Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                             

With mine own tears, I wash away my balm,

With mine own hands I give away my crown,

With mine own tongue deny my sacred state,

With mine own breath release all duty’s rites:

King Richard

King Richard the Second              Act IV, Scene i, Line 207

                                 

Today’s Lines are just part of King Richard’s response to Henry Bolingbroke. Recall that Henry Bolingbroke (who is on the verge of becoming King Henry IV) has raised a rebellion to usurp the crown from Richard. Now the rebellion is over and, they are in Westminster Hall. Henry has won, and he has had Richard brought before him. He asks Richard,

Are you contented to resign the crown?

Richard is torn. He begins his answer with

Ay, no;--no, ay; for I must nothing be;

This betrays his indecision. Then he rambles on for quite a bit, but seems to conclude that all is lost for him, ending with,

God save King Henry, unking’d Richard says,

And send him many years of sunshine days!—

What more remains?

Unfortunately, what more remains is that they want him to read a list of what they consider the transgressions he committed that led to the rebellion. Richard’s not so keen on that idea. 

Can you blame him?

Well boo hoo for King What's-his-name. Can I blame him? Honestly, I couldn't care less.  The guy obviously didn't know how to keep control over things. I could've taught him a thing or two. 

And by the way, a little long-winded on the post this morning, Mr. B. Let's see if we can keep them a bit shorter, eh?

Now, where's that treat I was promised?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                                             But is it true, Solanio?

Have all his ventures fail’d? What, not one hit?

From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,

From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?

And not one vessel scape the dreadful touch

Of merchant-marring rocks?

 

Bassanio

The Merchant of Venice       Act III, Scene ii, Line 269

                           

Recall, that this whole story is about Bassanio borrowing money from Antonio to be able to take a chance at winning Portia. Recall also, that Shylock only gets involved because Antonio is cash poor since all his money has been sunk in ventures overseas. The loan from Shylock needs to be repaid within ninety days, and it is expected that all or some of Antonio’s ventures will be returning by then.

Bassanio has won Portia, but in the next breath we learn that all of Antonio’s ventures have failed. Now Antonio will have to pay the pound of flesh to Shylock.

Yes, apparently Antonio had ships out to Tripolis, Mexico, England, Lisbon, Barbary, and India, all expected to come back with goods for resale. And they all wrecked, every single one of them. Not one vessel scape the dreadful touch/Of merchant-marring rocks.

That’s some pretty bad luck!

First mate Mojo is keeping a sharp eye out for any merchant-marring rocks.

No Mojo, that's Walker in a donut, not a merchant-marring rock.

Nice try, though. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

As much as he deserves!—Pause there, Morocco,

And weigh thy value with an even hand:

If thou be’st rated by thy estimation,

Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough

May not extend so far as to the lady:

And yet to be afeared of my deserving,

Were but a weak disabling of myself.

 

Prince of Morocco

The Merchant of Venice       Act II, Scene vi, Line 26                             

This is the first of the suitors to try his luck at the casket game. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I suggest you go back to the post of 10/7 and read it.

Anyway, the three caskets are gold, silver, and lead, and written on each are the following:

Gold – Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.

Silver – Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.

Lead – Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he has.

Morocco is looking at all three caskets, and in Today’s Line he is considering the words on the silver casket. As you can see, he’s going back and forth a bit about whether or not he is deserving.

Well, is he?

No, Mojo, I'm not talking about you. I said Morocco, not Mojo.

Of course you are deserving.

I gotta get that guy's hearing checked.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                               

Nay, we will slink away in supper-time

Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

 

Lorenzo

The Merchant of Venice       Act II, Scene iv, Line 1                                   

It’s hard to conceive of the word slink in a positive way, and I don’t think it’s a particularly bad or terribly sneaky thing that Lorenzo is talking about here. So really, I think Will could have chosen a better word.

What do you think?

Pay no attention to this guy; it's a setup. 

Mr. Shakespeare-Lover wouldn't question the Bard's choice of words in a million years. 

He's a piece of work. 

I heard that. I'm right here, you know. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                            

If I could add a lie unto a fault,

I would deny it; but you see my finger

Hath no ring upon it,--it’s gone.

 

Bassanio

The Merchant of Venice       Act V, Scene i, Line 186                                 

Uh oh, Bassanio lost his wedding ring. That’s not so good. I believe he’s got some ‘splaining to do.

Yes, Mojo, my ring is still...  Oh, wait a minute; I think he's asleep. Never mind.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

                                            

If he should offer to choose, and choose the right casket, you should refuse to perform your father’s will, if you should refuse to accept him.

 

Nerissa

The Merchant of Venice       Act I, Scene ii, Line 92

 

I think Nerissa’s wording is a little bit confusing. In the second part of that sentence she’s saying that Portia would be refusing to do what her father asked if she refuses to accept him, him being the Duke of Saxony’s nephew.

So, just to recapitulate: Portia is the daughter of a very rich man who has died and left very odd instructions. Her father has decreed that any man of significant financial worth can come and try a game of chance to win his daughter’s hand (and his estate). There are three small boxes (caskets). Only one has the picture of Portia in it. The suitor must pick one box and if it’s the one with her picture he wins. If he picks one of the other two he loses and supposedly must go away and promise never to marry anyone; though I’m not at all sure how that would ever be enforced.

Anyway, in this scene Portia and her waiting-maid (that’s what Nerissa is called in the Dramatis Personae) are discussing the various suitors who have shown up to try their luck. Portia is not pleased about the prospect of marrying any of them. The he/him that she’s referring to in Today’s Line is the young German, the Duke of Saxony’s nephew. According to Portia, she likes him

Very vilely in the morning when he is sober; and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk; when he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when he is worst, he is a little better than a beast. An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.

In that last sentence Portia is saying that if the worst were to happen, i.e. the German picks the right box, she hopes that she’ll be able to contrive some way to not have to be with him. And that’s where Nerissa comes in with Today’s Line, warning that Portia would be going against her father’s wishes. Portia’s reply to this is to put a glass of wine on the wrong box to get the German to pick that one.

In any event, it doesn’t matter too much because we never hear about the drunk German again.

 

Now hold on just a minute there Mr. Blagys, what’s this nonsense about “little better than a beast?”

That's nothing Mojo; pay it no mind.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                                 [Enter Diomedes and Troilus]

Troilus

Fly not: for shouldst thou take the river Styx,
I would swim after.

Diomedes

Thou dost miscall retire:
I do not fly; but advantageous care
Withdrew me from the odds of multitude:
Have at thee.

            [Exeunt Diomedes and Troilus, fighting]

Troilus/Diomedes

Troilus and Cressida         Act V, Scene iv, Line 32                                   

This brief exchange takes place on the battlefield.

I’m pretty sure that when Diomedes says that Troilus miscalled retire he was referring to the latter’s word fly. It seems odd that he wouldn’t have said Thou dost miscall fly. I mean, he’s talking about the other guy using the wrong word, but then he uses a different word to refer to the word that he thinks Diomedes is misusing. Do you follow?

No wonder people think Shakespeare is hard to read.

Frankly, I don’t follow, and nor do I care. I just wish you'd get me out of this little black bag. This big guy keeps getting his beard in my face and it’s itchy as heck!