The Tempest (30 page)

59
four legs
Stephano sees the legs of both Trinculo and Caliban and adapts a common proverb

60
give ground
yield

61
at’nostrils
through his nostrils

64
ague
sickness, shaking, fever

65
relief
refreshment, sustenance

66
recover
revive

68
neat’s leather
cowhide

71
after
in the manner of

73
I … him
i.e. no price can be too high for him

76
anon
shortly

78
Come … ways
come on/come here

79
language … cat
“ale will make a cat speak” (proverbial)

80
shake
cast off

82
chaps
jaws

85
delicate
extraordinary/ingeniously made/delightful

87
detract
slander

92
long spoon
“he should have a long spoon that sups with the devil” (proverbial)

98
lesser legs
presumably Trinculo has shorter legs than Caliban

100
siege
excrement (Stephano pulls Trinculo out from between Caliban’s legs)

100
moon-calf
monstrosity, misshapen creature, idiot (born under the moon’s influence)

100
vent
discharge/fart

104
overblown
blown over

110
an if
if

115
butt of sack
barrel of Spanish white wine

123
kiss the book
alludes to kissing the Bible to confirm an oath, and to the phrase “kiss the cup” (i.e. “have another drink”)

124
goose
simpleton; also suggests drunken giddiness

131
when time was
once

132
adore
worship

133
mistress
i.e. Miranda

133
dog … bush
in folklore, the man in the moon had been banished there with his dog after he illegally gathered kindling (his
bush
) on a Sunday

136
new contents
i.e. more wine

137
good light
i.e. the sun

137
shallow
gullible, naïve

139
drawn
drunk

140
sooth
truth

143
perfidious
treacherous

148
puppy-headed
stupid

152
in drink
drunk

160
crabs
crab-apples

161
pignuts
edible roots, earth chestnuts

162
marmoset
small monkey

163
filberts
hazelnuts

164
scamels
of uncertain meaning; perhaps error for “seamews” (seagulls) or “shamois” (goat); a fish or shellfish has also been suggested, but
rock
and
young
go better with the goatish sense

171
for
i.e. to trap

172
firing
firewood

173
trencher
wooden plate

176
high-day
holiday

Act 3 Scene 1

1
sports
activities, pastimes

1
painful
arduous

1
their … off
the pleasure derived from the task is enhanced by the hard work/pleasure in undertaking the task and removes the sense of effort

2
baseness
contemptible work

4
mean
lowly

6
quickens
enlivens

8
crabbed
irritable, churlish

11
sore injunction
severe command

12
baseness … executor
such a lowly task has never had such a performer

13
forget
forget to work

15
Most busy least
being busy seems like being at leisure, thanks to
sweet thoughts
of Miranda

18
enjoined
bound

20
weep
by releasing drops of moisture or resin

24
discharge
carry out

33
become
be fitting for

37
infected
with love

38
visitation
visit (plays on senses of “bout of plague” and “charitable visit to the poor”)

41
by
nearby

45
hest
command

47
top
epitome, pinnacle

50
bondage
slavery

51
diligent
attentive

54
owed
owned

55
put … foil
thwarted it/disputed it (as in a swordfight)

60
glass
mirror

61
friend
lover

62
how … abroad
what people look like in the world

63
skilless
ignorant

63
modesty
virtue, chastity

64
dower
dowry

68
precepts
instructions, orders

70
condition
social rank

74
flesh-fly
fly that lays its eggs in dead flesh

74
blow
contaminate/deposit eggs in/swell

81
kind event
favorable outcome

82
hollowly
insincerely

83
boded
intended

83
mischief
misfortune, harm

84
what
whatever

88
Fair
excellent, pleasing

89
rare
special, profound

90
that which breeds
that which develops/their children

94
to want
for lack of

96
Hence, bashful cunning
away with timid devices/coy artfulness

99
maid
virgin/servant

99
fellow
spouse

102
mistress
sweetheart

106
As … freedom
as slavery embraces freedom

109
thousand
i.e. farewells

111
surprised
delightfully bewildered/taken unawares

111
withal
by it

111
my … more
nothing could make me rejoice more

114
appertaining
relevant to this

Act 3 Scene 2

1
Tell not me
presumably to stop drinking

1
out
finished

2
bear up
stay standing/approach

2
board ’em
get on board/attack (i.e. “drink up”)

6
brained
furnished with a brain/drunk

8
set
drunkenly fixed/glazed (Trinculo plays on the sense of “placed”)

10
tail
may play on the sense of “penis” or “bottom”

13
recover
reach

13
five … leagues
about 100 miles

13
off and on
more or less

14
standard
ensign or flag bearer (puns on the sense of “person capable of standing”)

15
list
wish

16
run
i.e. away from battle

17
go
walk

17
lie
lie down/deceive

22
valiant
worthy/courageous

23
case
fit state, state of readiness

24
justle
jostle

24
deboshed
debauched, corrupted

26
monstrous
huge/unnatural/befitting a monster

30
natural
simpleton, idiot (plays on the sense of “normal, naturally formed”)

32
if … tree
i.e. you’ll be hanged like a
mutineer

37
marry
by the Virgin Mary (a mild oath)

37
stand
stand still/listen/remain upright

40
cunning
art, skill, craft

45
tale
may pun on “tail,” especially if Trinculo has just kicked Caliban in the backside

46
supplant
uproot (plays on the sense of “usurp”)

48
Mum
be quiet

52
this thing
i.e. Trinculo

55
compassed
accomplished

56
party
person in question

57
yield him thee
deliver him to you

60
pied
multicolored (refers to a jester’s clothing)

60
patch
fool/clown/rogue

64
freshes
freshwater streams

66
turn … o’doors
banish any feelings of mercy

67
stockfish
dried cod; Stephano threatens to beat Trinculo as fish is beaten before cooking; he may also imply that he will take Trinculo’s drink away

71
give … lie
accuse me of lying/insult me

75
murrain
plague (literally, disease affecting cattle and sheep)

77
forward
go on

79
enough
thoroughly

83
brain
murder, dash out his brains

85
paunch
stab in the stomach

86
weasand
windpipe

88
sot
idiot/drunkard

90
rootedly
deep-seatedly

91
utensils
instruments of magic or alchemy/household goods

92
deck withal
decorate/furnish with

95
nonpareil
unsurpassed, one without equal

100
become
befit/grace

101
brood
offspring

103
’save our graces
God save us

104
viceroys
deputy rulers

113
jocund
joyful

113
troll
sing merrily

113
catch
musical round

114
while-ere
a while ago

115
reason
anything within reason

117
Flout … ’em
insult them and mock them

120.1
tabor
small drum

122
picture of Nobody
i.e. someone invisible

125
take’t … list
take it as you will/do as you wish

133
twangling
resonant/twanging

143
by and by
soon/immediately

143
story
scheme

146
this taborer
drummer (i.e. Ariel)

147
lays it on
i.e. bangs the drum with energy

Act 3 Scene 3

1
By’r lakin
by our Ladykin (i.e. the Virgin Mary)

2
maze
network of tracks, labyrinth

3
forth-rights and meanders
straight and winding paths

6
attached
seized

8
put off
cast off

9
for my flatterer
to be my indulgent, flattering courtier

11
frustrate
fruitless/frustrated

13
for
because of

13
repulse
setback

13
forgo
give up

17
oppressed
worn down

17
travail
labor/traveling

23
keepers
protecting spirits

24
drollery
puppet show/comic entertainment/humorous picture

26
phoenix
mythical Arabian bird that was consumed by fire every 500 years, then resurrected from the ashes

29
want credit
lack credibility

35
certes
certainly