Today’s Totally Random Lines

                    I have heard

Your grace hath ta’en great pains to qualify

His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate,

And that no lawful means can carry me

Out of his envy’s reach, I do oppose

My patience to his fury; and am arm’d

To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,

The very tyranny and rage of his.

 

Antonio

The Merchant of Venice   Act IV, Scene i, Line 7

This is the very beginning of the courtroom scene of The Merchant of Venice. The Duke of Venice (who is the judge here) has addressed Antonio

I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answer

A stony adversary (Shylock), an inhuman wretch

Uncapable of pity, void and empty

From any dram of mercy.

Today’s Totally Random Lines are Antonio’s response to this.

I think by now, though the lines look a little bit difficult, you should be able to understand pretty well what each of these guys is saying. Obdurate is a word that you can still run into today. It just means stubborn, or unwilling to change. Antonio is, of course, referring to the fact that Shylock is insisting on his pound of flesh. He’s also saying that he’s accepted his fate: he’s arm’d to suffer with a quietness of spirit. In fact, Antonio will prove to be the calmest one in the courtroom, even though he’s the one with the most to lose. It’s interesting that Will’s made him the calmest, and it’s interesting why. It’s because he’s arm’d to suffer with a quietness of spirit.

Given Antonio’s grave situation, it’s curious how calm he is. I can’t help but wonder where he got that quietness of spirit. This is the guy who had the very first lines of the play.

In sooth, I know now why I am so sad:

It wearies me; you say it wearies you;

But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,

What stuff ‘tis made of, whereof it is born,

I am to learn;

And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,

That I have much ado to know myself.

Well that doesn’t sound at all like a guy at peace with himself. I wonder what changed between then and now. In fact, the play deals very little with Antonio, even though he is the titular Merchant, between that opening speech and the courtroom scene. Well, something changed.

And that gives us something to think about.

I'll tell you something that hasn't changed, and that's this guy.

I wish I had just a little of his quietness of spirit.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

All the contagion of the south light on you,

You shames of Rome.

 

Coriolanus

Coriolanus                      Act I, Scene iv, Line 30

This is the siege of Corioli and Caius Marcus is addressing his soldiers who are reluctant to engage the enemy. He goes on for several lines: biles and plagues plaster you….souls of geese…slaves that apes would beat. You get the idea.

In the end he makes the charge through the gates of the city of Corioli to face the enemy all alone, and he carries the day. And this is where he gains the honorary name of Coriolanus.

So what do you think of that?

Souls of geese?

Slaves that would beat apes?

This guy is a crackpot; that's what I think of that. It's no wonder he has 'anus' in his name.

Enough Mojo!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckoo,

By the bad voice.

 

Portia

The Merchant of Venice   Act V, Scene i, Line 112

This, for our purposes (and for once), is pretty much a stand-alone line. We can simply read it and respond to it. I guess we could get the context and discuss it within that context. But today we have the choice of looking at the line without looking at the speaker or the situation. Let’s do that.

So, the cuckoo has a bad voice? In southern Africa there’s a bird they call the go-away bird because it has an annoying call, but I don’t think it’s the cuckoo.

Okay, I just googled it, and the African Grey Go-away bird is so named because of its call which sounds a bit like “go away”. So I guess that’s not really pertinent to our discussion of today's line, and therefore I should just delete what I’ve typed here? But if I do that, you’ll never know what I was thinking. Of course, if I don’t, then you can see the process of my thoughts on this writing. I think I should leave it.

Do you think a blind man (if this was written in Braille) would know me by the convoluted way of my thinking?

 

Yes! Just, yes. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

But, indeed, words are very rascals, since bonds disgraced them.

 

Clown

Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will   Act III, Scene i, Line 21

  

The explanation of what the clown is saying here is rather long, and a bit confusing. As such, I’m not sure it’s worth the trouble. And doesn’t that absolutely prove the first part of today’s line to be true: words are very rascals.

Indeed, words are very rascals, aren’t they? Words are what separate us from the beasts; they are an essential part of our humanness. But even so, with all our supposed human superiority, words can betray us, confound us, and deeply hurt us; whilst in the next breath the little rascals can also amuse, delight, and touch us to our very soul.

Words are indeed very rascals.  

And yet, there are those who don't need words at all to touch us to our very soul. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

By cock and pie, you shall not choose, sir: come, come.

 

Page

The Merry Wives of Windsor           Act I, Scene i, Line 289

 

Well, that’s a bit of an odd sounding line, isn’t it? Let’s see if we can get a little bit of context; just a wee bit.

Okay, I’ve got it. By cock and pie is just an innocent rustic oath, according to G. B. Harrison. It pretty much means nothing; like for goodness sake, or gee whiz. They’re trying to get Slender (yes, the guy Page is talking to is named Slender) to come in to have dinner with them, Slender says that he chooses not to, and Page responds with today's line. 

And that's about it.

So...no pie?

That's right, Mojo; no pie.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

With this, there grows,

In my most ill-composed affection, such

A stanchless avarice, that, were I king,

I should cut off the nobles for their lands;

Desire his jewels, and this other’s house:

 

Malcolm

Macbeth             Act IV, Scene iii, Line 80

 

Malcolm, the true heir to the Scottish throne, and Macduff are in exile in England and talking with each other about the situation at home in Scotland. They started by talking about the tyrant Macbeth, but now Malcolm is trying to convince Macduff that he, Malcolm, would be an even worse leader than Macbeth. He’s only doing this to test Macduff and make sure that he is loyal and will help Malcolm to get rid of Macbeth.

Today’s lines are part of Malcolm describing what a bad king he would be; how he’d be so greedy that he’d be taking noble’s lands and riches from them. Macduff is not swayed by this and still wants to go and kill Macbeth, and help Malcolm become king. So he passes Malcolm’s test.

It’s kind of a stupid test if you ask me.

I agree: stupid test. You would never try to pull that malarky on me, would you?

No Mojo, I would never test you. 

Besides, I'm pretty sure you're malarky-proof.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Pluck down benches.

 

Third Citizen

Julius Caesar            Act III, Scene ii, Line 263

 

What are they going to do with the benches? They’re going to start a fire. What are they going to do with the fire? They’re going to cremate the body of Julius Caesar. And then what? They’re going to burn the houses of the men who killed Caesar.

So whilst Pluck down benches may sound rather innocent, when put in the context of someone who’s part of a mob yelling it, it can take on a bit more gravity.

This, by the way, is the same crowd that listened to Brutus’s explanation of why he killed Caesar, and they were satisfied with that explanation. Then Brutus left and Mark Antony spoke and now they’re ready to pluck down benches and burn down Brutus.

Don’t you just love a good mob?

Should have had this guy in charge of crowd control. 

He knows how to handle a mob.