The Two Gentlemen of Verona Read online

  33 hapless unlucky

  34 If ... won if the lover fails to win his lady then all that he will have gained is sorrow and effort 35 However whatever the outcome

  35 but merely

  35 a folly foolishness

  37 circumstance elaborate speech

  38 circumstance situation

  39 Love refers here to Cupid

  39 cavil quibble/complain

  41 yoked bound/controlled

  42 chronicled for recorded as being

  44 eating canker worm that feeds off and destroys plants

  46 forward early

  47 blow bloom

  49 blasting withering

  50 verdure green freshness

  50 prime spring

  51 effects outcome

  52 wherefore why

  52 counsel advise

  53 votary devoted worshipper

  53 fond foolish/doting

  54 road harbor

  55 shipped dispatched on board a ship

  58 Milan northern Italian dukedom

  59 success destiny

  60 Betideth takes place

  61 mine i.e. my letters full of news

  62 bechance happen

  65 dignify honor (by improving his own reputation in the world) 66 leave abandon/neglect

  67 Julia possiby named after the Juliet in Arthur Brooke's poem Romeus and Juliet; her name may also signify passion, being derived from the hot month of July 69 War disagree

  70 musing pondering

  70 Speed a name suggesting quick wit; possibly ironic in places as Speed is sometimes slow to go about his errands 71 'save you God save you

  72 But just

  74 sheep puns on "ship"

  76 An if if

  80 my ... horns as he owns me my horns belong to him (Speed implies that this makes Valentine a cuckold) 85 circumstance reasoned argument

  86 It ... another it'll be unfortunate if I can't prove the point with a different explanation 90 fodder food

  94 baa puns on the contemptuous "bah"

  96 mutton sheep

  97 laced-mutton a prostitute wearing either lace or a tightly laced bodice 99 store great quantity

  100 overcharged overcrowded

  100 stick slaughter/have sex with

  102 astray wandering into error (puns on the idea of "a stray sheep") 102 pound confine in an animal pound/beat

  103 pound reference to money, though still punning on a beating 105 pinfold animal pen

  106 pin insignificant amount

  106 Fold multiply (puns on pinfold) with additional suggestions of folding a letter 110 'noddy' fool

  114 take ... pains have it as a reward for the trouble you have taken 117 fain to bear obliged to put up (with suggestions of carrying on behalf of) 119 Marry by the Virgin Mary

  119 orderly dutifully/properly

  121 Beshrew the devil take

  123 open the matter reveal the information

  128 hardly with great difficulty

  129 perceive understand/glean

  131 perceive receive (may play on purse) 132 ducat gold coin

  133 brought your mind conveyed your feelings to her

  134 in ... mind when you tell her of your emotions in person 134 token lover's gift

  135 stones jewels

  138 bounty generosity

  138 testerned me given me sixpence (a "testern")

  139 requital whereof return for which

  140 commend present greetings from

  141 begone go away (expression of annoyance)

  143 drier death i.e. hanging

  145 deign my lines accept my letter

  146 post messenger/idiot

  Act 1 Scene 2

  1.2 Lucetta diminutive form of "Lucy"

  3 so providing that

  3 stumble trip/have sex

  3 unheedfully carelessly/recklessly

  4 resort company

  5 parle talk

  9 Sir Eglamour almost certainly a different Eglamour from the one who appears later in the play; amor is Latin for "love"

  10 neat elegant

  12 Mercatio his name suggests that he is a merchant

  14 gentle well-born/honorable

  16 passion outburst

  17 passing surpassing, extreme (puns on passion) 19 censure pass judgment on

  25 cast bestow

  26 cast away wasted

  27 moved wooed

  29 little speaking very few words on the subject

  39 being ... it happening to meet him I took the letter on your behalf 41 goodly broker fine intermediary

  42 wanton passionate/lewd

  44 office position

  48 fee recompense

  50 That ... ruminate (yes) in order to enable you to think

  51 I had o'erlooked I wish I had read

  53 pray her to beg her to commit

  53 chid rebuked

  57 have ... 'ay' rather the person making the offer interpreted as "yes"

  58 wayward perverse, unreasonable

  59 testy irritable

  60 presently immediately

  60 kiss the rod be obedient

  60 rod cane

  61 churlishly roughly. ungraciously

  63 angerly angrily

  66 remission forgiveness

  71 kill your stomach satisfy your appetite/calm your bad temper (meat was pronounced "mate" and thus puns on maid) 79 let ... concerns leave it there for those it is intended for 80 lie ... concerns fib about its contents

  81 false interpreter untrustworthy/untrue reader

  83 That in order that

  84 set set to music (in the next line Julia intends the sense of "set store by") 85 toys trifles

  86 'Light o' love' a popular tune

  87 heavy serious/burdensome

  87 light frivolous/of little weight

  88 burden bass accompaniment/chorus/heavy load 91 reach so high sing at such a high pitch/win someone of Proteus' status 92 minion minx, mischievous one

  93 tune melody/temper

  93 so ... out in that way you will finish the song/rid yourself of your mood 96 sharp shrill/cross

  98 flat tunelessly low in pitch/blunt

  99 mar spoil

  99 concord harmony

  99 descant harmonious variation on the tune

  100 mean middle point/method/tenor (a male voice--i.e. that of Proteus) 101 unruly bass uncontrolled bass voice/unworthy. low behavior 102 bid the base sing the male part/challenge to a chase

  104 coil with protestation fuss about declarations of love 106 fing'ring fiddling with/stealing

  107 makes it strange pretends she doesn't care

  109 would ... same I wish that I had the letter back to be able to appear enraged by it/I wish that it really was anger that I was feeling about the letter 111 Injurious wasps unjust/harmful wasps (i.e. fingers)

  113 several paper scrap of the torn-up letter

  114 Unkind cruel/unnatural

  115 As as if

  119 my ... thee I shall keep the scrap of paper with your name on it in my breast pocket/my heart will nurture your name 120 throughly thoroughly

  121 search clean/probe (a wound)

  121 sovereign healing

  126 ragged rugged

  130 that i.e. the part with her name on it

  131 sith since

  132 He ... names he links my name to his lamenting one

  133 Thus ... another Julia folds the paper so that her name is lying upon that of Proteus (the sexual nature of this is continued in the following line in which the actions described become increasingly physical) 134 contend grapple, engage with sexually

  135 stays waits

  138 respect value

  139 taken up rebuked

  140 for lest they should

  141 month's mind to preference for

  143 judge I wink think my eyes are shut

  Act 1 Scene 3

  1.3 Pantino possibly from "pantler," a type of servant, and the Italian diminutive ino
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  1 sad serious

  2 cloister covered arcade adjoining a building

  6 suffer allow

  7 slender reputation lesser/insignificant status/repute

  8 Put forth send out into the world

  8 preferment advancement, favor

  13 meet suitable

  14 importune urge

  16 impeachment ... age discredit to him when he is older

  19 hammering thinking hard about

  21 perfect complete/fully rounded and experienced

  22 tried tested

  26 ignorant unaware

  28 emperor the Duke of Milan--he is referred to as both "emperor" and "duke" in the play 31 practise tilts take part in jousts

  32 sweet discourse elegant conversation

  33 in eye of witness to

  37 execution carrying out

  38 expedition haste

  43 commend commit

  45 in good time just at the right moment

  45 break with reveal the plan to

  47 hand handwriting

  48 pawn pledge

  50 seal ratify/complete

  54 commendations greeting

  59 graced favored

  61 stand you affected are you inclined

  63 his i.e. Valentine's

  64 something sorted somewhat in agreement

  65 Muse wonder

  69 maintenance allowance

  69 friends supporters/relatives

  70 Like exhibition the same amount

  72 Excuse it not make no excuses

  72 peremptory resolved

  73 provided equipped

  75 Look see that

  76 No ... stay no further talk of lingering

  82 take exceptions make objections

  83 vantage benefit

  84 excepted most against caused the greatest obstacle to

  91 accords agrees

  Act 2 Scene 1

  2.1 Location: Milan

  2 on pronounced "one" (thus allowing for the pun in the following line) 5 ornament item of clothing

  5 decks adorns

  6 Silvia from the Latin "silva" meaning "woods"; also signifies a woodland deity or spirit 8 sirrah sir (authoritative)

  12 still always

  12 forward hasty/lively

  14 Go to expression of dismissive impatience

  17 special marks particular signs

  18 wreathe fold (considered a sign of melancholy)

  19 malcontent discontented person

  19 relish sing/have a taste for/enjoy

  20 pestilence plague (victims were shunned for fear of infection) 21 lost his A B C lost his schoolbook/forgotten the alphabet 22 grandam grandmother

  23 watch remain awake

  24 puling whiningly

  24 beggar at Hallowmas beggars traditionally made special requests for aid on All Saints' Day (1 November) 24 wont accustomed previously

  26 presently immediately

  27 want lack

  31 without ye externally

  32 Without me out of my presence

  33 without unless

  35 you ... you you surround these follies so fully that they are visible within you/you are so simple that even without these external signs of folly your internal folly would shine through 36 water ... urinal urine in a glass vessel used by doctors for diagnosis 37 malady illness

  40 Even she herself

  44 hard-favoured ugly

  45 well-favoured attractive/gracious

  48 of you, well-favoured preferred by you

  49 favour good will/charm

  51 painted artificial (painted on with cosmetics)

  51 out ... count beyond calculation

  55 counts of esteems, values

  56 How ... me? i.e. Do you think nothing, then, of my judgment?

  57 deformed disfigured/transformed by love in Valentine's eyes 64 Love is blind Cupid was traditionally depicted as blind

  65 lights clear-sightedness

  66 ungartered with his garters undone (i.e. disheveled, traditionally a sign of one in love) 69 hose breeches (Valentine is in an even worse condition than Proteus, who at least managed to put on his hose) 74 swinged beat

  76 stand affected to love (in his reply, Speed plays on the sense of stand as "have an erection") 77 set calm/seated

  85 motion puppet show

  86 interpret to her provide the words for the puppet (Silvia) 88 'give ... ev'n God give you a plain "good evening" (instead of these elaborate greetings) 88 million of excessive quantity

  89 servant a lover who served and was devoted to his lady

  90 He ... him as her lover, Valentine should express personal interest in Silvia, yet she gives him financial interest by doubling the number of greetings he has given her 92 friend lover

  95 clerkly scholarly

  96 came hardly off was accomplished with difficulty

  98 doubtfully hesitantly

  99 Perchance ... pains perhaps you think it is not worth making so much effort 100 so ... you as long as it is of help to you

  103 pretty period fine/clever pause/conclusion

  103 the sequel what was to come next

  105 this i.e. the letter

  109 quaintly skillfully

  110 again back

  114 none of have nothing to do with

  118 so so be it

  120 for your labour as payment for your efforts

  124 sues to pleads with/courts

  126 device scheme/invention

  129 reasoning talking/debating

  134 figure ingenious device/number

  142 earnest to be serious (the following line plays on the sense of "financial deposit") 143 none nothing

  146 end end to the matter/purpose

  148 warrant assure

  150 want lack

  151 discover reveal

  153 in print very precisely, as if quoting from a book

  155 I have dined implying that he has feasted upon Silvia's looks 156 chameleon ... air Love was supposed to be changeable, like the chameleon, a creature that can alter its color and that was reputed to survive on air 158 victuals food

  158 fain willingly

  159 moved sympathetic/persuaded to go to dinner

  Act 2 Scene 2

  2.2 Location: Verona

  2 is there is

  4 turn change, become unfaithful

  5 remembrance love token, keepsake

  8 constancy fidelity

  9 o'erslips passes by unnoticed

  11 mischance misfortune

  13 stays awaits

  15 stay detain

  18 grace adorn/do honor to

  Act 2 Scene 3

  2.3 Lance short form of Lancelot; the name may also be derived from the Old French l'ancelot ("attendant") 1 ere before

  2 kind family

  3 proportion malapropism for "portion" (i.e. "allowance")

  3 prodigious malapropism for "prodigal," a reference to the well-known Bible story 4 Imperial's emperor's

  4 Crab from "crab-apple," a sour fruit

  8 cur dog

  10 Jew considered to be pitiless

  12 manner of it way it happened

  12 shoe Lance uses his shoes to represent his parents

  13 left thought to be inferior to the right

  15 sole puns on "soul" (women supposedly had souls inferior to those of men) 15 hole plays on the sense of "vagina"

  16 A vengeance on't a mild oath: Lance is struggling to remove his shoe 17 staff tall walking stick

  18 small slim

  18 wand slender stick

  21 your i.e. I ask for your

  24 wood mad (playing on the fact that Lance's shoe is wooden) 25 mother's breath Lance is smelling the shoe

  25 up and down in every way/exactly

  26 mark note

  27 lay the dust dampen the dust underfoot

  30 post hasten

  31 lose miss

  33 tied i.e. Crab (puns on tide)

  37 flood sea's tide


  42 lose lose/loosen

  44 tale talk, story

  45 tail anus

  50 call summon

  Act 2 Scene 4

  2.4 Location: Milan Turio Latin for "sprig, young shoot," perhaps suggesting the character's immaturity 7 'Twere ... knocked it would be a good idea to hit

  10 that what

  12 counterfeits fakes, impostors

  16 instance evidence

  18 quote observe (pronounced like "coat," this plays on jerkin in the next line) 19 jerkin jacket worn over a doublet

  20 doublet close-fitting jacket

  22 How? What?

  25 live ... air live near you/listen to you speak/live off the same air you breathe (like a chameleon) 28 done finished/acted (as opposed to having said) 28 this time the moment (Turio suggests that in the future he may "do" more, i.e. fight Valentine) 29 end ... begin stop before you've started (i.e. before actually dueling) 30 volley discharge (of weapons)

  34 the fire i.e. the spark to set off the volley/ignite the guns 36 kindly naturally/lovingly

  37 spend spend like money/waste

  39 exchequer treasury

  41 bare liveries shabby uniforms (worn by a gentleman's servants or dependents) 45 hard beset energetically besieged (by suitors)

  50 happy messenger messenger bringing good news

  51 countryman man from the same country

  53 worth wealth/rank/worthiness

  53 worthy estimation deserving of respect

  54 without desert undeservedly

  62 Omitting disregarding

  63 age present age/eventual old age

  67 unmellowed young (with no gray hairs)

  67 ripe mature

  70 complete perfect

  70 feature physical appearance

  72 make this good lives up to this description

  76 potentates powerful rulers

  82 cite urge

  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 enthralled 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