Aar. Why, are ye mad? or know ye not in Rome Chi. And cannot brook competitors in love? I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths Aaron, a thousand deaths 75 80 Why mak'st thou it so strange? What, man! more water glideth by the mill 85 Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know: Better than he have worn Vulcan's badge. Aar. [Aside.] Ay, and as good as Saturninus may. 80. propose] "is to risk, dare," Woodham. Like other words in Shakespeare, this seems to be used in a strictly classical sense of to set before ourselves, undertake. 66 90 does not say where he got it. See Heywood's Proverbs, ed. Sharman (1546), p. 128. Burton (Anatomy of Melancholy) quotes the Latin, Non omnem molitor quæ fluit unda videt." 82. She is a woman, etc.] 1 Henry Did a similar proverb suggest to VI. v. iii. 65: "She's beautiful, and therefore to be woo'd; She is a woman, therefore to be Chaucer making a miller the victim in the Reeve's Tale? 86. and easy it is, etc.] Also a proverbial expression. See Rae (1768), p. 481. 87. shive] slice, and is connected with "shiver" to break in pieces. Chaucer has the form "shivere " in the same sense of slice-Somnour's Tale. 89. Vulcan's] a trisyllable. The possessive in "'s" was still sounded as a syllable, hence the form "Vulcan his ""Vulcan's.' With words, fair looks, and liberality? What! hast thou not full often struck a doe, Chi. Chi. 95 Ay, so the turn were serv'd. Would you had hit it too! Then should not we be tir'd with this ado. Dem. Nor me, so I were one. Faith, not me. Aar. For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar: 'Tis policy and stratagem must do That you affect; and so must you resolve, 100 105 young nobles of the day. Malone thinks that the remark is addressed to Aaron. 94. cleanly] clean away. 100. To square] to put oneself in a boxing attitude; hence, to fight, as Midsummer-Night's Dream, 11. i. 30. Cotgrave's French Dictionary, under desaccorder, gives "to discord... differ, dissent, square," etc. 101. Faith, not me] This seems to come ill from Chiron, who has been protesting so much about his love for Lavinia. But see Introduction, p. XXX. 103. jar] quarrel. 1 Henry VI. III. i. 70; Marlowe, Jew of Malta, II. ii. 123. Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' love. A speedier course than lingering languishment And strike her home by force, if not by words: 110. lingering languishment] a long sentimental courtship. Lucrece, 1147. 112. solemn] grand, as being held in honour of the Emperor, like a state ball or other royal function. Cf. Sonnets, lii. 5; Taming of the Shrew, III. ii. 103, etc. 116. by kind] by nature. See Chaucer, House of Fame, ii. 241. 117. Single] single out, separate; a hunting term. "When he (the hart) is hunted, or doth first leave the hearde, we say he is singled or empryned,' Turberville, The Noble Art of Venerie. 117. dainty doe] This confirms my notion of the symbolism of "panther and hart." Dainty' here means "delicate," "enticing," "lovely." Tempest, v. 85; Midsummer-Night's Dream, v, 286, ΙΙΟ 115 120 125 120. sacred] devoted to, in the true classic sense. The author often uses words thus, but so does Shakespeare in his acknowledged plays, as already pointed out. 123. file] to refine or perfect, as a file finishes off a machine or a tool. Love's Labour's Lost, v. i. 12; Sonnets, lxxxv. 4. 124. square yourselves] settle it between you, or manage for yourselves. The meaning is that Tamora's “sacred wit" will manage things much better for them than they could do for themselves. 126. house of Fame] Apparently in allusion to Chaucer's poem of that name, which Shakespeare would doubtless know and appreciate. See also Peele's Honour of the Garter, 172, 173, 233-239 (Crawford). The palace full of tongues, of eyes, of ears: The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull; There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take your turns; And revel in Lavinia's treasury. Chi. Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. Dem. Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits, Per Styga, per manes vehor. [Exeunt. 135 SCENE II-A Forest. Horns and cry of hounds heard. Enter TITUS ANDRONICUS, with Hunters, etc., MARCUS, Tit. The hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey, 132. smells of no cowardice] i.e. is bold and requires some nerve to carry Measure for Measure, 11. iv. out. 151. only solution of the time-difficulty is to suppose an interval between the Acts and take the hunting in this Act to be a different one from that mentioned in Act I.; but see Introduction, p. lxxix. 1. The hunt is up] is begun or ready. Romeo, III. v. 34. So Henryson's Works (Laing), p. 186. 1. bright and grey] Steevens and others are much exercised over this combination, which only shows how pedantry can blind one's natural powers of observation. I should think that every second or third morning, after the flush of dawn is gone, has a stage when it is "bright and grey." Cotgrave's French Dictionary gives under bluard, "grey, skie-coloured, blewish." See Sonnets, cxxxii., where "grey" means "bright." Uncouple here and let us make a bay, I have been troubled in my sleep this night, But dawning day new comfort hath inspir'd. 5 ΙΟ [A cry of hounds, and horns winded in a peal. Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, Many good morrows to your majesty; Bass. Lavinia, how say you? Lav. I say, no; I have been broad awake two hours and more. Sat. Come on then; horse and chariots let us have, 15 And to our sport. [To Tamora.] Madam, now shall ye see Our Roman hunting. 3. Uncouple here and let us make a bay] loose the hounds so that they will bark. 9. I have been troubled] Prophetic dreams are common in Shakespeare, as Clarence's and Calphurnia's. apparently believed in them. He 10. winded] past participle weak; from "wind"to blow. Pronounced long, as the substantive "wind" was in Shakespeare's time. Anglo-Saxon "wind" had a short vowel, but was affected by the lengthening of "i" before "nd," which took place in Middle English, but not in Middle Scotch. Thus English "behind," but Scotch "ahint." 18. horse] horses, an old plural form, still used of a troop or body of horsemen, as "The Scottish Horse." We still use "sheep" and "deer" in the plural sense. 20. Our Roman hunting] This hunt |