Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                             

Methinks I am a prophet new-inspired

And thus, expiring, do foretell of him:

His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last,

For violent fires soon burn out themselves;

Small showers last long, but sudden storms are short;

He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes;

With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder:

Light vanity, insatiate cormorant,

Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.

 

John of Gaunt

King Richard the Second         Act II, Scene i, Line 31

                                  

Today's Totally Random Line is the beginning of a very well-known speech; at least to anyone who has spent any time with Will’s works. Different parts of this speech have been quoted by everyone from me to Winston Churchill, so let’s talk about it for a minute. 

First, context; and this is going to go on for a bit, so you might want to consider bailing now.

Remember that Edward III had a whole bunch of kids, many of them males. Yes, that’s right, I’m really going back to Edward III. His oldest son, Edward the Black Prince, predeceased his father, so that when Edward III died, the son of Edward the Black Prince became king. That was Richard the Second. So now, you have a young man becoming king, and a bunch of older, wiser uncles (the other sons of Edward III) looking on. Eventually it is the son of one of these uncles, Richard's first cousin, who decides that he is more suited to being king and dethrones Richard the second. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. 

Richard, at least according to Will, and certainly some historians, was not a very good ruler. In today’s scene we have John of Gaunt, one of the uncles of Richard talking. John is on his deathbed speaking with one of the other uncles about what a louse their nephew Richard is, what a rotten king he is, and how he’s ruining England. He goes on for quite a few lines talking about beautiful, sacred England before pronouncing that because of Richard it

Is now leased out—I die pronouncing it—

Like to a tenement or pelting farm (a paltry or petty homestead).

England, bound in with the triumphant sea,

Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege

Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,

With inky blots, and rotten parchment bonds;

That England, that was wont to conquer others,

Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.

Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life,

How happy then were my ensuing death!

I had to finish that section of the speech, and I’m going to get political here, so heads up.

Now, I think that if you changed just a very few lines in this speech (mainly transpose America for England), you would get a semblance of how so many of us feel right now. Richard the Second surrounded himself with sycophants and did a very poor job of running the country, as John of Gaunt readily points out. But it seems to me that the major emotion that John is expressing is a sadness for his country, not a hatred towards his nephew Richard. Don’t get me wrong: he's not happy with Richard, and he spends the first nine lines talking about him. But the focus of most of what he goes on about after that, is England, and the worry that he has for it.

So too, I think, that is where I’m at. I don’t want to talk about the guy running the country right now. Oh sure, I don’t think much of him as a person, or a so-called leader, but I have no control over what he is. No, what really concerns me is not him, it’s my home, America; and even more so, the home that my children or grandchildren will be ending up with.

John of Gaunt was right to worry, because the reign of Richard II descended into civil strife that lasted the better part of a century. 

I can only hope our current situation does not reverberate so drastically into the future.

Here's the full speech of John of Gaunt. Please believe me when I tell you that it is well worth the read. 

Methinks I am a prophet new-inspired

And thus, expiring, do foretell of him:

His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last,

For violent fires soon burn out themselves;

Small showers last long, but sudden storms are short;

He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes;

With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder:

Light vanity, insatiate cormorant,

Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.

This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle,

This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demi-Paradise;

This fortress built by Nature for herself

Against infection and the hand of war;

This happy breed of men, this little world,

This precious stone, set in the silver sea,

Which serves it in the office of a wall,

Or as a moat defensive to a house,

Against the envy of less happier lands;

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,

This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings,

Fear’d by their breed, and famous by their birth,

Renowned for their deeds as far from home,--

For Christian service and true chivalry,--

As in the sepulchre, in stubborn Jewery,

Of the world’s ransom, blessed Mary’s Son;--

This land of such dear souls, this dear, dear land,

Dear for her reputation through the world,

Is now leased out—I die pronouncing it—

Like to a tenement or pelting farm

England, bound in with the triumphant sea,

Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege

Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,

With inky blots, and rotten parchment bonds;

That England, that was wont to conquer others,

Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.

Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life,

How happy then were my ensuing death!

Mojo, being apolitcal, wishes to abstain from any participation in today's post. 

I must respect his wishes. 

 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

 Bear the boy hence; he shall not come about her;

         [Exit Mamillius with some of the guards]

Away with him!—and let her sport herself

With that she’s big with;--for ‘tis Polixenes

Has made thee swell thus.

 

Leontes

The Winter’s Tale              Act II, Scene i, Line 61

                                   

Before you say anything, let me say that I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking More of this Shakespeare gobble-de-goop, and What the heck is this guy even saying? But if you knew what was going on, in other words if I didn’t spring these four lines of you with no context, you’d have no trouble at all understanding this. So, yes, you’re going to have to sit through some context. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. Here goes, and I'll try to keep it as short as possible.

Leontes is the speaker and he’s interacting with his wife, Hermione. She’s just told him that she’s pregnant, but Leontes is convinced that she’s been cheating on him with Polixenes and that Polixenes is the father of the unborn child. Mamillius, the boy in this scene, is the young son of Leontes and Hermione.

Okay, now go back and read the four lines, and try to tell me that you don’t understand them. Now the lines just become more splendid examples of Will’s mastery of the language, don’t they?

 

 

Oh for cryin' out loud; examples of Will's mastery of the language? Where does this guy come up with this stuff?

Enough already, I’m outta here.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

 What’s that?

 

First Senator

Timon of Athens         Act III, Scene v, Line xxx

                                   

Well, there’s a nice short line! 

Would you care to know what the senator is reacting to when he says ‘What’s that?’

Should I wake him up and ask him if he wants to know what the senator is reacting to?

Nah!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

Marry, at the white hair that Helen spied on Troilus’s chin.

Pandarus

Troilus and Cressida  Act I, Scene ii, Line 149

                                  

Remember, the word marry in this context has nothing to do with marriage. It’s simply an intro word for a sentence which is a reply to a question, like well, or so. By the way, have you noticed how many people start their replies today with the word so? It really is interesting.

What was your favorite part of the trip, Bert?

So, I liked Merida a lot, but nothing can surpass the spectacle of the Alhambra in Granada.

Anyhoo, Cressida asked her Uncle Pandarus what Helen was laughing at, and this was his answer. There’s a bit of a long explanation/follow-up to this (something about the hairs on his chin representing his father’s sons and a forkt one being Paris, which he then pluckt out), but it didn’t make much sense to me, so I’m not going to go into it any further.

Let’s face it, some days you get a good line, and some days not so much. Heck, yesterday’s line I just skipped altogether.  

So as a little bonus today (and that is a proper use of the word so) I’m giving you something a little more thought provoking. It’s Kareem’s Daily Quote. This should give you something to ponder.

Kareem’s Daily Quote

He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition, youth and age are equally a burden.

Plato (427-346 B.C.), Greek philosopher

 

 

Skipped altogether? Hey. Hey, Mrs. B., did you notice that? He skipped yesterday’s line altogether.

 Yes, I noticed Mojo. I noticed.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

I did not see you since you sent me hence,

Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me.

 

Dromio of Syracuse

The Comedy of Errors      Act II, Scene ii, Line 15                              

Just one more mix up based on the fact that there are two sets of twins in this story. Need I go on?

I’ll leave it to you, Mojo. Should I go on? What do you think.

Should I lie here and rest for a while longer, or should I go look for that treat that I buried yesterday? Decisions, decisions. 

I’ll take that as a 'no'.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                        

 Yet ‘banished’?—Hang up philosophy!

 

Romeo

Romeo and Juliet       Act III, Scene iii, Line 56

                                  

Context: Friar Knucklehead has just told Romeo that he has been banished, and the young lover is out of his mind because that means he will be separated permanently from Juliet. Romeo is going on and on about banishment, and the friar is trying to calm down and comfort him.

I’ll give thee armour to keep off that word;

Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy,

To comfort thee, though thou art banished.

That’s right, the friar is going to give Romeo some philosophy. That’ll comfort him. No wonder Romeo says Hang up philosophy!

Unless philosophy can make a Juliet,

Displant a town, reverse a prince’s doom,

It helps not, it prevails not: talk no more.

Schmotz on your philosophy friar! That’s what Romeo is saying. He’s not interested in philosophy. I mean, who would be? Philosophy?

 

For the last time, NO, I do not have a light; and you can’t smoke that thing in here!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

‘Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone;

And what remains will hardly stop the mouth

Of present dues: the future comes apace:

What shall defend the interim? And at length

How goes our reckoning?

 

Flavius

Timon of Athens    Act II, Scene ii, Line 150

                                   

Timon’s right hand man, Flavius, is letting Timon know that he, Timon, has some serious money problems.

Let all my land be sold, says Timon.

Today’s Lines is Flavius’s answer to that. Apparently it’s all been mortgaged or sold already, and what hasn’t been mortgaged or sold is not enough to stop the mouth. I think he means enough to buy us food to eat.

Oh Timon! This guy is living in a dreamworld. He should have been listening to Flavius long ago. It’s a bit late now. Dreamers like Timon really need to listen to their Flaviuses.

Sort of like how you need to listen to Mrs. Blagys, because she takes care of everything and allows you to be a dreamer. Is it like that?

 Yeah, something like that, Mojo.

 Mrs. Blagys said it's exactly like that.

 Okay. Sure.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                              

Yea, this man’s brow, like to a title-leaf,

Fortells the nature of a tragic volume:

So looks the strond whereon the imperious flood

Hath left a witness’d usurpation.

 

Northumberland

King Henry the Fourth Part II     Act I, Scene i, Line 60

                                 

A title-leaf is the title page of a tragedy story, and a strond is a strand of land. 

Morton has just come into the room, returned from the battle. He’s not said a word yet, and Northumberland is remarking about the look on Morton’s face. He is anticipating bad news from Morton, and he’s right to do so.

Northumberland speaks of Morton's brow - his forehead. Yes, there are certainly things you can tell from a fellow’s face. Often in literature we hear about a knitted brow. To move the eyebrows together in a way that shows that one is thinking about something or is worried, angry, etc. That’s the MW definition of a knitting one’s brow. So I suppose we could say that Morton had a knitted brow. And if he had bad news and a knitted brow, (which he did) what would his forehead look like? Well, his eyebrows would be moved closer together. 

However, Will couldn’t use such pedestrian language as knitted brow (even though the idiom of knitted brow has been in use since the fourteenth century). He had to give us the image of land that had been left changed by the high waters of a flood to describe Morton’s brow.

One of the marks of good writing (and this is not according to me: I read this somewhere) is to stay away from standard, time-worn expressions And of course, our famous Bard is prone to better writing techniques, isn’t he.

I thought I'd give you some examples of a knitted brow.

Here's an unknitted, first thing in the morning brow.

And here's that same brow after having read the morning news; in other words, a brow looking like the strond whereon the imperious flood Hath left a witness'd usurption.

See the difference?

Now, here's Mojo without a care in the world.

And here's Mojo after I told him that we're out of treats.

Can you see the difference? 

No, neither can I. 

Apparently a no-knittable brow to go along with the no-opposable thumbs. 

Who knew?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                             

With mine own tears, I wash away my balm,

With mine own hands I give away my crown,

With mine own tongue deny my sacred state,

With mine own breath release all duty’s rites:

King Richard

King Richard the Second              Act IV, Scene i, Line 207

                                 

Today’s Lines are just part of King Richard’s response to Henry Bolingbroke. Recall that Henry Bolingbroke (who is on the verge of becoming King Henry IV) has raised a rebellion to usurp the crown from Richard. Now the rebellion is over and, they are in Westminster Hall. Henry has won, and he has had Richard brought before him. He asks Richard,

Are you contented to resign the crown?

Richard is torn. He begins his answer with

Ay, no;--no, ay; for I must nothing be;

This betrays his indecision. Then he rambles on for quite a bit, but seems to conclude that all is lost for him, ending with,

God save King Henry, unking’d Richard says,

And send him many years of sunshine days!—

What more remains?

Unfortunately, what more remains is that they want him to read a list of what they consider the transgressions he committed that led to the rebellion. Richard’s not so keen on that idea. 

Can you blame him?

Well boo hoo for King What's-his-name. Can I blame him? Honestly, I couldn't care less.  The guy obviously didn't know how to keep control over things. I could've taught him a thing or two. 

And by the way, a little long-winded on the post this morning, Mr. B. Let's see if we can keep them a bit shorter, eh?

Now, where's that treat I was promised?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                                             But is it true, Solanio?

Have all his ventures fail’d? What, not one hit?

From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,

From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?

And not one vessel scape the dreadful touch

Of merchant-marring rocks?

 

Bassanio

The Merchant of Venice       Act III, Scene ii, Line 269

                           

Recall, that this whole story is about Bassanio borrowing money from Antonio to be able to take a chance at winning Portia. Recall also, that Shylock only gets involved because Antonio is cash poor since all his money has been sunk in ventures overseas. The loan from Shylock needs to be repaid within ninety days, and it is expected that all or some of Antonio’s ventures will be returning by then.

Bassanio has won Portia, but in the next breath we learn that all of Antonio’s ventures have failed. Now Antonio will have to pay the pound of flesh to Shylock.

Yes, apparently Antonio had ships out to Tripolis, Mexico, England, Lisbon, Barbary, and India, all expected to come back with goods for resale. And they all wrecked, every single one of them. Not one vessel scape the dreadful touch/Of merchant-marring rocks.

That’s some pretty bad luck!

First mate Mojo is keeping a sharp eye out for any merchant-marring rocks.

No Mojo, that's Walker in a donut, not a merchant-marring rock.

Nice try, though. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

As much as he deserves!—Pause there, Morocco,

And weigh thy value with an even hand:

If thou be’st rated by thy estimation,

Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough

May not extend so far as to the lady:

And yet to be afeared of my deserving,

Were but a weak disabling of myself.

 

Prince of Morocco

The Merchant of Venice       Act II, Scene vi, Line 26                             

This is the first of the suitors to try his luck at the casket game. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I suggest you go back to the post of 10/7 and read it.

Anyway, the three caskets are gold, silver, and lead, and written on each are the following:

Gold – Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.

Silver – Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.

Lead – Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he has.

Morocco is looking at all three caskets, and in Today’s Line he is considering the words on the silver casket. As you can see, he’s going back and forth a bit about whether or not he is deserving.

Well, is he?

No, Mojo, I'm not talking about you. I said Morocco, not Mojo.

Of course you are deserving.

I gotta get that guy's hearing checked.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

Nay, we will slink away in supper-time

Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

 

Lorenzo

The Merchant of Venice       Act II, Scene iv, Line 1                                   

It’s hard to conceive of the word slink in a positive way, and I don’t think it’s a particularly bad or terribly sneaky thing that Lorenzo is talking about here. So really, I think Will could have chosen a better word.

What do you think?

Pay no attention to this guy; it's a setup. 

Mr. Shakespeare-Lover wouldn't question the Bard's choice of words in a million years. 

He's a piece of work. 

I heard that. I'm right here, you know. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                            

If I could add a lie unto a fault,

I would deny it; but you see my finger

Hath no ring upon it,--it’s gone.

 

Bassanio

The Merchant of Venice       Act V, Scene i, Line 186                                 

Uh oh, Bassanio lost his wedding ring. That’s not so good. I believe he’s got some ‘splaining to do.

Yes, Mojo, my ring is still...  Oh, wait a minute; I think he's asleep. Never mind.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                            

If he should offer to choose, and choose the right casket, you should refuse to perform your father’s will, if you should refuse to accept him.

 

Nerissa

The Merchant of Venice       Act I, Scene ii, Line 92

 

I think Nerissa’s wording is a little bit confusing. In the second part of that sentence she’s saying that Portia would be refusing to do what her father asked if she refuses to accept him, him being the Duke of Saxony’s nephew.

So, just to recapitulate: Portia is the daughter of a very rich man who has died and left very odd instructions. Her father has decreed that any man of significant financial worth can come and try a game of chance to win his daughter’s hand (and his estate). There are three small boxes (caskets). Only one has the picture of Portia in it. The suitor must pick one box and if it’s the one with her picture he wins. If he picks one of the other two he loses and supposedly must go away and promise never to marry anyone; though I’m not at all sure how that would ever be enforced.

Anyway, in this scene Portia and her waiting-maid (that’s what Nerissa is called in the Dramatis Personae) are discussing the various suitors who have shown up to try their luck. Portia is not pleased about the prospect of marrying any of them. The he/him that she’s referring to in Today’s Line is the young German, the Duke of Saxony’s nephew. According to Portia, she likes him

Very vilely in the morning when he is sober; and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk; when he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when he is worst, he is a little better than a beast. An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.

In that last sentence Portia is saying that if the worst were to happen, i.e. the German picks the right box, she hopes that she’ll be able to contrive some way to not have to be with him. And that’s where Nerissa comes in with Today’s Line, warning that Portia would be going against her father’s wishes. Portia’s reply to this is to put a glass of wine on the wrong box to get the German to pick that one.

In any event, it doesn’t matter too much because we never hear about the drunk German again.

 

Now hold on just a minute there Mr. Blagys, what’s this nonsense about “little better than a beast?”

That's nothing Mojo; pay it no mind.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                                 [Enter Diomedes and Troilus]

Troilus

Fly not: for shouldst thou take the river Styx,
I would swim after.

Diomedes

Thou dost miscall retire:
I do not fly; but advantageous care
Withdrew me from the odds of multitude:
Have at thee.

            [Exeunt Diomedes and Troilus, fighting]

Troilus/Diomedes

Troilus and Cressida         Act V, Scene iv, Line 32                                   

This brief exchange takes place on the battlefield.

I’m pretty sure that when Diomedes says that Troilus miscalled retire he was referring to the latter’s word fly. It seems odd that he wouldn’t have said Thou dost miscall fly. I mean, he’s talking about the other guy using the wrong word, but then he uses a different word to refer to the word that he thinks Diomedes is misusing. Do you follow?

No wonder people think Shakespeare is hard to read.

Frankly, I don’t follow, and nor do I care. I just wish you'd get me out of this little black bag. This big guy keeps getting his beard in my face and it’s itchy as heck!