scene 5

1
Padua
most editors emend to “Milan,” assuming that Shakespeare forgot his location, but it is conceivable that Speed is winding up the travel-weary and slow-witted Lance by naming the wrong city

2
Forswear
swear falsely/perjure (Lance claims that he is not
welcome
, but may also imply cheekily that Speed swears falsely because he does so on his
honesty
)

3
reckon
think/add up

3
undone
ruined (puns on the notion of untying a
hanged
body)

5
shot
payment/tavern bill

5
hostess
landlady of an inn

10
closed in earnest
embraced/agreed in a serious manner (there may also be a glance at the sense of
earnest
as “financial pledge,” thus contributing to the banter about money)

11
fairly
kindly/cordially

16
broken
fallen out (in the following line Lance plays on “in pieces”)

17
as … fish
proverbial (
whole
puns on “hole,” which, along with
fish
was slang for “vagina”)

18
stands the matter
goes the business (
stands
puns on “to become erect” and
matter
on “sexual liaison”; Lance picks up on this in the following line)

22
block
blockhead

23
understands
stands beneath/supports (puns on Speed’s sense of “comprehend”; the staff may be used to suggest a penis)

34
parable
comparison/enigmatic speech

35
how say’st thou
what do you say to the suggestion

36
notable
noticeable/notorious

39
lubber
clumsy lout

40
whoreson
bastard (whore’s son)

40
thou mistak’st me
you misunderstand me (Lance interprets “you mistake me, Speed, for my
master
, Valentine”)

48
ale
alehouse/country festival (possibly a church festival, which a Jew would not attend; alternatively Lance may be associating Jewishness with a lack of Christian
charity
)

Act 2 Scene 6

4
power … oath
love, which made me swear fidelity to Julia

7
sweet-suggesting
sweetly tempting/seductive

7
if … it
if you have ever sinned/if you have sinned by making me false (to Julia), teach me how to justify it

11
Unheedful
thoughtless

11
heedfully
carefully/conscientiously

12
wants wit
lacks intelligence

13
learn
teach

14
unreverend
irreverent, impudent

14
her
i.e. Julia

15
preferred
urged

16
soul-confirming
soul-strengthening (Proteus has sworn by his soul)

17
leave
cease

21
thus find I
so I find myself

22
For
in exchange for

25
fair
beautiful/pale complexioned

26
Shows Julia
reveals, shows up Julia to be

26
swarthy Ethiope
dark-complexioned Ethiopian (considered unattractive)

29
hold
consider

31
constant
faithful, true

33
corded
rope

35
in counsel
being in his confidence

35
competitor
associate/rival

37
disguising … flight
deceptive intended escape

40
cross
thwart

41
blunt
stupid

42
lend
give

43
drift
scheme

Act 2 Scene 7

2.7
Location: Verona

2
conjure
entreat

3
table
writing tablet, notebook

4
charactered
written

5
lesson
teach

5
mean
method

10
measure
travel over

14
forbear
have patience/desist

16
dearth
famine

18
inly
inward

22
qualify
moderate

25
current
i.e. in water

28
makes … stones
creates a pleasing sound as it babbles over the smooth stones

29
sedge
rush-like plant

32
sport
entertaining activity

32
wild
open/untamed

38
Elysium
heaven

39
habit
clothing

40
for … men
as I wish to avoid the improper advances made by lewd men

42
weeds
garments

43
beseem
be appropriate for

45
knit
tie, knot

46
odd-conceited
elaborately devised

47
fantastic
imaginative, fanciful

48
time
age

51
compass
circumference

51
farthingale
hooped petticoat

53
codpiece
conspicuous attachment sewn onto the front of breeches (also implies the penis)

54
ill-favoured
unsightly

55
round hose
breeches with close-fitting legs that gave a padded appearance to the upper area; usually adorned with a prominent codpiece

55
not … pin
not worth anything/not worthy of a penis

56
stick pins on
some codpieces were decorated with pins

58
mannerly
appropriate (puns on “man”)

60
unstaid
immodest

61
scandalized
disgraced

64
dream on infamy
worry about getting a bad reputation

67
withal
with it

70
instances
evidence

70
infinite
infinity

71
Warrant … Proteus
guarantee that Proteus will welcome my arrival

75
bonds
binding promises

75
oracles
guaranteed truth-tellers

76
immaculate
pure

81
hard
poor

81
truth
sincerity/fidelity

85
furnish
maintain/equip

85
longing journey
journey undertaken as a result of longing

86
at thy dispose
under your control

88
in lieu thereof
in exchange for which

90
tarriance
delay

Act 3 Scene 1

3.1
Location: Milan

1
give us leave
leave us (polite)

8
pricks
spurs

12
privy to
aware of/entrusted with

16
vexation
anger/distress

21
timeless
premature

23
requite
repay

23
command me
ask any favor of me

26
purposed
intended

28
jealous aim
suspicious guess