Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Master, be wise:  An if you give it her,

The devil will shake  her chain, and fright us with it.

 

Dromio of Syracuse

The Comedy of Errros          Act IV, Scene iii, Line 75

Just one more case of mistaken identity in this play of mistaken identities. This time at least we have a matched set of Dromio and Antipholus (both of Syracuse), but the courtezan they’re dealing with thinks that she’s speaking to the Ephesus pair.

A courtezan is defined in my Shakespeare glossary as a prostitute or a strumpet, and a strumpet is defined as a harlot, or prostitute, or whore. So no matter which way you look at it, the courtezan is a woman of less than stellar repute. The discussion centers around some jewelry, but neither Dromio nor Antipholus has any idea what she’s talking about, but Dromio is very wary of dealing with her and is warning Antipholus as such. 

Apparently Antipholus of Ephesus has had some dealings with this woman of ill repute, but I guess that’s not terribly relevant to our discussion of today’s line.

Actually, I’m not sure we have anything more to discuss about today’s line.

 Then, can I go back to sleep now?

Yes Mojo, you can go back to sleep now.