How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,

That now on Pompey’s basis lies along

No worthier than the dust!

-Brutus

Julius Caesar                     Act III, Scene i, Line 115

 

Let’s put this in context, and then take a look at it. Caesar had risen to power after a bloody civil war. The main leader of the other side in that war had been Pompey, and Pompey was killed in Caesar’s rise to power. Now they’ve just killed Caesar in what they believe is Rome’s best interest, believing that Caesar was going to become an authoritarian dictator; and I do believe their motives were mostly pure. Brutus speaks of bathing their hands in Caesar’s blood and walking forth crying ‘Peace, freedom, and liberty.’ Cassius responds,

Stoop then, and wash.—How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over

In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

To which Brutus responds with today’s Totally Random line.

 Never, never, never does this stuff cease to amaze me. Never. And to be perfectly clear, today’s line was chosen, as always, based on the roll of the die.

So, Cassius’s line is pretty straightforward, and chilling given the events of yesterday at the nation’s capital. States unborn, and accents yet unknown. And Brutus’s line even more so. Cassius is saying that this scene will be acted out in the future again and again as people fight against bad leaders. He refers to these actions as a lofty scene. Brutus is much more cynical, knowing that this scene will certainly be acted out again, but, knowing that the motives will not always be just, and referring to it not as lofty, but rather as sport. He points out that the end result is death, plain and simple death.

It’s pretty clear that what we saw yesterday was no lofty scene. It was simply sport; very bad and very ill-conceived sport. 

 

A lofty scene.

 

 

Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here, that old men have gray beards; that their faces are wrinkled; their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum; and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, shall grow old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.

 

-Hamlet

 

Hamlet                      Act II, Scene ii, Line 202

 

Here we have Hamlet talking to Polonius. So, is this a bunch of nonsense, or is it, as Polonius puts it 'Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.' Yes, I think probably it is the latter; there is method to Hamlet's madness, and to Will's lines in the play. So, would you care to tell me what that method is?

 

 

Well since Hamlet mentioned crabs, I just couldn't resist a picture of my favorite crab, the Sally Lightfoot. But don't ask me if these Lightfoots are walking forward or backwards, because I don't know.

 

 

Good work, you and your cry!—Shall’s to the 

Capitol? 

-Menenius Agrippa

 Coriolanus                   Act IV, Scene vi, Line 148

 

This is not the ‘good work,’ that you say when someone has actually done a good job. This is the sarcastic ‘Oh good job, bonehead,’ when someone has really screwed something up. Menenius is saying this to the common people who banished Coriolanus, because now Coriolanus is coming back with the Volscians to sack Rome. If ever someone deserved a ‘good work, boneheads,’ it’s these boneheads. The ‘Shall’s to the Capitol?’ Menenius is saying to his bud Cominius who replies ‘O, ay, what else?’ and then these two bounce.

It’s nice to know that Will’s capable of a nice sarcastic ‘Good work, bonehead!’ now and then, isn’t it? That would have been really great if he actually put in the ‘bonehead’ part.

Here's the perfect picture to illustrate the 'Good work, bonehead' line. Imagine, if you will, that you left your buddy to watch the goats, and you gave him specific instructions to make sure that the goats didn't eat any figs off the fig trees. You come back and, wouldn't you know it, the goats are up in the fig tree eating all the fruit. It would be the perfect time for a 'Good work, bonehead.'

 

                                                               Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,

That to th’observer doth thy history

Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings

Are not thine own so proper, as to waste

Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.

Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,

Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues

Did not go forth of us, ‘twere all alike

As if we had them not.

 

-Duke

 

Measure For Measure                     Act I, Scene i, Line 31

 

This is the very beginning of the play and these are the first words that the Duke says to Angelo. He’s going to follow this up by telling the Angelo that he, the Duke, is leaving town and he’s going to put Angelo in charge. Angelo objects, the Duke insists, and that’s that.

Now, the whole gist of this play revolves around justice, and we’re going to find out by the end that Angelo is not so virtuous as the Duke makes him out to be.  But then, there’s quite a bit that will take place between these words of the Duke and the completion of the play. So for today, we’ll just enjoy these words.

I like the part about heaven and the torches. If you just read that sentence first it makes the first part of today’s lines clearer. But I think it also raises some questions. What do you think?

 

Well, the idea was to find a picture of a torch. But since I couldn't find that, we'll have to settle for this picture of a cave, which is a place where you might expect to find a torch. Again, no torch.

 

 

 

O, well begg’d!

  -Cominus

 Coriolanus                              Act I, Scene ix, Line 86

This is a slightly strange exchange, but perhaps well representative of the contradictions apparent in the character of Coriolanus. This is taking place after the battle of Corioli, and he asks Cominius to make sure they spare one of the townspeople of Corioli because the guy sheltered Coriolanus when he needed shelter. Cominius says ‘of course, that’s a proper thing to ask (well begg’d), what’s the guy’s name’. To which Coriolanus responds, By Jupiter, forgot:- I am weary, yea my memory is tired.- Have we no wine here? And so they go off in search of wine and that’s the last we hear about saving that townsperson. But it was a nice idea for all of the ten seconds that it lasted.

Today's action reminded me of the saying 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions.' Well I couldn't find a picture of the road to hell, but here's a pic of the bridge to Merida (behind me in the distance). I know, it's not the same thing. But at least the bridge is from Coriolanus's time, so I thought that would count for something.

 

 

I am made of that self metal as my sister,

And prize me at her worth. In my true heart

I find she names my very deed of love;

Only she comes too short,- that I profess

Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of sense possesses;

And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear highnesse love.

 

-Regan

 King Lear                                Act I, Scene i, Line 70

 

Act One, Scene One. We get right into it pretty quickly, and see just who’s who in our story. Lear has decided to divide his kingdom up  between his three daughters and he will do so based on how well they each profess their love for him. That, in and of itself, seems a bit strange, but sycophancy suits Goneril and Regan quite well. Goneril went first, and today’s lines are Regan’s attempt to outdo her sister. Cordelia will go last and offer little more than honesty, and not enough flattery. And thus begins the tragedy of King Lear.

On a side note, the last line is written In your dear highness' love in my book. Well we know that the appropriate presentation of possessive highness would be highness's. So I went back to my old standby, The First Folio. The presentation therein was highnesse. As you can see, I used that.  

 

I couldn't find a pic that was particularly appropriate for today's lines, so I'll give you this. It's the front page of my copy of Lear with the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore stamp. How about that?

 

Come hither, England’s hope. –If secret powers

[Lays his hand on his head]

Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,

This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.

-Henry

King Henry the Sixth Part III       Act IV, Scene vi, Line 69

 

So we’ll need just a little history lesson here. I’ll try to keep it brief. Henry VI’s reign is marked by the civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. During theses wars you have Henry, then Edward IV, then Henry again, then Edward IV again, then Edward V (sort of) then Richard III all taking and re-taking the throne. We’re in the middle of this whole mess right here (I think Henry’s about to take the throne back from Edward) and someone introduces the son of Edmund Tudor to Henry. Well this son just happens to be the fellow destined to become Henry VII, the one who defeats Richard III and ends the civil strife. So Henry’s words are truly prescient. They’re also most likely completely made up by Will. I’m pretty sure that there’s no evidence of this particular scene every taking place, let alone Henry making this prophesy. I have to believe that it’s dramatist Will’s way of adding a little drama to the script. But he’s allowed, in fact expected, to do that, isn’t he.

Wouldn't you know it; I have a pic from years (many years) past of us acting out this scene. We thought that doing it in front of the fireplace would give that Tower of London look to it. Dave is playing Henry VI and has just finished the prophetic lines declaring me, as the son of Edmund Tudor, as the future Henry VII. He took his hand off my head right before Mom snapped the pic. Of course, I'm playing the proud recipient of Dave's proclamation, giving that 'don't mess with me 'cause I'm destined to be king' look. Jean was playing either Warwick or Clarence, I can't remember which. And Phil, who looks like he was just photo-bombing the scene, was the Lieutenant of the Tower. Since the Lieutenant only had the one line at the beginning of the scene, Phil was a little distracted at this point. Phil never did have a very long attention span.