The Comedy of Errors (27 page)

149
Who
and I

149
scanned
analyzed

150
Wants … understand
am unable to comprehend a single word

151
brother
brother-in-law

152
wont
accustomed

156
return
report

157
buffet
beat

158
for
to be

160
course and drift
purpose and meaning

160
compact
agreement

166
inspiration
divine or magical revelation

167
ill agrees it
badly it suits

167
gravity
dignity

168
counterfeit
dissemble

168
grossly
blatantly

169
Abetting
encouraging/enabling

169
thwart … mood
cross me in my anger

170
Be … exempt
even if it is my fault that you have distanced yourself from me

171
wrong … contempt
do not increase that injury by treating me with further disdain

174
stronger state
superior condition

175
communicate
share

176
possess
takes, draws

176
dross
rubbish

177
brier
a wild and thorny rose that grows rapidly

177
idle
worthless

178
with intrusion
invasively

179
confusion
destruction

180
moves … theme
appeals to me as her subject matter

183
error
misapprehension

184
sure uncertainty
undoubted mystery

185
entertain
accept, play along with

185
offered fallacy
delusion I am presented with

186
spread
lay the table

187
for
as

187
beads
rosary

187
cross me
make the sign of the Christian cross

189
owls
sometimes associated with witchcraft and evil

189
sprites
spirits

192
prat’st thou
do you babble

193
sot
fool

194
transformèd
metamorphosed (by magic)

198
ape
fool/merely an imitator of humanity

199
aught
anything

200
rides
controls

200
grass
open pasture (i.e. freedom)

204
put … weep
i.e. cry like a child

205
laugh … scorn
mock my grief

206
keep
guard

207
above
i.e. in private/literally, upon the upper level of the stage, hence potentially unable to see those below

208
shrive
absolve

210
forth
away from home

213
well-advised
in my right mind

215
persever
carry on

216
at … go
take on all new experiences

Act 3 Scene 1

2
shrewish
bad-tempered

2
keep not hours
am late

4
carcanet
jeweled necklace

6
face me down
impudently contradict me that

8
charged
entrusted/accused him of possessing

12
hand
handiwork, mark of your hand (plays on sense of “handwriting”)

18
at that pass
in that predicament

20
sad
solemn

20
cheer
fare, hospitality

21
answer
live up to

22
I … dear
I value your warm welcome more highly than the delicacies at your table

23
either … dish
even the warmest welcome is not tantamount to one good dish

23
flesh
meat

25
churl
peasant

27
small cheer
little/humble food

28
sparing
moderate

29
cates
delicacies/provisions

29
mean
frugal/humble

29
part
spirit

31
soft
wait a moment

32
Ginn
probably a form of Jenny

33
Mome
idiot

33
malt-horse
oaf (large horse used by breweries)

33
capon
eunuch (literally, castrated cockerel)

33
coxcomb
fool

33
patch
clown, rogue

34
hatch
lower part of a door (puns on “set a hatch before the door”—i.e. “keep quiet”)

35
conjure for wenches
pimp for prostitutes/summon women by spells

35
store
large quantity

36
one … many
even one woman is more than enough

37
stays
waits

38
from
back to

39
Ho
an expression to call attention

43
owe
own

45
office
position

46
mickle
great

47
If … ass
i.e. if you had gone through what I have today you would have wished you weren’t me

49
coil
disturbance

53
Have at
let me attack

53
set … staff?
make myself at home (with phallic connotations)

54
When … tell?
i.e. never

56
minion
servant/hussy

60
blow
verbal blow/knock at the door

61
baggage
good-for-nothing woman, harlot

64
knock
may play on sense of “have sex”

66
What … town?
What do I care for your threats when you can be punished for them?

66
stocks
public instrument of punishment in which the arms or legs were confined

67
keeps
keeps up, continues

68
boys
fellows

71
If … sore
i.e. you and the
knave
are the same person

72
fain
gladly

73
part
depart

75
in the wind
afoot, strange going on

76
thin
i.e. and you felt the cold wind

77
cake
plays on sense of “woman”

77
stand
plays on sense of “have an erection”

78
buck
male deer/cuckold

78
bought and sold
betrayed and exploited

79
ope
open

80
Break any breaking
if you break anything

81
break a word
speak

82
break … behind
does not fart

83
want’st breaking
need a beating

83
hind
peasant/female deer

85
fowls … fin
i.e. never

86
crow
crowbar

89
sirrah
addressed to Dromio of Syracuse

89
pluck a crow
“clear up the matter” (proverbial)

92
Herein
in this matter

93
compass of suspect
scope of suspicion

95
Once this
in short

97
Plead … unknown
suggest there is a valid reason for her odd behavior

98
excuse
explain

99
made
shut

101
the Tiger
an inn

102
about
round about

104
strong hand
physical force

104
offer
try

105
stirring passage
busy activity

106
vulgar comment
public conjecture

106
of
on

107
supposed
presumed to be true

107
rout
rabble

108
ungalled
unharmed

108
estimation
reputation

111
upon succession
for generations

112
housed
dwelling

112
gets possession
is believed/gets a foothold

114
despite of mirth
in spite of the lack of joy

114
merry
cheerful

116
wild
wanton/frivolous/lively

116
gentle
kind/yielding

118
protest
declare

118
without desert
undeservedly

119
withal
with, about

121
this
this time

122
Porpentine
Porcupine, the name of a house

123
there’s the house
that is her house/where she lives

126
doors
plays on slang sense of “vagina”

126
entertain
receive (sexually)

127
knock
plays on sense of “have sex”

Act 3 Scene 2

3
love-springs
shoots of love

4
building
its construction

7
like elsewhere
love someone else

8
Muffle
conceal/blindfold

8
false
unfaithful

8
blindness
disguise, concealment

10
orator
spokesman

11
become disloyalty
give a pleasing appearance to your infidelity

12
Apparel … harbinger
clothe vice as though it heralds virtue

13
fair
honorable, attractive

14
carriage
demeanor

15
secret-false
secretly disloyal

16
What … attaint?
What foolish thief would brag of his own corruption?

18
board
table, mealtimes

19
bastard fame
illegitimate honor (if it is)

22
compact of credit
made of trust

23
others … sleeve
lovers are embraced and given love, the wife is left merely with the threads, or edges of affection

24
motion
orbit

24
move
affect/influence

27
vain
deceptive

29
what … else
what other name you have

30
wonder
marvel

30
of
on

31
Less … wonder
you seem no less wise and gracious than the wonder of the world (here, sometimes interpreted as Queen Elizabeth I)

32
earth
human, mortal flesh

34
earthy-gross conceit
flawed human understanding

36
folded
hidden

39
new
anew

43
homage
duty

44
decline
incline

45
train
seduce, entice

45
sweet … note
in Greek mythology, the beautiful song of mermaids lured sailors to their death

47
dote
idolize, become infatuated with

50
supposition
i.e. belief that her hair is a bed

51
that
who

51
die
plays on the sense of “orgasm”

52
Let … sink
if love is frivolous or fickle and cannot sustain itself then let it die

54
mated
bewildered by love (plays on sense of “matched”)