Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

One score ‘twixt sun and sun,

Madam’s, enough for you , and too much too.

Pisanio

Cymbeline              Act III, Scene ii, Line 70

Today’s Lines are the answer to Imogen’s question

How many score of miles may we ride

Twixt hour and hour?

So Imogen wants to know how many miles they can go per hour, but Pisanio answers how many miles they can go per day. One score; that’s twenty miles. Remember? Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth… Eighty-seven years between 1776 and the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Simple math. A score is twenty. And how far away is Milford-Haven? That’s where Imogen wants to go because she believes her husband is there. I don’t think we know. And in fact, I don’t think her husband is actually there. As usual, a bit confusing.

So rather than spend any more time on this line, let’s take a look at another truly brilliant piece of writing. Yes, there are other brilliant writers out there other than Will.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.   

There: if I can type the whole thing (took about ten minutes), you can read it (should take two or three minutes). Perhaps I should say a few words about it.

As noted within this speech, it was read at the dedication of a cemetery at Gettysburg for the soldiers who died in that battle. Lincoln and another gentlemen, Edward Everett – a noted orater, spoke at that ceremony. The latter spoke at length, great length: about two hours worth. Lincoln got up afterwards and gave this ten sentence speech which lasted only a few minutes. As I said, Lincoln’s short speech is a masterpiece.

This speech was given on November 19, 1863, but the battle of Gettysburg began 161 years ago today, and lasted three long days. So it is altogether fitting that we take a look at the speech today.  

One final note: Abraham Lincoln was known to be a learned man and one of the things he was quite learned about was the works of William Shakespeare. What do you think about that?

Wait a sec, Lincoln was a Shakespearean? Like you?

Well, not exactly like me, Mojo; but yes, Lincoln was a Shakespearean.

And please don't talk with food in your mouth.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

My brother was too careless of his charge.—

 

Earl of Warwick

Henry the Sixth Part III                Act IV, Scene vi, Line 86

So then, who was the Earl’s brother, what was his charge (responsibility), and how did he come up short. Well, I don’t know who the Earl’s brother was, but apparently his charge was to guard Edward. We’re talking about Edward of the Yorks who deposed Henry the Sixth only to be deposed himself. This is the part of the story where the crown goes back and forth between Henry and Edward. The Earl’s brother came up short by allowing Edward to escape. Not good. So the crown will, in short order, go back to Edward, and thence on to Richard the Third. But that’s a story for another day.

Right Mojo?

Earl, Henry, Richard, Eward, Yorks...

Oyyy, enough already!

Somebody get me outta here!

 

 

                     If you please,

Be’t at her father’s.   

 

Duke

Othello                    Act I, Scene iii, Line 240

The question is where Desdemona will go when Othello, her newly-wed husband, goes off to fight the Turks. The Duke suggests that she stay with her father. However, Brabantio (Desdemona’s father), Othello, and Desdemona all say no way Jose! to that.

What on earth was the Duke thinking? Obviously he has no daughters, let alone any married ones.

Mojo's all excited about the going off to fight the Turks part. 

Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!

No, no Mojo, that's not today's topic; though it's nice to see that you remembered the line. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

My poor body, madam, requires it: I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go that the devil drives.   

 

Lavache

All’s Well That Ends Well     Act I, Scene iii, Line 30

Okay. Lavache, a servant of the Countess, is talking to the Countess and asking her permission to marry Isabel, another servant of the Countess. Today’s Lines are Lavache’s reply to the Countess’s question of why Lavache wants to marry.

The answer above makes Lavache sound like a bit of a cad. However, just previous to this Lavache had said

I think I shall never have the blessing of God till I have issue of my body; for they say barnes are blessings.

By issue and barnes he’s talking about offspring, and children.

So I don’t understand how in one breath he talking about God’s blessing and the next about what the devil drives. And in fact, in both cases he’s talking pretty much about the same thing.

Confused? Well, it's a Shakespearean comedy, so welcome to the club.

Though he hasn't come right out and said it, I'm pretty sure that Mojo's had about enough of the comedies. Today, as soon as he heard the words All's Well That End's Well he hopped down and scooted over to the window. There, he did his best Meerkat impersonation, whilst muttering, 

"End's Well, Schmends Well." 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

--odours savours sweet:

    So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.—

But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awile,

    And by and by I will to thee appear.    [Exit.

 

Bottom

A Midsummer Night’s Dream       Act III, Scene i, Line 83

Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hmm. Well this is the guys practicing the play that they’re going to be presenting later in this play. Bottom had started off with

Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,--

and was interrupted and corrected by Quince from odious to odours. Today’s lines is Bottom continuing with the correction.

I suppose there is a significant difference. Lets go to MW online.

Odious: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance: hateful

Odours: the qualities of something that stimulate the olfactory organ: scent.

Wow. I had no idea. I thought odious had something to do with bad smell. These two words have nothing to do with each other. Good thing Bottom got corrected. I hope he remembers the right word when they present their play.

Okay, I looked forward to the end of this play, where they present this play that they’re practicing. I can’t find this line being used. What’s up with that? I told you this was a screwy play.

Don't be so down, Mojo. We'll have a better line tomorrow.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

The obligation of our blood forbids

A gory emulation ‘twixt us twain:

 

Hector

Troilus and Cressida                      Act IV, Scene v, Line 22

Let’s see; what’s going on here.
Hector, the Greek, is fighting Ajax, a Trojan. They stop fighting for a moment to talk, and Hector decides that they can’t fight anymore because they’re related; first cousins no less - my father’s sister’s son.
I didn’t see that coming.

I did, however, learn that the number one definition of emulation in the MW online dictionary is an ambition or endeavor to equal or excel others. I thought it just meant copying something or someone, didn’t you? The Shakespeare glossary says it can mean conflict. So Hector is saying that because they’re related they can’t have a bloody conflict between the two of them. I guess that makes sense.

First cousins? Again, where’d that come from?

Did you know they were first cousins, Mojo?

First what?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

   Hail, King of Scotland!       [flourish]

 

All

Macbeth                      Act V, Scene viii, Line 59

Macduff has just brought in the head of Macbeth, and everyone is satisfied that Malcom will now be king. Malcom gives us about fifteen lines of a speech, and that’s that. Curtain falls to thunderous applause.

So, what do we think of that? Malcom is one of the sons of Duncan (remember Duncan? The guy murdered in his bed back in the second act?), so now that Macbeth is gone it seems perfectly proper that Malcom become king. But wait: what about the witches’ prediction that Banquo’s offspring would be king? The recent production of Macbeth with Denzel Washington in the lead addresses the Banquo question by adding a scene to Will’s script that shows Banquo’s son Fleance in the last scene. It doesn’t tell how, but reminds us that there is more to come.

I wonder if anyone’s ever written the story of Fleance? If they hadn’t, someone probably will now after that production.

Fleance the King 

Keep an eye out for it.

Mojo always takes me literally.

He's keeping an eye out for Fleance the King. He has no idea who or what Fleance the King is, but he's keeping an eye out for it.