Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

A peace is of the nature of a conquest:

For then both parties nobly are subdued,

And neither party loser.

 

Archbishop of York

King Henry the Fourth Part II   Act IV, Scene ii, Line 89

What is the Padre smoking? How, in a conquest, are both parties subdued – nobly or otherwise? Isn’t just one subdued, and, as well, isn’t one the loser?

I don’t know what this hoser is talking about. The two opposing sides have decided here to have a peace instead of fighting, and the soldiers are already celebrating. Why shouldn’t they? In a battle a whole bunch of them would get killed, win or lose.

One of the leaders here remarks that this celebrating would be cheerful after a victory. In other words, they should have fought, not brokered a peace. And that’s what the Archbishop is responding to with Today’s Totally Random Line.

But I still don’t think the line makes much sense. Maybe I’m missing something.

Buster Mojo is guarding the backyard. With those ears, you can bet that he's not going to miss anything.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow:

 

King Edward

King Henry the Sixth Part III   Act IV, Scene viii, Line 54

Well I read that and I thought, what a nice compliment. Right. Now listen to the whole six lines. Edward is talking to Henry whom he’s just stolen the kingship from.

Seize on the shame-faced Henry, bear him hence;
And once again proclaim us king of England.—
You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow;
Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry,
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.—
Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak.

So apparently being the fount that makes small brooks to grow is small potatoes. One needs to be the sea that swells so much the bigger by sucking the small brooks dry.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’d rather be the fount that makes small brooks to flow. 

What an absolutely gorgeous morning it is out here in the backyard. The days don’t get much nicer than this. 

You can keep your swelling seas, thank you very much.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Should I now meet my father,

He would not call me son.

 

Florizel

The Winter’s Tale    Act IV, Scene iii, Line 662

Well, yesterday we were talking about a father’s death with line 376 of the scene, and I said that we were deep into that act. Today we’re talking about a father not knowing his son, and we’re on line 662 of this scene. Interesting similarities, eh?

So, what’s going on here? Well, Florizel, the prince of Bohemia is in love with the shepherd girl Perdita. Consequently, he has been disowned by his father the king. And that’s why his father would not call him son. Pretty simple, eh?

Yesterday Richard convinced Elizabeth to let him marry her daughter. I think that today Florizel will eventually convince his father to let him marry the shepherd’s daughter, eh?

I’m overusing ‘eh?’ a little bit, eh?

Since we've been talking about fathers, and since today is July 10, which would have been Dad's 97th birthday, it seems pretty appropriate that we have a pic of him. 

He got to celebrate quite a few less birthday's than he should have. 

Life is funny, and it's unpredictable, eh?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

My father’s death,--

 

Richard

King Richard the Third    Act IV, Scene iv, Line 376

Yes, line 376. We’re deep into this act and I’m not sure exactly what’s happened so far. I do know that right here Richard is talking to Elizabeth, the widow of Richard’s brother, Edward IV. Richard is trying to tell Elizabeth something (I’m not sure what) and he’s trying to swear to her it’s the truth, but everything he tries to swear on she discredits.

If something thou wouldst swear to be believed,

Swear, then, by something thou hast not wrong’d.

Now, by the world,-

                        ‘Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

My father’s death,-

                        Thy life hath that dishonour’d.

Then, by myself,-

                        Thy self is self-misused.

Why, then, by God,-

 

                        God’s wrong is most of all.

 

And then she goes on to explain how swearing by God is, for Richard, as useless as all the other things he would swear on. Richard should just give it up here, but of course, he doesn’t. After all that, he somehow still convinces Elizabeth to let him marry her daughter.

Go figure.

You know what they say: some people could sell ice to an Eskimo. Wait, is that a bad word now? I didn't mean any offense by it, I swear. 

I swear by...  oh never mind. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

What are your pleasures with me, reverend lords?

 

Queen Katherine

King Henry the Eighth    Act III, Scene i, Line 25

 

What do you guys want?
There, that’s the Pete version; plain and simple.
What more is there to say about today’s line? I have to say, though, I like the full three lines of the Queen’s statement here, partly because she uses the term housewife.

Your Graces find me here part of a housewife:
I would be all, against the worst may happen.
What are your pleasures with me, reverend lords?

Here I am, part housewife, part queen:
I’d just as soon be all housewife, regardless of what might happen.
Anyway, what do you guys want?

Maybe I should do my own rendition of NoFear Shakespeare. But what would I call it?
Totally Random Shakespeare? That doesn’t seem to make sense.
In Pete’s Words Shakespeare? That’s a little better, but way too long.
How about Shakespeare, For Pete’s Sake? Maybe.

I was gonna say it’s a moot point, because I’m not gonna be writing that book. Then it occurred to me that I could do it as a regular segment of my blog here. I’m pretty sure my follower would like it.

Okay, then I need a name, and I don’t really like any of the ones I’ve come up with so far.

Totally Random Pete? No

For Pete’s Sake Version? I’ll give that a maybe. That last one is growing on me. I certainly don’t hate it. Yah, I might use that…wait a minute--- the Pete Version. That’s what I called today’s version at the top of this post. 

The Pete Version. Yup, that’s it. Sold.

The Pete Version of a fall day at Ten Mile River

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Thou say’s well, and it holds well too; for the fortune of us that are the moon’s men doth ebb and flow like the sea, being govern’d, as the sea is, by the moon. As, for proof, now: a purse of gold most resolutely snatcht on Monday night, and most dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning; got with swearing ‘lay by,’ and spent with crying ‘bring in;’ now in as low an ebb as the foot of the ladder, and by and by in as high a flow as the ridge of the gallows.

 

Hal

King Henry the Fourth Part I    Act I, Scene ii, Line 41

 

Okay, long line. It is the reply to a long line of last week. Here, go take a look at that line, then come back and we’ll continue with this one.

Totally Random Daily Shakespeare

So this is Hal’s reply to Falstaff. Sir John remarked that they are squires of the night, governed by the moon, just as the sea is. Hal is agreeing, but he’s putting a different spin on it, saying that the ebb and flow of the tides are as low as the first step up to the gallows and as high as the top of the gallows. In other words, the squires of the night will all hang for their actions.
And what does Falstaff do? Well he responds in true falstaffian manner (and I’m really surprised that falstaffian is not a word; let’s make it one, shall we?),

By the Lord, thou say’st true, lad. And is not my hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench?

First he agrees, so as not to create an argument, and then he immediately and completely changes the subject.
It’s brilliant!

You know, I often use the ploy of changing the subject and sometimes it works, sometimes not (it depends a lot on the situation and on the person(s) you’re working with). But I really like the idea of agreeing first. That gives the other party the feeling that they’ve won, and so they’re more apt to be ready to move on.

Yes, brilliant. I’ll have to remember that.

Self-explanatory.

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Peace, I pray you.

 

Mistress Quickly

The Merry Wives of Windsor         Act I, Scene iv, Line 79

 

Please stop. Please be quiet.
Peace, I pray you. 

Infinitely nicer than shut up. I’ve got to remember to use this one. Simple, sweet, to the point without being curt.

Peace, I pray you.
Yah, that’s a good one.

Peace, I pray you, and let me drink my coffee.

Well, couple of things: 

I was sitting at home when I wrote the post above, and now I'm at work posting it to my blog; so this is not the coffee cup that I was trying to get back to when I was writing this post. Also, this particular cup, pictured above, is empty. I haven't gotten around to making a cup of coffee here at work, this morning, yet.

So the reality is, that this picture is sort of a prop, not the real thing. But since the blog is about theater, I guess that's okay. And if you have any objections to that, well...

Peace, I pray you.