Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

God grant that some, less noble and less loyal,

Nearer in bloody thoughts, but not in blood,

Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,

And yet go current from suspicion!

Duke of Gloster 

King Richard the Third     Act II, Scene i, Line 94

For starters, Duke of Gloster is Richard III; he just hasn’t become king yet. And we all know that, in this play, Richard is the bad guy.

So, what the heck is he saying? Well, there are no difficult or outdated words in the four lines. Perhaps a bit of context will help.

Richard is the brother of King Edward. Clarence, another brother, has been arrested under suspicion of treason and sent to the Tower of London to await execution. Edward reconsidered and reversed the order, but before Clarence could be released, Richard saw to it that he was murdered in the tower. Now everyone is just finding out that Clarence is dead, and they are sort of looking at Richard.

King

Is Clarence dead? The order was reversed.

Richard/Duke of Gloster

But he, poor soul, by your order first died,

And that a winged Mercury did bear;

Some tardy cripple bore the countermand,

That came too lag to see him buried.

God grant that some, less noble and less loyal,

Nearer in bloody thoughts, but not in blood,

Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,

And yet go current from suspicion!

If I’m not mistaken, in the first four lines Richard is saying that he, a tardy cripple, was too late bearing the countermand and that Clarence was already dead when he got there (not true). So then, what is he saying in the next four lines.

Okay, I think I got it. Try this:

God knows that there are some who are not as good a man as Clarence, and who deserve death, and yet we don’t even realize who these baddies are.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it, though I’m not sure who Richard is referring to. Maybe he’s just floating this idea out there to make it easier to throw suspicion on the next guy that he wants to get killed.

Okay, Shakespeare understood for today. Go in peace.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer-birds are men.

Timon 

Timon of Athens     Act III, Scene vi, Line 30

 

Timon is speaking this as an aside, in other words to himself. Let’s give you the whole exchange.

Timon

And how fare you?

Second Lord

The swallow follows not the summer more willing than we your lordship.

Timon (speaking to himself)

Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer-birds are men.

This scene is taking place after Timon realizes that his friends are no friends at all. He’s fallen on tough times and every one of his friends has refused to help him. So he has invited them all to dinner where he’s going to tell them all off whilst serving them a bowl of warm water for dinner. They, of course, don’t know that yet, and Timon is pretending to still be the same old welcoming Timon.

So what does Timon’s comment mean? It’s not too hard.

Second Lord

We follow you like the swallows follow summer.

Timon

You also leave winter quickly, like a summer-bird.

I believe he’s using winter to mean tough times. In other words, you guys are fair-weather friends; not to be counted on in tough times.

I think it’s as simple as that.

And here is the polar opposite of fair weather friends:

Two of my favorite people in the world that I could count on ever and always.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Be opposite all planets of good luck

To my proceeding! if, with pure heart’s love,

Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,

I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter!

 

King Richard

King Richard the Third  Act IV, Scene iv, Line 405

 

Richard is talking to Elizabeth about her daughter, and trying to convince her how noble his intentions are. He wants to marry her daughter, and he’s trying to talk Elizabeth into helping him woo her. Only problem: he’s already killed Elizabeth’s husband and two young sons. Oh, is that all?

Shakespeare’s Richard is a really rotten dude. How historically accurate this picture is, might be questioned, but nonetheless, the fellow in this play is the pits: a ratfink extraordinaire. He’s responsible for the death of the woman’s husbands and sons, and now he wants to marry her daughter. Does the sheer absence of empathy, and overwhelming presence of gall remind you of anyone?

Hmmmm… I could swear there’s someone this reminds me of.. who could it be?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

But which are the offenders that are to be examined? Let them come before master constable.

 

Sexton

Much Ado About Nothing    Act IV, Scene ii, Line 7

 

Sexton doesn’t have a name; he’s just sexton. So, we know that he’s someone that works at the church. Sort of like the guy I’m playing in Twelfth Night. I’m just an officer; no name. So, you know that I’m a member of the police force. And I guess that’s all you really need to know.

But here’s something you didn't know. Today is August Fourth. I started blogging this blog on August 1, 2016. Yes, ten years ago. I am now four days into year number eleven of doing this blog. This is blog post number 1,511. It’s personal post number 3,115. You see, I write my posts in Word before copying them to my blog. Often, about half the time, my Word post, for one reason or another, does not make it to my online blog. Obviously I miss days, for many reasons, but I’ve average almost six days a week writing about Will’s works in my personal log, and almost three days a week average of posting to this online blog. That’s not bad. Or maybe it represents a colossal waste of time? Who knows. Sometimes I like to think of this blog as my personal Watts Towers. You’re not familiar with the Watts Towers? I’m going to let you google that one.

Meantime, You can call me Sabato, and I’ll just keep blogging.

 

Okay, I’ll make it easy on you.

Watts Towers - Wikipedia

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

Benedick

Much Ado About Nothing         Act I, Scene i, Line 130

Chatterer, blabber, or empty talker: that’s what my Shakespeare glossary says parrot-teacher means. So, I guess this parrot-teacher word belongs in one of those Shakespeare Insults lists.

I never liked those lists. With all the fabulous writing that Will did, why on earth would we want to concentrate on some silly insult words? It’s an absolute travesty; nothing short of a travesty. 

And just so you know, yes, Benedick is addressing Beatrice with this line. Did you have any doubts about that?

I ran into this whilst surfing the web. It's Ian Flemings daily schedule; I would love to have this schedule. I wonder what a pink gin is, and what kind of powerful drinks he had at 5pm. I generally have a beer around 5pm, but that's neither here nor there. 

Now I'm just rambling, so I suppose you could call me a parrot-teacher!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

For I have given here my soul’s consent

T’undeck the pompous body of a king;

 

Richard

King Richard the Second  Act IV, Scene i, Line 249

 

I didn’t want to overpower you with too many lines, but this is a pretty good speech by Richard. He’s been overthrown by Bolingbroke who’s going to unthrone him to become Henry IV. Now Richard has been brought out to tell everyone that he’s surrendering his crown to Bolingbroke.

Mine eyes are full of tears, I cannot see:

And yet salt water blinds them not so much

But they can see a sort of traitors here.

Nay, if I turn mine eyes upon myself,

I find myself a traitor with the rest;

For I have given here my soul’s consent

T’undeck the pompous body of a king;

Made glory base, and sovereignty a slave,

Proud majesty a subject, state a peasant.

There, that’s the whole thing. He’s giving up everything to Bolingbroke, and he’ not too happy about it.

I think the two lines that are Today’s Totally Random Lines may be the best of the bunch.

For I have given here my soul’s consent

T’undeck the pompous body of a king;

Though the next two lines aren’t bad either,

Made glory base, and sovereignty a slave,

Proud majesty a subject, state a peasant.

I guess he’s decided that he’s pretty much screwed it all up. Perhaps he has.

That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it, Mr. Blagys?

Well Mojo, I guess that's a matter of opinion, isn't it?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

O Helicanus, strike me, honour’d sir;

Give me a gash, put me to present pain;

Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me

O’erbear the shores of my mortality,

And drown me with their sweetness.

  

Pericles

Pericles               Act V, Scene i, Line 193

These five lines can be summed up with four words: pinch me, I’m dreaming.

Pericles has just come to the realization that the young woman he is talking to is his daughter, who he thought was dead. He tells his friend Helicanus to hit him; not because he thinks he might be dreaming, but because if he doesn’t get some pain right now, he might die of happiness. 

Well, not exactly the same as “pinch me I'm dreaming,” but the same idea. Will takes three lines to say “Lest I die of happiness.” Here’s where he proves himself the Poet Playwright.

Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me

O’erbear the shores of my mortality,

And drown me with their sweetness.

Well, actually, the meter’s a bit questionable here, but oh well.

Forget about the meter, Mr. Blagys; 

just keep scratching.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere.  

 

Feste (the Fool)

Twelfth Night              Act III, Scene i, Line 28

 

This is a line I recently ran into that really struck me. This is Feste in Twelfth Night. It’s not actually the line that was picked for Today’s Totally Random Line. That one was from King Lear’s fool,

Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels when she put’em i’the paste alive; she knapt ‘em o’the coxcombs with a stick, and cried, ‘Down, wantons, down!’ ‘Twas her brother that, in pure kindness to his horse, butter’d his hay.

Now, granted, that one is good too, and all the fools in Shakespeare are worth listening to, but this line from Feste is much easier (and shorter). Also, it comes with a good personal story. Yes, I can see the eyes rolling from here.

I recently took up the challenge of community theater. I’m working with a player’s group that will be presenting Twelfth Night. I’ve got a small walk-on part (Antonio’s arresting officer) and I’m also the group’s dramaturge for this play. It’s this latter role that I’m excited about.

Anyway, we were working this scene, and this line of Feste’s for some reason jumped out at me,

Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere.  

Coincidentally, minutes later the director went back and was trying to work out Feste’s entrance to the scene: was it from stage right, or left? She was trying to make sure it made sense in terms of where Feste had been previously. Just then a light bulb went off in my head: it didn’t matter! Foolery (Feste being the personification of foolery) is everywhere; it just shows up!

Feste has license in this play to be any/every where at any time. He can just show up; stage left, stage right? It doesn’t matter. I made this point, and not only the director, but some of the actors were in complete agreement with me. I love it when that happens.

But I was right. Not only that, but this is a pretty important line regarding Shakespeare’s philosophy. This idea shows up in just about all of his plays that have fools: comedy, or tragedy. There’s Feste here, the nameless fool in King Lear, Launcelot Gobo in Merchant, Touchstone in As You Like It… I could go on. And it’s also at the heart of one of his other philosophy’s: things aren’t always what they seem. In other words, it’s the “fool” who often seems to know the most. Good ol’ Will.

Well, that turned out pretty long. Still, it really is a great line, and one worth remembering. So do try to remember it.

One more time,

Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere.  

 

If the play titled 341 Radmere Road were written, two things would be certain: one is that it would be a comedy, and two is that Mojo would play the role of the fool. Of course, I’m talking about a Shakespearean fool: one who is taken by the other players for knowing very little, but one who knows more than most of them. In other words, Mojo is no one’s fool.

And don’t you think he knows it.   

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

So please your Grace, my ancient;

A man he is of honesty and trust:

To his conveyance I assign my wife,

With what else needful your good Grace shall think

To be sent after me.

 

Othello

Othello                         Act I, Scene iii, Line 124

 

Classic. This is Othello speaking to the Duke (your Grace) about Iago (my ancient).

I think I may have made this point before, but I’m going to make it again since it bears repeating, and since most of you probably missed that earlier post.

Point: If you read or see this play it is easy to come to the conclusion that Iago is so obviously rotten that it would be impossible for the other people in this play not to realize it. You might think that this play is unrealistic because of this fact. In some respects, I did.

Then came 2024, when half the country decided to put Iago in charge.

Now, all I can do is marvel, all the more, at the genius of William Shakespeare.

Who’s Iago, Mr. Blagys?

Never mind, Mojo; no one you need to worry about.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

By gar, he has save his soul, dat he is no come; he has pray is Pible vell, dat he is no come: by gar, Jack Rugby, he is dead already, if he be come.

 

Doctor Caius

The Merry Wives of Windsor   Act II, Scene iii, Line 7

Yes, this is Shakespeare. Occasionally Will likes to give his players an accent. I don’t know what nationality Caius is supposed to be, but based on how he’s speaking, we can assume that Doctor Caius is not a native Englishman.

So, this is not one of those occasions where I’ll suggest that you appreciate the beauty of the language. In fact, I’m not sure what to suggest in regards to this line. We can’t just ignore it because this is the line that was randomly picked, like it or not. I’m not going to get into context because I still don’t have much of an appreciation for this particular play.

I suppose I’ll just let you figure out what you want to do with Today’s Line, even if that’s… nothing. And we all know what will come of nothing, don’t we Cordelia?

On second thought, rather than simply giving you nothing, I’ll give you a link to a previous, more interesting, and slightly related post. Hmmm, this may be a first, a link to a previous post. Oh well, enjoy.

Totally Random Daily Shakespeare

 

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Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

That you are well restored, my lord, I’m glad:

Let the rest go.

 

Helena

All’s Well That Ends Well         Act II, Scene iii, Line 149

Helena, the daughter of the deceased physician, has just cured the king. In gratitude, the king has granted Helen, who is a commoner, that she can choose any man in the court to be her husband. She chooses Bertram, but he objects that he does not want to marry her because she’s not worthy of him,

A poor physician’s daughter my wife!—Disdain

Rather corrupt me ever!

The king gives Bertram a long speech about why Bertram should take Helena, but he still refuses. At this point Helena gives us Today’s Line, in response to the king. She’s gonna cut her losses. However, now the king’s pretty pissed off at Bertram for going against him, so he insists and Bertram acquiesces to take Helena for his wife.

But he’s not happy about it.

So what do we take from Today’s Line?

Let the rest go.

Words of wisdom that are often so very useful when we are upset about things. Let it go. We get upset about so many things that don’t really matter. Helena says that the king’s recovery is the important thing here.

Let the rest go.

We could all take a lesson from my little friend here. He's getting a belly rub. That's all that really matters; so...

Let the rest go. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I found him under a tree, like a dropped acorn.

Celia

As You Like It             Act III, Scene ii, Line 240

This is Celia talking to Rosalind, and the acorn she’s talking about is Orlando. Yes, Orlando is being referred to as an acorn.

Now let me think: isn’t there someone around here that we refer to as an acorn. Who was that? Hmmmm… don't worry, it'll come to me.

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

He will not fight with me, Domitius?

 

Mark Antony     

Antony and Cleopatra       Act IV, Scene iii, Line 1

 

Antony is talking to his right-hand man Domitius Enobarbus. They’re discussing the fact that Caesar refuses to fight with Antony. Why should he when he stands a chance of losing to Antony; especially since Caesar’s army is sure to defeat Antony’s. Caesar is no dummy.

Somehow or another in all the time of doing this blog I seem to have missed that Enobarbus had a first name: Domitius. How’d I miss that? And this is a character that I’ve paid a lot of attention to over the years because I like both his name, Enobarbus, and his character, the grizzled war veteran.

So okay, Enobarbus’s first name is Domitius. 

Once more, a pic that is neither Mojo, nor relevant to Today's Totally Random Line. No, this is not Domitius Enobarbus, though he is a grizzled war veteran, of both WWII, and the eternal war of parenting. This is the original Papa Bear (believe it or not, some people think I resemble him). Why this pic? Well, though Papa Bear shuffled off his mortal coil many years ago, today is the one hundredth anniversary of his birth. Yup, born July 10, 1926. How's about that. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Your knowledge has through Ephesus poured forth

Your charity, and hundreds call themselves

Your creatures, who by you have been restored:

And not your knowledge, your personal pain, but even

Your purse, still open, hath built Lord Cerimon

Such strong renown as time shall never—

       Enter two or three servants with a chest.

 

Second Gentleman

Pericles                               Act III, Scene ii, Line 49

Apparently the two servants entering with a chest interrupt Second Gentleman, so that I don’t think we’re ever going to find out what such strong renown as time shall never do.

Cerimon (that’s the guy that Second Gentleman is talking to and about above; and I believe it’s pronounced Saruman, believe it or not) is being introduced as an amazing doctor – that’s the first three lines above. Apparently he’s also a pretty fabulous all around guy – that’s the next three. And what’s Cerimon’s purpose in this play? Oh, not much; he’s just got to bring Pericles’s wife back to life. She’s in the chest that the two or three servants are entering with.

So today’s six Totally Random lines are spoken by an anonymous henchman who’s only job in the play is to give us a description of a heretofore unknown character who’s also got just one job to do in the play (albeit, this latter character’s job of bringing someone back to life is a little more important than Second Gentleman's job. Or is it?).

Since we're talking about bringing to life, and since this is the anniversary of me being brought to life (out of vitro), we're going with a pic of.... ME!

I don't have a picture of the day I was brought to life (out of vitro), but this is about 64 years closer to that day than today.

 

Sorry, no Mojo today; his birthday is in March.

Today’s Totally Random Lines

This royal hand and mine are newly knit,

And the conjunction of our inward souls

Married in league, coupled and linkt together

With all religious strength and sacred vows;

The latest breath that gave the sound of words

The deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love

Between our kingdoms and our royal selves;

And even before this truce, but new before,-

No longer than we well could wash our hands,

To clap this royal bargain up of peace,-

Heaven knows, they were besmear’d and overstain’d

With slaughter’s pencil, where revenge did paint

The fearful difference of incensed kings:

And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood,

So newly join’d in love, so strong in both,

Unyoke this seizure and this kind of regret?

 

King Philip 

King John                 Act III, Scene i, Line 240

That’s a really long line. I decided to work with the punctuated sentence. It’s all commas and semicolons up to that final question mark, and therefore one sentence.

So, what’s King Philip saying with this really long sentence? He’s saying that he and King John just consummated a treaty, so do they really want to throw that out and go back to warring with each other. I’m not exactly sure who is pushing to throw the treaty out, or why, but the king is using sixteen lines to question that idea. Now if you look at it closely, and take a little time with the lines you can see that they're pretty clear and, of course, quite expressive, to say the least. 

Go back and take a look

The first seven lines talk about the positivity of their relationship with the new treaty.

the conjunction of our inward souls Married in league... religious strength and sacred vows... deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love

The next six talk about the horrible situation of war that existed before the treaty.

besmear’d and overstain’d With slaughter’s pencil, where revenge did paint The fearful difference of incensed kings:

And the last three lines question why they would want to go back to that.

And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood,

So newly join’d in love, so strong in both,

Unyoke this seizure and this kind of regret?

Good for King Philip!  

My little buddy's getting in some much deserved and much needed pool time. 

There'll be no worrying about being besmear’d and overstain’d with slaughter’s pencil for this fellow!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady?

Friar Francis

Much Ado About Nothing    Act IV, Scene i, Line 4

The answer to this question is a flat “No”.

This is the wedding scene. Claudio, the groom, has been fooled into believing that Hero, the bride, has been unfaithful to him. So he shows up for the wedding and when the priest asks him if he’s ready to marry, he says ‘no’. Then, somehow, the ceremony proceeds as if no one heard his answer, until twenty lines down he goes off into his speech about how Hero has cheated on him and how he wants nothing to do with her.

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;  he says to Hero’s father. He calls the bride a ‘rotten orange.’

How’s that!?

Okay, here's a Totally Random picture that has absolutely nothing to do with Today's Totally Random line; but I couldn't pass it up. 

Look at the shirt on this guy! He knows how to celebrate a holiday!

Bravo, Jon!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Ah,  ha!—Come, some music! Come, the recorders!—

For if the king like not the comedy,

Why, then, belike,--he likes it not, perdy.--

Come, some music!

Hamlet

Hamlet               Act III, Scene ii, Line 311

 

The word perdy means assuredly. It’s a bastardization of the French per Dieu, or, per God. Anyway. 

This is the scene with the play within the play. Hamlet has had the visiting group of players (not the Cheshire Town Players) stage a play that had a scene which mimics how he believed that Claudius killed King Hamlet (Hamlet’s father). Claudius, upon watching the scene, has just stormed out, after which Hamlet concluded with Horatio that Claudius must indeed be guilty. And with this done, Hamlet says “Bring on the music.”

Interesting.

 

The scene…

Within the play…

With the players…

Staging a play…

That had a scene…

 

I believe the word is “confusing”, not “interesting”.

And I agree with Hamlet, just bring on the music.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

All this I see; and I see that the fashion wears out more apparel than the man. But art not thou thyself giddy with the fashion too, that thou hast shifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion?

Conrade

Much Ado About Nothing     Act III, Scene iii, Line 140

Conrade is speaking with his buddy Borachio. The latter is about to explain to Conrade how he was involved with the scheme to make Claudio think that his fiancé, Hero, was unfaithful to him. However, he begins the tale with this long winded thing about fashion. Honestly, it’s a bit much. It’s fashion this, and fashion that. I think there’s supposed to be humor here, but it’s a bit hard to flesh out; at least for me it is.

Anyway, it seems like Conrade is of the same mind as me since he seems to be telling Borachio just that, …thou hast shifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion.

In any event, Borachio apparently takes the hint, and after this line he goes into the tale of what he did concerning Hero.

Now that’s a funny name for a woman: Hero. Don’t you think?

 Oy! Mr. B.!

Are you trying to get us killed?

Maybe you could just let me drive, instead of distracting me with this nonsense? 

Hero, Shmero!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Her hair, nor loose nor tied in formal plat,

Proclaim’d in her a careless hand of pride;

For some, untuckt, descended her sheaved hat,

Hanging her pale and pined cheek beside;

Some in threaden fillet still did bide,

And, true to bondage, would not break from thence,

Though slackly braided in loose negligence.

 

Narrator

A Lover’s Complaint         Stanza 5

And now, for something completely different. It’s not a play, or a sonnet; it’s one of Will’s poems. The two long poems he’s most well known for are Venus and Adonis, and Lucrece. This one is a bit shorter, and considered by some to be doubtful as to whether or not it is truly Will’s work. But we’ll assume that it is.

It’s a poem about a maiden lamenting the fact that she’s been abandoned by her lover. Without going into all that, this stanza is completely about her hair. Yes, her hair; it’s all about her hair.

It’s neither loose, nor tied;

It’s proclaimed;

Some of it’s untuckt, descended, and hanging,

And some is true to bondage, albeit slackly braided.

Yes, that’s her hair.

Comments?

This guy wants hair comments.

Are you kidding me?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Ah, Gaunt, his blood was thine! That bed, that womb,

That metal , that self-mould, that fashion’d thee

Made him a man; and though thou livest and breathest,

Yet art thou slain in him: thou dost consent

In some large measure to thy father’s death,

In that thou seest thy wretched brother die,

Who was the model of thy father’s life. 

 

Duchess of Gloster

King Richard the Second   Act I, Scene ii, Line 25

Okay then; here's where we're at: The Duchess of Gloster is the widow of Thomas, the latter being Gaunt’s brother. She’s talking to Gaunt about Thomas. Gaunt and Thomas were son’s of Edward III. The current king, Richard II is the grandson of Edward III. There are some, including Thomas of Gloster, who think/thought Richard to be doing a lousy job as king. Thomas has been eliminated by Richard’s people, and his widow wants Gaunt, her brother-in-law, to avenge Gloster’s death. Gaunt says, no; leave it to God.

Gloster’s widow is not particularly happy with that answer and leaves. She ends the scene with a farewell rhyming couplet.

Desolate, desolate, will I hence and die:

The last leave of thee takes my weeping eye.

Just a little bit maudlin, eh? A bit of a Debbie Downer.

A bit maudlin?!? Her husband was "eliminated" by her nephew, and her brother-in-law's not going to do a thing about it! 

Maudlin???

 

Oooh, go easy on that one, Mrs. B; that's the one you drew blood on last time.