Twelfth Night Read online

  98 his i.e. his servants

  100 For as for

  101 blanks blank paper/unstamped coins

  106 suit petition, courtship

  107 solicit urge

  108 music ... spheres planets and stars were thought to be surrounded by hollow spheres that produced beautiful music as they rotated 110 leave permission (to speak)

  112 abuse wrong/disgrace

  114 construction judgment/interpretation (of my conduct) 115 To force for forcing

  117 stake post to which a bear is chained for baiting by dogs 119 receiving understanding

  120 cypress light transparent material

  123 degree step

  124 grize step

  124 vulgar proof common experience

  126 smile again i.e. throw off melancholy 129 lion a more noble adversary

  133 proper handsome/worthy

  135 disposition state of mind

  137 You'll you'll send

  140 what you are i.e. in love with me (a woman/a servant) 145 I ... fool you make me look foolish

  146 deal quantity

  149 love's ... noon i.e. despite trying to conceal itself, love is obvious 151 maidhood virginity

  152 maugre in spite of

  153 Nor neither

  154 extort ... clause extract reason from this premise 155 For that because

  155 no cause need to woo in return

  156 reason ... fetter restrain your reason with the following reasoning 163 deplore lament, recount sorrowfully

  Act 3 Scene 2

  2 venom venomous person

  6 i'th'orchard in the garden

  7 the while at the time

  9 argument proof

  12 it my case

  12 oaths sworn testament

  15 Noah biblical character who survived a mighty flood sent by God 17 dormouse sleepy

  19 fire-new ... mint i.e. like a freshly minted coin 20 banged struck

  22 balked avoided/neglected

  22 double gilt i.e. golden (opportunity)

  23 north cold region

  26 policy strategy

  28 lief willingly

  28 Brownist follower of Robert Browne, founder of an extreme puritan sect 28 politician schemer

  29 build me build

  30 Challenge me challenge

  32 love-broker go-between

  37 martial hand military style/handwriting

  37 curst quarrelsome

  38 so provided that

  38 invention innovation

  39 licence of ink freedom encouraged by writing rather than speaking 39 thou'st call him "thou," an insult to a stranger ("you" is the polite form) 40 lies accusations of lying

  42 bed of Ware famous bed, able to hold twelve people 43 gall bile, anger/an ingredient in ink (oak-gall) 43 goose-pen quill-pen made from a goose's feather (may play on sense of goose as "fool") 46 cubiculo "bedroom" (Latin)

  47 manikin little man, puppet

  48 dear costly

  48 two thousand probably ducats (gold coins) 50 rare marvelous, i.e. entertaining 53 wainropes wagon ropes, pulled by oxen

  53 hale haul, drag

  56 th'anatomy i.e. his skeleton/body 57 opposite adversary

  57 visage appearance/face

  58 presage indication

  59 youngest wren the wren is a small bird (a play on Maria's size); some editors emend "mine" to "nine"

  60 spleen fit of laughter (the spleen was thought to be the seat of laughter) 61 gull fool, dupe

  62 renegado deserter of his religion

  64 passages of grossness i.e. the ludicrous statements in Maria's letter 66 villainously offensively, horribly

  66 pedant schoolmaster

  67 dogged followed closely

  69 new ... Indies probably refers to a map published in 1599 that showed the East Indies in much greater detail than previously 71 forbear desist from

  Act 3 Scene 3

  3 chide scold

  5 filed sharpened

  6 all only (out of)

  6 so much enough (love)

  8 jealousy concern, apprehension (about)

  9 skill-less in unacquainted with

  9 stranger foreigner

  12 rather more readily

  16 ever oft very often

  17 shuffled off shrugged aside

  17 uncurrent worthless

  18 worth financial means

  18 conscience feeling of obligation

  18 firm substantial/reliable

  19 dealing treatment/reward

  20 relics antiquities, old sights

  25 renown make famous

  28 count his count's, i.e. duke's

  28 galleys ships usually propelled by oars as well as sails 30 it ... answered it would be virtually impossible to account for it/make reparation (i.e. Antonio's life would be in danger) 31 Belike presumably

  33 Albeit even though

  34 bloody argument cause for shedding blood 35 answered requited

  36 traffic's trade's

  38 lapsed apprehended/caught out

  40 open publicly

  41 doth not fit does not suit/is not appropriate for 42 Elephant name of an inn

  43 bespeak our diet order our food

  44 beguile while away

  45 have meet

  47 Haply perhaps

  47 toy trifle

  48 store available money

  49 idle markets trivial purchases

  Act 3 Scene 4

  1 him i.e. Cesario

  2 of on

  5 sad serious

  5 civil decorous

  9 possessed by evil spirits, i.e. mad

  19 sad serious/melancholy

  22 sonnet song/poem

  22 'Please ... all' a ballad about women having their own way sexually 25 black melancholic (from an excess of black bile) 25 It i.e. the letter

  26 his i.e. Malvolio's

  27 Roman hand fashionable Italian style of handwriting 28 go to bed i.e. to rest (but Malvolio takes this as sexually suggestive) 30 kiss thy hand a fashionable greeting among courtiers 33 daws jackdaws, birds of the crow family/fools 51 midsummer proverbially the season for madness

  53 hardly with difficulty

  53 attends awaits

  58 miscarry come to harm

  59 come near begin to understand/appreciate 65 consequently subsequently

  66 reverend carriage dignified bearing

  67 habit manner/clothing

  67 sir of note distinguished man

  68 limed caught; birdlime was a sticky substance smeared on branches to trap birds 70 Fellow equal

  70 after my degree according to my position 71 dram tiny amount

  72 scruple small quantity/doubt

  72 incredulous incredible

  73 unsafe unreliable

  78 drawn in little gathered in a small space/painted in miniature 78 Legion biblical reference to a multitude of devils; Sir Toby may mistakenly think it is the name of a specific devil 82 private privacy, with possible play on "private parts"

  83 Lo look

  83 hollow echoingly

  84 have a take

  87 Let me alone leave him to me

  91 La look

  93 water urine, examined for diagnosis

  93 wise woman local healer, thought able to cure those bewitched 99 move excite/provoke

  102 bawcock good fellow (from the French beau coq, i.e. "fine bird") 103 chuck chick

  105 Biddy hen

  106 gravity respectability

  106 cherry-pit children's game in which cherrystones are thrown into a hole 106 foul collier dirty coalman, i.e. the devil 112 idle worthless/trivial

  113 element sphere/type

  117 genius soul/guardian spirit

  119 take ... taint be spoiled (by exposure to air) 123 in ... bound conventional treatment for the insane 124 carry manage/maintain

  127 bar open court, i.e. judgment

  128 finder of madmen juror who formally declared whether a man was mad 129 matter substance/sp
ort

  129 May morning i.e. festive time 130 warrant assure you/confirm

  132 saucy spicy/insolent

  133 warrant assure

  135 scurvy worthless/contemptible

  137 admire marvel

  139 note remark

  139 keeps protects

  139 blow ... law legal punishment (for breaching the peace) 142 liest ... throat lie outrageously

  149 o'th'windy on the windward, i.e. safe 152 hope i.e. of success

  152 as ... him insofar as you treat him as such 155 move provoke/set in motion

  157 commerce transaction/conversational exchange 158 Scout me keep watch (for me)

  159 bumbaily bailiff who crept up on the debtor from behind 160 horrible terribly/exceedingly

  162 twanged off uttered ringingly/said with a snide nasal intonation 162 approbation credit

  163 proof testing out

  164 let me alone i.e. you can rely on me 166 capacity intelligence

  170 clodpole idiot

  173 youth inexperience

  173 aptly receive readily believe

  173 hideous terrifying

  175 cockatrices basilisks, mythical reptiles whose gaze had the power to kill 176 Give them way keep out of their way

  177 presently immediately

  178 horrid terrifying

  181 laid laid down/exposed

  181 unchary carelessly

  185 'haviour ... bears behavior that characterizes your passion 187 jewel piece of jewelry, here a miniature portrait of Olivia 191 honour saved i.e. apart from my virginity 195 acquit excuse, release (from obligation to love) 200 That whatever

  200 betake resort

  202 intercepter one lying in wait

  202 despite contempt

  202 bloody bloodthirsty

  203 Dismount draw

  203 tuck sword

  203 yare quick

  206 to with

  206 remembrance memory

  209 price value

  210 opposite opponent

  211 withal with

  213 dubbed invested with knightly status

  213 unhatched unhacked, unmarked (in battle) 213 on carpet consideration for courtly, rather than military, reasons 215 incensement fury

  216 satisfaction recompense for offense to one's honor 217 sepulchre tomb

  217 Hob, nob have or have not, i.e. come what may 217 word motto

  220 conduct protection

  221 taste test

  222 quirk peculiarity

  224 competent sufficient

  226 that i.e. the duel

  228 meddle get involved

  228 forswear ... you cease to wear a sword 231 office task

  231 know of inquire from

  238 mortal arbitrement fight to the death 240 Nothing ... promise not at all as extraordinary 240 read judge

  241 form appearance

  241 like likely

  248 mettle spirit/courage

  250 firago virago, female fighter

  250 pass bout (of fencing)

  251 stuck in fencing thrust

  251 mortal fatal

  251 motion fencing maneuver

  252 inevitable unavoidable

  252 answer return hit

  252 pays you strikes you in return

  254 to in the service of

  254 Sophy Shah of Persia

  255 Pox plague

  257 hold restrain

  259 cunning skillful

  259 fence fencing

  259 ere before

  262 motion offer

  263 perdition destruction, damnation

  263 perdition of souls i.e. loss of life 264 ride i.e. make a fool of

  265 take up settle

  267 horribly conceited has just as terrifying an idea 270 for's oath for his oath's

  271 quarrel cause of complaint

  272 supportance upholding

  272 protests declares/vows

  274 A ... would it wouldn't take much to (thing plays on the sense of "penis") 279 duello established dueling code

  283 up away

  289 undertaker one who takes on a task/challenger 289 for ready for

  291 anon shortly

  293 for that as for what

  294 He i.e. Capilet, the horse

  294 reins is obedient, responds to the reins 296 suit order/request

  299 favour face

  303 answer be accountable for

  307 amazed shocked/bewildered

  313 part in part

  315 having fortune

  316 present available resources

  317 coffer money

  318 deny reject/disown

  319 deserts worthy deeds

  320 lack persuasion fail to persuade you to help me 320 tempt try

  321 unsound morally weak/inadequate

  327 vainness ostentation

  334 sanctity holiness

  335 image appearance (plays on the sense of "religious icon") 336 venerable worth worthy to be venerated 339 feature physical appearance

  341 unkind cruel/unnatural

  343 trunks chests/bodies

  343 o'erflourished richly decorated/made outwardly beautiful 352 sage solemn/dignified

  353 saws sayings

  355 glass mirrored reflection/image

  356 favour appearance

  356 went went about

  357 Still always

  357 ornament clothing, adornments

  358 prove i.e. to be true

  360 dishonest dishonorable

  360 a coward cowardly

  364 religious devout

  365 'Slid by God's eyelid (common oath)

  368 event outcome

  369 yet after all

  Act 4 Scene 1

  4 held out kept up

  8 vent utter, let out

  10 of from

  12 lubber clumsy idiot

  12 cockney pampered child/affected, effeminate fellow 13 ungird take off

  13 strangeness aloofness

  15 Greek buffoon/speaker of gibberish

  16 tarry linger

  17 worse payment i.e. blows

  18 open generous (with money or blows)

  19 report reputation

  20 fourteen years' purchase i.e. a large investment of time and money 26 straight at once

  26 in ... coats in your position

  28 hold restrain yourself

  30 action of battery lawsuit for assault

  35 iron dagger/sword

  35 fleshed initiated into fighting

  39 malapert impudent

  46 Rudesby ruffian

  46 friend friend/lover

  48 uncivil barbarous

  48 extent assault

  51 botched up patched together

  53 Beshrew curse

  54 started startled/drove from cover

  54 heart puns on "hart"

  55 relish meaning (literally, "taste")

  56 Or either

  57 fancy imagination

  57 Lethe river of forgetfulness in the classical underworld 58 still always

  59 Would thou'dst if only you would

  Act 4 Scene 2

  2 Sir respectful title for priest

  2 Topas topaz, a precious stone, was supposed to cure madness; also proverbial for a puritan priest 3 curate parish priest

  3 the whilst in the meantime

  4 dissemble disguise

  5 dissembled feigned, deceived

  6 become suit

  7 function task/role (of priest)

  8 said reputed

  9 housekeeper host

  9 goes as fairly sounds as good

  9 careful painstaking/conscientious

  10 competitors conspirators, partners in crime 12 Bonos dies "good day" (mock Latin/Spanish) 12 old ... Prague an invented authority

  13 never ... ink was illiterate

  13 King Gorboduc legendary British king

  23 hyperbolical immoderate/vehement/raging

  23 fiend evil spirit (supposedly possessing Malvo
lio) 23 vexest torment

  30 modest terms mild expressions

  31 house i.e. room

  35 barricadoes barricades

  35 clerestories upper windows

  41 puzzled bewildered

  42 Egyptians ... fog in the Bible, God punished the Egyptians with three days of darkness 45 abused wronged/maltreated

  46 constant decided/consistent/logical

  46 question discussion, debate

  47 Pythagoras ancient Greek philosopher who believed in the transmigration of souls from humans to animals 49 grandam grandmother

  49 happily perhaps (though may play on adverbial sense) 55 allow ... wits acknowledge you are sane

  56 woodcock proverbially stupid and easily caught bird 59 exquisite ingenious/exact (in imitation) 60 am ... waters can turn my hand to anything 63 To go to

  65 delivered liberated

  67 upshot final stroke, conclusion

  67 by and by straight away

  72 perdy by God (from French par dieu) 82 besides out of

  82 five wits mental faculties: common sense, fantasy, judgment, memory, and imagination 83 notoriously evidently/outrageously

  85 But only

  87 propertied packed away like a piece of furniture/a stage prop 88 face bully

  90 Advise you be careful/consider

  92 bibble babble idle chatter

  95 God buy you goodbye, literally "God be with you"

  100 shent rebuked

  104 Well-a-day alas/would

  113 requite repay

  118 a trice an instant

  119 Vice buffoon/comic character in old morality plays 121 dagger of lath the weapon of the Vice character 121 lath thin wood

  125 Pare trim

  125 Pare thy nails probably a comic routine in morality plays 125 dad the Vice was sometimes portrayed as the devil's son 126 goodman title for someone below the rank of gentleman Act 4 Scene 3

  6 was had been

  6 credit report

  7 range roam

  9 disputes well i.e. agrees

  11 accident unforeseen event

  12 instance precedent

  12 discourse rationality

  14 wrangle argue

  15 trust belief

  17 sway her house govern her household

  18 Take ... dispatch deal with matters of household business 21 deceivable deceptive

  24 chantry private chapel

  24 by nearby

  26 Plight ... faith pledge your love (in a binding betrothal) 27 jealous anxious, uncertain, wary

  29 Whiles until

  29 note public knowledge

  30 What at which

  30 celebration i.e. marriage

  31 birth social status

  35 fairly note observe with favor

  Act 5 Scene 1

  5 This ... again seemingly refers to the anecdote about Elizabeth I and her kinsman Dr. Boleyn; she asked for his dog and promised him anything in return, upon which he asked for the animal back 8 trappings ornaments/bits and pieces

  10 for because of

  18 abused deceived

  18 so ... affirmatives if the outcome is like the response to a request for a kiss, where "no, no, no, no" means "yes, yes"

  22 though even though

  23 friends i.e. one who gives him praise

  26 But except for the fact double-dealing duplicity/giving twice 29 your grace favor/virtue (plays on the customary way of addressing a duke) 29 in your pocket i.e. to hide it/to give money 30 flesh and blood human instincts/frailty

  30 it i.e. the ill counsel

  31 to as to

  33 Primo, secundo, tertio "first, second, third" (Latin) 33 play game