Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I hear how I am censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say  too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection.

 

Benedick

Much Ado About Nothing    Act II, Scene iii, Line 227

Benedick has just been eavesdropping on Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro. However, these three know that Benedick is listening to them, and they are playing a trick on him. They are talking about how much Beatrice has been professing her love for Benedick (she has not), in an attempt to trick Benedick into pursuing Beatrice.

Now, in Today’s Lines Benedick is talking to himself about what he has just overheard. It’s a fact that Beatrice and Benedick are fond of each other, but neither has wanted to admit it and they both show their fondness by verbally sparring with each other. But after hearing these guys talk Benedick has decided to pursue Beatrice. As he ends his self discussion he sees Beatrice approaching. Here are the last lines of his talk with himself,

When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.—Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she’s a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in her.

And here we go.

That's it; that's the spot. Right there; don't stop.

Well, what do you think, Mojo; will Benedick and Beatrice end up together?

Benedick and Beatrice who? 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn?

 

Duke of Milan

Two Gentlemen of Verona   Act III, Scene i, Line 131

 

That’s a somewhat odd line made odder by turning it into a question. I feel compelled to find out what’s going on.

Ahh, it appears that the Duke and Valentine are having a discussion about hiding a rope ladder underneath one's cloak. So, the question makes some sense. 

Now, do we want to know why Valentine and the Duke are talking about hiding a rope ladder underneath one’s cloak? No? Are you sure?

Yes, quite sure, thanks.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

‘Aroint thee, witch! The rump-fed runyon cries.

First Witch

Macbeth                Act I, Scene iii, Line 6

We’re on the heath at the opening of Act III, and this is where Macbeth and Banquo first meet the three witches. The three witches are talking to each other here, before the two guys enter.

For clarity, aroint means be gone, away with you. Ronyon is a mangy creature; a term of abuse for a woman. Rump-fed? Well you’ll have to work that one out as best you can on your own. As far as I know, a rump is a rump. 

Here is the full reply of the First Witch when asked where she’s been.

A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And muncht, and muncht, and muncht:-
    ‘Give me,’ quoth I:
‘Aroint thee, witch!’ The rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o’th’Tiger:
But in a sieve I’ll thither sail,
And like a rat without a tail,
I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.

So I thought that Asimov might have something on Aleppo and master o’th’Tiger in his book on Shakespeare, but nope, all he has to say about these lines is

For some thirty lines they (the witches) engage in witch-ish mumbo jumbo, and talk of killing swine and putting curses on sailors. It has nothing to do with the play, or, for that matter, with the witches. It is merely there for atmosphere, and, undoubtedly, to please King James.

So there you have it. Today’s Line is part of a section of witch-ish mumbo jumbo. At least, as far as Isaac Asimov is concerned, that’s what it is.

What do you think of that?

  

Ahheehhhhhhhh

That's Mojo doing his best Lurch. 

That's what Mojo thinks of that.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

My life itself, and the best heart of it,

Thanks you for this great care: I stood i’the level

Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks

To you that choked it.

 

King Henry

King Henry the Eighth      Act I, Scene ii, Line 1

Henry is thanking Cardinal Wolsey for rooting out a conspiracy that could have taken the life of the king. The only problem with this is that the accused, Buckingham, is innocent and that it’s Wolsey who is the rotten apple in the bunch. Oh well, that’s politics eh?

But rather than digress into a discussion of modern day Wolseys and Buckinghams, let take a look at Will’s language instead. I think we’ll find that much more satisfying.

I stood i’the level of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks/To you that choked it.

There’s three parts to that that I’d like to look at separately:

I stood in the level,

A full-charged confederacy,

You that choked it.

He stood in the level. I’m not sure if the level is synonymous with a gun sight, or whether it’s something else, but it is an interesting phrase, much more interesting and prosaic than saying that he faced it. And, no, don’t throw that no unneeded words nonsense at me. Strunk and White does not apply to William Shakespeare.

A full-charged confederacy. No, it’s not just some guy who’s got some treasonous plans, it’s a confederacy, and a full-charged one at that; not just some half-assed thing.

You that choked it. That’s right, Wolsey didn’t just stop it, he choked it, he throttled it, he put his hands around the throat of the confederacy and squeezed the airpipe shut until it was dead. 

So you see, if you take a close look, you can really appreciate Will’s language. And you can enjoy it.

 

Or you can just sleep through it.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

O, my old master! Who hath bound him here?

Dromio of Syracuse

The Comedy of Errors       Act V, Scene i, Line 339

Okay, last act and scene of the play. Here is where everyone figures out who everyone is. 

This is Dromio of Syracuse talking to Aegeon who is being led away as a prisoner. Remember, Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse were raised by Ageon before they took off to search for the other Dromio and Antipholus, so of course they're going to recognize him when they see him. Now finally, here in the last scene, line 339 (the play ends with line 426) they come across Aegeon, and a few lines further down, the mother they haven’t seen in I don’t know how many years. 

It all gets tied up with a nice pretty bow; kind of like a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Hallmark Chris....

This is making absolutely no sense at all to me. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Ventidius

I’ll humbly signify what in his name,

That magical word of war, we have effected;

How, with his banners and his well-paid ranks,

The ne’er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o’the field.

 Silius

                                 Where is he now?

Ventidius

He purposeth to Athen: whither, with what haste

The weight we must convey with’s will permit,

We shall appear before him.—On, there; pass along!

 

Antony and Cleopatra               Act III, Scene i, Line 34

Well there’s a bit of Shakespeare for you. The actual line that I picked was Silius’s Where is he now?, but I couldn’t bring myself to give you just that. The he that both of these guys are referencing is Antony.

Ventidius is one of Antony’s generals and he’s just won an important battle. But he’s decided to downplay the victory because he doesn’t want to upstage the Big Guy. Smart fellow this Ventidius. But downplay or not, they’ve gotta hustle off to Athens to let the boss know that Parthia’s been beaten.

I picked a line from this same scene nine years ago and at that time had more to say about this topic. Here’s the link if you’d like to read more about this idea of not outshining the guy in charge.

Mojo, The Bard, & Me

I would never do anything to outshine you, Mr. Blagys. 

Oh magnificent one!

You can cut the theatrics Mojo; you know darn well that you outshine me every time you show up in the room. 

For crying out loud, you're doing it right now! 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

We know the time since he was mild and affable;

And, if we did but glance a far-off look,

Immediately he was upon his knee,

That all the court admired him for submission:

But meet him now, and, be it in the morn,

When everyone will give time of day,

He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,

And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,

Disdaining duty that to us belongs.

 

Queen Margaret

King Henry the Sixth Part II   Act III, Scene i, Line 17

The Queen, Suffolk, Cardinal Beaufort, Buckingham, and York are talking about the king’s uncle, Gloster. King Henry is here as well, and it seems that this whole crew is trying to convince Henry that his uncle is treasonous. Margeret, in Today’s Lines is noting that Gloster used to be perfectly subservient to the king and queen, as he should be, 

And, if we did but glance a far-off look,

Immediately he was upon his knee,

But now, not so much. Now he’ll just give you the hairy eyeball, 

And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,

Disdaining duty that to us belongs.

A lot of talk about the knee, eh? In any event, Margaret is saying that this attitude of Gloster's just proves that he's up to no good.

But does it really? To be clear, I’m not sure who’s the schemer(s) here. Is Gloster actually plotting something  treasonous, or does this whole group just want him out of the way for their own purposes. Methinks it’s probably the latter, but again, I don’t know. I do, however, know that King Henry’s not buying it. As far as he’s concerned Gloster has done nothing wrong at all.

No matter though; with all those guys, and the queen, against him, I’m pretty sure that Gloster’s goose is cooked. So much for due process and all that silly stuff.

Well, that’s politics.

No, don’t worry, I’m not going to get into twenty-first century relevance of this stuff. I’ll let you go there yourself if you find it appropriate.

Mojo, any interest in taking this further?

  

Look at that cloud over there, Mr. Blagys. It's shaped just like a piece those chicken treats that Mrs. Blagys gives me.

I guess not.