Today’s Totally Random
Lines
Many
a time hath banisht Norfolk fought
For
Jesu Christ in glorious Christian field,
Streaming
the ensign of the Christian cross
Against
black pagans, Turks, and Saracens;
And
toil’d with works of war, retired himself
To
Italy; and there, at Venice, gave
His
body to that pleasant country’s earth,
And
his pure soul unto his captain Christ,
Under
whose colours he had fought so long.
Bishop of
Carlisle
King Richard the Second Act IV, Scene i, Line 96
That’s a pretty long way of saying that Norfolk’s
not going to be returning.
The first seventy lines of this scene are about
Bagot, Aumerle, Fitzwater, and a bunch of others arguing over who’s telling the
truth. Bolingbroke is overseeing this imbroglio and says that everyone’s
differences will be settled when Norfolk returns. The bishop responds, letting them all know that Norfolk’s not going to be returning. Apparently, Norfolk outsmarted them all and retired to Venice where he passed away
peacefully. It sounds a little more like something more from a modern
movie script than from Shakespeare, doesn't it?
Mr. World Traveler, who thinks he belongs in a movie, hasn't yet been to Venice; but he's hopeful.
Yes Mojo, you're right, that guy's seat is not lay-flat. You have a much nicer seat in your "special private traveling cabin"
(that's what he likes to call the pet carrier).