Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

To gratify the good Andronicus,

And gratulate his safe return to Rome,

The people will accept whom he admits.

 

Tribunes

Titus Andronicus          Act I Scene i, Line 275

I think the tribunes (senators) are telling Titus that he can decide who’s going to be the emperor. It looks like Titus can have the job if he wants it, but I don’t think he does. In any event, he nominates Saturninus who readily accepts it.

Yes, you’re right, it’s an opening to relate this somehow to current politics and world leaders, but I’m not going to do that.

So, we’ve got some nice iambic pentameter going on this morning. Do you ever read the lines just to appreciate the meter? I do. 

I know: quirky.

In fact, I was told this past weekend that I come from a whole family of quirky people. We’re all quirky. Hmm, I guess that’s not a bad word. Is it?

Quirky? Quirky?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I did very well note him.

 

Horatio

Hamlet                    Act III, Scene ii, Line 301

This is Horatio speaking to Hamlet after the former asked him if he saw how Claudius reacted violently to the staging of the play within the play.

Horatio is an interesting character. He’s in the first scene of the play with the men on the ramparts when they see the ghost of King Hamlet. He’s also in the last scene, the second to the last person to speak at the end of the play, when Hamlet (and half of the cast) lie dead.  He’s in the famous line Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. In fact, he’s at a lot of pivotal points in the play, and I think he is the only one that Hamlet speaks his true mind to. He is the one person that Hamlet considers a real friend. 

I imagine there have been volumes written about Horatio and his relationship with Hamlet. I’ve not read any of those volumes. In spite of this, I feel safe in saying of Horatio that I did very well note him. Wouldn’t you agree?

I do very well note, Sir, that you are getting a comfy seat on the couch whilst I am stuck down here on the floor.

Noted.

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose.

Escalus

Measure For Measure     Act II, Scene i, Line 119

I’m taking this line of the day to be directed at myself. I’ve been more anxious lately, I think in large part to national and world events, but I’m letting it affect my daily life. I find myself having a hard time getting things done. Of course, the answer is to just start getting things done. Work in my circle of concern: exercise more, move and be physically active more. 

And then I read this line.

Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose.

Yes, of course; I am a tedious fool. I haven’t even done the daily lines for a few days. In truth, the reason for that was twofold: one is the aforementioned struggling and letting the state of the world get to me, and two is that the random lines picked the last two days have been pretty meh. But enough!

Come, you are a tedious fool; to the purpose.
Get over it, buddy!

Of course, this can be a good line for all sorts of occasions, like those times when long-story-short-Tony is just going on and on, and all you want is for him to get to the point?

Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose!

But for today, I think it is best directed to myself:

Come, you are a tedious fool! To the purpose!

 

Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose!

Whoa! Mojo, easy there, buddy. It's a good line, but not necessarily one you want to use on someone five times your size.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

There’s but one down; the son is fled.

 

Third Murderer

Macbeth                          Act III, Scene iii, Line 19

Since we covered this short scene not very long ago, I’ve decided to offer something completely different for your consideration this morning.

I chanced upon this sonnet, written in true Shakespearean Sonnet form, whilst surfing today. Yes, every once in a while it is actually possible to come up with something worthwhile whilst surfing the internet; not that I recommend it.

This sonnet is a poem by Robert Frost. It’s absolutely lovely. He just loves to write about trees, doesn’t he?


Into My Own

One of my wishes is that those dark trees,
So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze,
Were not, as ‘twere, the merest mask of gloom,
But stretched away unto the edge of doom.
I should not be withheld but that some day
Into their vastness I should steal away,
Fearless of ever finding open land,
Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.
I do not see why I should e’re turn back,
Or those should not set forth upon my track
To overtake me, who should miss me here
And long to know if still I held them dear.
       They would not find me changed from him they knew—
       Only more sure of all I thought was true.


Oh, that is fabulous. You might have to read it more than once before it sinks in. I can see why my Gram said Frost was her favorite poet.

Even my wide-eyed little friend got excited about that poem. 

I guess we all need a break from Shakespeare once in a while.

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

This is the brief (summary, or short account)of money, plate, and jewels,

I am possest of: ‘tis exactly valued;

Not petty things omitted. – Where’s Seleucus?

 

Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra                    Act V, Scene ii, Line 140

Cleopatra is speaking to Octavius, and it’s near the end of the play. Antony has already killed himself. Cleopatra is offering Ocatavius, the conquering Roman, a list of all the treasures that he is entitled to.

Seleucus, by the way is the accountant. It’s nice to see accountants figure in to Shakespeare’s works once in a while, isn’t it. Yes, officially he’s listed as Treasurer, but that’s just an accountant who’s gotten a few promotions.

Anyway, she’s looking for Seleucus because she wants him to validate the summary of the treasures that she just gave to Octavius. Seleucus, being a good and honest accountant, shows up and contradicts Cleopatra, saying that she held some stuff back from the summary. How about that? It takes the accountant to have enough balls to contradict the boss. Cleopatra asks Seleucus what she’s held back, and he answers,

Enough to purchase what you have made known.

So I guess that means she’s held back as much as she’s reported on the summary. But Octavius isn’t upset. He knows that Cleopatra is just being smart. It’s all a pretty moot point anyway because she’s going to kill herself before the scene is over, and hey, you can’t take it with you.

So what’s the moral of the story today? I think the moral is trust the accountant. But make sure it’s a real accountant, not just some hedge fund manager. They’re not accountants; I’m not sure what they are. Take the current Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent. He’s got a polo-sci degree, he made his millions managing hedge funds, and he contributed millions to Orange Guy’s campaign. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure that Bessent is no Seleucus. No, not at all. What a shame.

 

Okay, got it: accountants - good, 

hedge fund managers - bad. 

Now will you throw my leopard for me? can we play catch? Huh, can we? Can we?

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

For he the night before, in Tarquin’s tent,

Unlocks the treasure of his happy state;

What priceless wealth the heavens had him lent

In the possession of his beauteous mate;

Reckoning his fortune at so high-proud rate,

That kings might be espoused to more fame,

But king nor peer to such a peerless dame.

 

Narrator

Lucrece                   Line 20

Well, today we have a line from neither a play nor a sonnet. Remember, if you will, that Shakespeare wrote plays, sonnets, and also a handful of long poems. And today we have lines from one of the latter, Lucrece, sometimes titled The Rape of Lucrece because it’s about, well, the rape of Lucrece. Yes, the whole poem, all 1,855 lines are about the lead up, the rape, and the aftermath of the rape. So it’s not one of Will’s most up-beat works.

Today’s lines are from the beginning of the poem, and it has a somewhat odd beginning. The very first lines of the poem (previous to the lines above) are about Tarquin (he’s the rapist) hightailing it from Arda and heading for Collatium in haste because he’s hot in desire. What’s got him all fired up? The previous night Collatine (he’s Lucrece’s husband) telling him (in today’s lines) about his wife back home in Collatium and what a babe she is. So that’s today’s lines, Collatine describing his wife.

Well, that was a bit of a long way around, eh?
The ‘he’ in today’s lines is Collatine. So, do today’s lines make sense now? You should read it again, because I’m sure it will make more sense with my brief intro.

 

Zzzzzzzz

Okay, perhaps not quite as brief as it could have been.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh,

Till I be brought to such a silly pass!

 

Widow

The Taming of the Shrew      Act V, Scene ii, Line 124

We are at the very end of the play. Katharine, the titular shrew, is displaying actions that would certainly indicate that she has been tamed. In the line previous to today’s, Petruchio told her that he didn’t like the hat she was wearing.

Off with that bauble, throw it under foot.
                                         
And Katharina quickly takes off the hat and steps on it. That’s what the widow is responding to with Today’s Lines. And rightly so? I’m not so sure. Let's open this up.

Katharina started out unmarried and apparently pretty unhappy. She was not a pleasant person to be around, and she certainly wasn’t nice to anyone. Petruchio decided that she would make a good wife, so Katharina’s father gladly gave her to him.

Petruchio didn’t physically or verbally abuse his wife, but he did let her know that he was in charge, and he did insist that she go along with things the way he wanted. Along the way Katharina realized that this whole thing was going to work out better all around if she just went along with Petruchio, and when she did, things started to work out quite well for her. Along with his crazy demands, Petruchio actually did treat her quite well, and I believe he loved her too.

There’s a lot more to it than I can explain in a few lines. Suffice it so say that this is not just a play about men in charge and women being tamed. Unfortunately, it is also a play that might not get past modern sensibilities, partly because of the title, and partly because it needs to be looked at really hard and long to be fully appreciated.

Anyway, there you have it. If you ever get a chance to see this play, I hope you take advantage of it. And when you do, I hope that you go with a very open mind. Then, if you come away feeling that Will was simply an ardent misogynist, well so be it. But I hope not.

Hey, what's a mistogynistist?