Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Be certain what you do, sir, lest your justice

Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer,

Yourself, your queen, your son

Antigonus

The Winter’s Tale            Act II, Scene i,  Line 129

Leontes has just passed sentence on his innocent wife. Antigonus and some others are trying to talk sense into him. They will fail. Simple as that: they will fail. And they will also prove to be correct: Leontes, his wife, and his son will suffer. 

Shoulda listened.

Well, it’s Jan 1, 2024. Or, as it could easily be seen, another day. The earth doesn’t care that it’s the first day of a new year because as far as the earth is concerned it’s just another day.

Suppose I should use this time each day to journalize a bit. Perhaps see if each day I can journalize enough to come ‘round to something that’s relevant to Today’s Line.

So, New Years. Do I need a resolution. If I do resolution, which I have indeed been thinking of doing, I should be certain of what I am doing- certain that I’m doing the right thing. Ahh, see, there you go. I’ve come ‘round to it already, haven’t I?

Here’s another thing I decided to be certain about. When I got up this morning and came out to the living room and when I looked at Mojo’s bed it looked empty. I assumed that he was asleep under the blanket, but it didn’t really look like there was any lump there. But I assumed that he must be there. He is pretty small. Well anyway, after sitting here a while I decided that I needed to be certain that he was actually there. So I walked over closer to his bed, and I saw the blankets move just a little bit.

I'm certain that Mojo is there. 

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

  

Got’s will and his pleasure, captain, I peseech you now, come apace to the king: there is more goot toward you peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of.

 

Fluellen

King Henry the Fifth          Act IV, Scene viii,  Line 3

 

Fluellen, a Welshman, is Will’s attempt to write in a dialect which mispronounces the English language. He does it in other places as well. I’m not completely sure what Fluellen is talking about in Today’s Totally Random Lines, but I do know that Got is God, peseech is beseech, and goot is good. No it’s not Groot. Nor am I Groot.

I am, however, sixty-seven years old should not be waffling about retirement. At least that’s what they all tell me. What’s that got to do with Fluellen, or Henry the Fifth or William Shakespeare? Probably nothing; and we all know what will come of nothing. 

That's right, it's a sticker day. 

Do we think that this penguin is Welsh? Probably not.

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I thank you, gentle servant: ‘tis very clearly done.

 

Sylvia

Two Gentlemen of Verona              Act II, Scene i,  Line 103

 

Well first off, she’s talking to Valentine, so I think she’s being less than fully serious when using the word servant here. On the other hand, I don’t really know much of anything about this play, and particularly about this scene, so who knows; maybe she thinks Valentine is a servant. 

We’d have to delve in and get some context to find out, wouldn’t we. Well, we’re not going to be doing that. Nope, we are not. Don’t let that stop you though. Go for it! Act two, scene one. If you find out what’s going on be sure to let us know.

Here's Nutsy and Scout from a Christmas past. 

They were gentle, but certainly not servants.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

  

Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,

And what thou think’st his very action speaks

In every power that moves.

 

Caesar
Antony and Cleopatra                      Act III, Scene xii,  Line 36

  

So what’s Caesar saying here? At this point in the play Caesar has come to Rome to open up a can of whoopass on Antony. So let’s take a crack at it. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw. I’m not sure what flaw he’s talking about. Is it Antony’s obsession with Cleopatra. He’s become Cleopatra? That doesn’t sound quite right, does it?

And what about the rest? How about if we change the word order a little. His very action speaks what thou think’st, and that action speaks in every power that moves. Any clearer? Not really. What he’s doing is what you think he’s doing, and when he does it everything/body knows it? No? Well that’s all I can get out of it. Maybe I’ll listen to it and see if it gets any clearer. I’ll let you know.

You know, if I can diverge here for a moment, I’ve been posting to this blog for over seven years now. I’m not proud. But in that time I’ve made mention of, and posted pictures of, many of my family. Many times when I have done this I have forwarded a link to them to see it. And yet, in all that time there is only one of them, wait - maybe two, who take any time to look at this on a regular basis. I think if any of them posted to a regular blog I would be a little interested in it. Well Pete, what if it was about a subject that you couldn’t care less about? Okay, maybe I should rethink this thought.

Oh well. Observe how Pete becomes his flaw. 

No pic today. I got nothin'

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I would we had a thousand Roman dames

At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.

 

Demetrius

Titus Andronicus   Act IV, Scene ii,  Line 41

 

This is really sick. Aaron the Moor, talking to Demetrius, says, Did you not use his daughter very friendly? He’s talking about the fact that Demetrius and his brother savagely raped and maimed Titus’s daughter Lavinia. That’s what Demetrius is responding to with Today’s Lines. Nice huh?

If it’s any consolation (which it’s really not), Demetrius and his brother are going to get murdered and cut up by Titus, put in a stew, and served unknowingly to their mother.

This play, written early in Will’s career, might be the original slasher movie/play.

 

Well, those are some pretty unpleasant (to say the least) mental images I've presented you with today. But remember, Totally Random. Totally.

 

 To make it up to you, here's a pic of today's culinary creations: Christmas Wreaths. Much more seasonal, delectable, and pleasant to consider. 

Bon appetit!

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

  

I can speak English, lord, as well as you;

For I was train’d up in the English court,

Where, being but young, I framed to the harp

Many an English ditty lovely well,

And gave the tongue a helpful ornament,--

A virtue that was never seen in you.

 

Glendower

King Henry the Fourth Part I   Act III, Scene i,  Line 119

  

This is part of an argument over a map that the rebels are using to divide up the kingdom. Hotspur has decided that he’s not been allocated enough land so he’s going to change the course of the Trent river to increase the size of his allotment. Glendower is telling him he can’t do that, and Hotspur doesn’t like being told that he can’t do it, so he says to Glendower,

                                    Let me not understand you, then;
Speak it in Welsh.

I guess he’s mocking Glendower here. Glendower is a Welshman. Anyway, Glendower answers him with today’s lines.

Taken alone, today’s lines are quite understandable. Taken in context they have a bit of a defiant meaning.

But defiance aside, Glendower says he wrote a song that gave the tongue a helpful ornament. 

That's some interesting phraseology, isn't it.

Now I'll bet you think that I couldn't possibly find a picture relevant to the phrase gave the tongue a helpful ornament. Well, believe it or not, here it is.

This is an ornament that we bought at Katie Wolfart's in Rothenburg, Germany in 1999. 

It's a helpful ornament because it gives me a reason to use my tongue to say Katie Wolfart, which is a fun name to say. 

Try it - Katie Wolfart.

See! What did I tell you!

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Thou hast forespoke my being in these wars,

And say'st it is not fit.

 

Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra    Act III, Scene vii, Line 3

 

This is Cleopatra talking to Enobarbus, Antony’s right-hand man. Since we’re only on line three of the scene, I’m going to give it to you from the beginning. The setting is Antony’s camp near Actium and it’s just the two of them there.

Cleo

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

Eno

But why, why, why?

Cleo

Thou hast forespoke my being in these wars,
And say’st it is not fit.

Eno
                                           Well, is it, is it?

Cleo
If not denounced against us, why should not we
Be there in person?

Eno
                               [Aside] Well, I could reply:—
If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.

Cleo
                                              What is’t you say?

Eno
Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from’s time,
What should not then be spared. He is already
Traduced for levity; and ‘tis said in Rome
That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids
Manage this war.

Cleo
Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
That speak against us! A charge we bear i’the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;
I will not stay behind.

Eno
                                         Nay, I have done.
Here comes the emperor.

Enter Antony and Canidius.


Enobarbus is telling Cleopatra that she does not belong at the wars with Antony. She gives reasons why she should be there, and eventually Enobarbus gives up.

A couple of things.
Once again we start a scene with a conversation already well underway. Clearly Cleopatra had previously said something else that Enobarbus was saying Why, why, why to. Will loves to start us in the middle of things.
Secondly, the line Sink Rome, and their tongues rot/That speak against us. Great line!