Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Let it not be believed for womanhood!

Think, we had mothers; do not give advantage

To stubborn critics,-- apt, without a theme,

For depravation,-- to square the general sex

By Cressid’s rule: rather think this is not Cressid.

 

Troilus

Troilus and Cressida             Act V, Scene ii, Line 132

 

Let’s see if I can give you some context without going all Long-story-short-Tony.

Titular Troilus has just been spying on titular Cressida whilst she talked with Diomedes. It was made clear to Troilus that Cressida has given him up and is now taken Diomedes as her new guy. Now  Cressida and Diomedes have left, and Troilus is bemoaning the situation to Ulysses. 

Given that, can you make sense of Today’s Lines? Still need help? Read it a few times, knowing that Troilus does not want to believe what he’s just seen. And pay careful attention to the punctuation. I’m sure you can make sense of it. Oh, all right; here’s Pete’s Version.

Oh, don’t believe woman can be like this! Remember: we had mothers, so don’t believe those who want you to believe (without any good cause) that all women are bound to be unfaithful like Cressida has been. I would rather simply believe this was not Cressida.

How’s that? Makes sense?

I think it’s a little funny that he brings mothers into the discussion to justify that all women can’t be unfaithful. After all, mothers are perfect. Right?

Yes they are. 

Is there a question here?