The Two Gentlemen of Verona (29 page)

31
gentle
kind/friendly/courteous

31
thereby … me
in order to try and discover the information you have just revealed to me

34
suggested
tempted

45
discovery … at
revelation that Proteus exposed Valentine’s secret is not suspected

47
publisher
revealer

47
pretence
intention

49
light
enlightenment, indication

51
whither away
where are you going

56
tenor
content

59
am to break
want to broach

60
touch me near
affect me significantly, are close to my heart

65
bounty
generosity

66
Beseeming
befitting

68
peevish
headstrong

68
froward
obstinate

70
regarding
considering/respecting

71
as … were
as she should do toward

73
advice
reflection

74
remnant … age
remainder of my days

77
who
whoever

78
wedding-dower
dowry

79
esteems
values

82
affect
love/favor

82
nice
reluctant/temperamental

83
nought … eloquence
does not care for the love-talk of an old man

85
agone
ago

85
forgot to court
forgotten how to woo

87
bestow myself
behave

88
regarded
well regarded

90
kind
nature

91
quick
lively

94
her o’er
up on her

95
after-love the more
later love greater

97
beget
produce

99
Forwhy
because

101
For
by

102
commend
praise

102
extol their graces
elaborate on their virtues

103
Though … black
however dark-complexioned/unattractive they be

105
with his tongue
through talking/flattery (plays on the idea of oral sex)

106
friends
family

109
That
so that

113
lets
prevents

115
shelving
projecting

117
quaintly
skillfully

118
anchoring hooks
heavy hooks attached to the rope ladder as a means of securing it to the window

119
Hero’s tower
in classical myth, Leander was guided to Hero by a light in her tower

120
So
provided

121
blood
rank/good family

130
of any length
reasonably long

131
serve the turn
fit the purpose

134
such another
the same

136
fashion me
adapt myself

138
this same
this one here

139
engine … proceeding
device (the ladder) suitable for the very scheme I have been planning

141
harbour
lodge/take refuge

143
lightly
freely, easily

144
Himself
i.e. Valentine

144
senseless
unconscious

144
lying
reposing/dwelling

145
herald
messenger

145
them
themselves

146
thither them importune
urge them to go there

147
grace … grace
good fortune that with such honor

148
want
lack

148
servants
’ i.e. thoughts’

152
enfranchise
liberate

154
Phaeton … son
in Greek mythology Phaeton was the son of the sun god Helios and Clymene (wife of
Merops
); he drove Helios’ sun chariot (
heavenly car
), but could not control it, burned part of the earth and was killed with a thunderbolt hurled by Zeus

158
overweening slave
arrogant rogue

159
equal mates
women of your own worth/social status

160
And … hence
know that it is my patience, rather than any merit of your own that is responsible for permitting you to leave

165
expedition
departure

176
by
nearby

178
shadow
image

179
Except
unless

183
leave to be
cease to exist

184
influence
power/substance thought to emanate from stars that influenced human fate

185
Fostered
nurtured

185
illumined
lit up

186
I … doom
I am not really escaping death in fleeing the duke’s sentence (
doom
)

187
attend on
wait for/serve

190
So-ho
a hunting cry

192
hair
puns on “hare”

193
a Valentine
a true lover/token of love (Valentine is a lover right down to his very hairs)

196
spirit
ghost

203
Villain
rogue

204
I’ll strike nothing
I won’t hit anything/if I hit a spirit I will be striking nothing as it has no body

206
stopped
blocked

208
mine
i.e. my news

212
No Valentine
no longer able to be a lover/no longer myself (as existence was dependent on Silvia’s presence)

213
forsworn
rejected

217
vanished
malapropism for “banished”

221
surfeit
be ill from overeating

223
doom … force
the sentence of banishment which, as long as it is not reversed, stands in full force

226
tendered
made an offering of

228
became
suited

229
waxèd
grew

232
sire
father

234
intercession
prayer on someone else’s behalf

234
chafed
enraged

235
thy repeal
the reversal of your sentence/your return

235
suppliant
petitioner

236
close
secure/secluded

237
biding
(her) remaining

239
malignant
evil/harmful/infectious

241
As … dolour
so that it might be a funeral hymn to my infinite sorrow

243
study
think about

246
abridge
shorten

248
manage
handle, wield

251
thy love
i.e. Silvia

252
expostulate
discuss/expound

254
confer at large
discuss in full

256
though … thyself
even if not for your own sake

257
Regard
pay heed to

258
my boy
i.e. Speed

263
all … knave
doesn’t matter as long as he is a knave in one thing only

264
He … that
not a man alive

265
horse
horses

268
maid
virgin

268
gossips
godparents (i.e. she has had a child)

268
maid
servant

269
serves
provides domestic service/has sex

270
qualities
accomplishments

270
water-spaniel
submissive dog

271
bare
mere/naked (i.e. not hairy like a dog)

271
cate-log … condition
catalogue (list) of her attributes

272
Imprimis
“in the first place” (Latin)

273
fetch
respond to an instruction to fetch something

274
jade
worthless old horse/loose woman

274
Item
Latin term for “next” (in a list)

274
milk
milk a cow/drain one of money/suckle a baby/cause ejaculation (
clean hands
may continue the idea of masturbation)

279
vice
bad habit/comic character in morality plays known for his puns

285
jolt-head
blockhead

287
try
test

287
begot
conceived

291
in
on

292
Saint Nicholas
patron saint of scholars

292
speed
protector (puns on Speed’s name)

298
sew
stitch (Lance interprets “sow seed” and is therefore surprised that a woman can do so)

301
stock
dowry

302
knit … stock
knit him a stocking/conceive stupid offspring for him

304
washed and scoured
cleaned and scrubbed/beaten

306
spin
spin wool/have sex

307
set … wheels
have an easy life (
wheels
plays on “spinning-wheels”)

309
nameless virtues
inexpressible qualities

310
bastard virtues
illegitimate children

314
in respect of
because of

318
sweet mouth
sweet tooth/lecherous mouth

321
sleep
puns on “slip” (to commit an error/lapse sexually)

326
proud
haughty/high-spirited/lecherous

327
Eve’s legacy
the result of Eve’s greedy desire in the Garden of Eden

329
no teeth
possibly a result of having a
sweet mouth
, though teeth could also fall out after treatment for syphilis

331
curst
bad-tempered (plays on
crust
)

333
praise
taste (in the following line Lance has understood “speak highly of”)

336
liberal
unrestrained in her manner/free with her sexual favors

337
cannot
cannot be

339
another thing
i.e. her vagina (plays on
purse
which had the same slang meaning)

344
Rehearse
repeat

347
prove
i.e. with a verbal demonstration of logic

348
cover … salt
lid of a large salt cellar (
salt
may pun on both “wit” and “lechery”)

348
more than
greater than in that it entirely conceals the salt

352
monstrous
outrageous/unnatural

352
out
wrong/not on the list

354
gracious
acceptable

365
Pox of
a plague on

367
swinged
beaten

368
unmannerly
ill-mannered

368
I’ll … correction
I’ll follow so that I can enjoy seeing his punishment (for being late)

Act 3 Scene 2

4
railed
ranted abusively

5
That
so that

6
impress
impression, imprint

6
figure
shape

7
Trenchèd
cut, engraved

14
grievously
sorrowfully

17
conceit
opinion

18
desert
worth, deserving

19
the better
more inclined

22
effect
bring about