Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

As certain as I know the sun is fire:

Where have you lurkt, that you made doubt of it?

 

Second Messenger

Coriolanus              Act V, Scene iv, Line 47

 

One guy is telling another guy that the Volscians and Coriolanus have been talked out of sacking the city, and the other guy asks if he’s certain about that. And this is his answer. I added the second line because where have you lurkt made me think of have you been living under a rock?

But that’s not important. What’s more germane is that I’ve got a line that I have a chance of remembering this time and it’s one that I can use a lot. A good memory aid will be to remember that it’s perfect Iambic pentameter. That will help. Am I sure?
As certain as I know the sun is fire!

Ears up! 

What's that sound?

It's your mother getting up.

Are you sure?

As certain as I know the sun is fire.

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

O sir, you are too sure an augurer;

That you did fear is done.

 

Dolabella

Antony and Cleopatra            Act V, Scene ii, Line 335

 

To augur is to predict future events. It’s a modern word, though not used all that much.
Dolabella sounds like a woman’s name, but it is one of Caesar’s guys and he’s speaking to Caesar. He’s referring to the fact that Antony and Cleopatra are both dead, something that apparently Caesar predicted.
There are only thirty-two lines left in the play, and it ends with some obligatory lofty words about our two dead heroes.

She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity than his glory which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall
In solemn show attend this funeral;
And then to Rome. — Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

Cut! And that’s a wrap.

Mojo likes to keep a degree of high order and great solemnity in everything he does. 

Well....almost everything.

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

What, what, what? Ill luck, ill luck?

Shylock

The Merchant of Venice                Act III, Scene i, Line 96

This is Shylock hearing for the first time that one of Antonio’s ships may have failed, and consequently that Antonio may not be able to pay the bond. It would appear that Shylock is pretty excited about this prospect. At least, that's a common way to interpret this scene. And this can lead us right into what could be a long and potentially contentious discussion about Shylock, his Jewishness, and what that means to this play. In fact, it is this topic which has made this play a very touchy subject and has led to it being discontinued as subject matter in many schools. 

So, is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic work? It depends on who you ask. If you ask me, the answer is no. Will's works are among the most complex bodies of literary works in existence, and much of what you see in his works goes far beyond what it appears to be. So, whilst there is no one answer to the question of whether or not it is Anti-Semitic, like much of Will's work, this play is many different things to many different people. 

But as I noted, it depends on who you ask.

He's such a contemplative little fellow. I read today's post to him, and he just looked up at me for a moment saying nothing. Then he hopped down and walked slowly over to the door and sat down there to think. And he's been sitting there contemplating the complexities of Will's works ever since.

It's either that or he's just looking for some birds to bark at. 

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

You are a saucy fellow.

Katherine

King Henry the Eighth                  Act IV, Scene ii, Line 101

What a great line. What can I say about that?

He is indeed a saucy fellow, 

but I'm afraid Sam does not really appreciate his sauciness. 

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

             How, my lord!

What cheer? How is’t with you, best brother?

Polixenes

The Winter’s Tale                  Act I, Scene ii, Line 148

Polixenes is addressing Lenontes. The latter is already convinced that the former is having an affair with his wife, and that’s what he’s thinking about when Polixenes asks him how he is.

What a wiener.

Big Yawn.

Yes, I know Mojo, we've covered this bit before. Sorry to bore you. 

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

  

                                            Then began

A stop i’the chaser, a retire; anon

A rout, confusion thick: forthwith they fly

Chickens, the way which they stopt eagles; slaves

The strides the victors made:

 

Posthumus Leonatus

Cymbeline              Act V, Scene iii, Line 88

 

These are just a few lines in the middle of a long bit where Posthumus has met up with a Roman Officer, and he is describing the battle. Remember, we’re in old Britain (circa 500 A.D.?) when the Romans had invaded. So this battle is between the Brits and the Romans. Will is using the tactic of having one of his characters describe the action that took place rather than to try to stage that action. Nowadays, in the movies, we manage to make the action the centerpiece of the show; forget about dialogue. Who needs dialogue.

Anyway, this is a long bit, a lot longer than the four lines I gave you, and it’s not really easy to understand- as you can see from these four lines, But I read through it a few times and, lo and behold, it made a little more sense each time. Posthumus is describing how the Romans were chasing the Brits but then the retreat stopped and the Brits began routing the Romans.   

Trust me; that’s what he’s talking about. 

Some how I don't feel like Mojo trusts me on this one. 

I feel like he thinks I'm trying to sell him a bag of goods. 

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

Why, then,

She’s fled unto that peasant Valentine;

And Eglamour is in her company.

 

Duke of Milan

Two Gentlemen of Verona     Act V, Scene ii, Line 36

Eglamour? There’s a name for you. Eglamour. I don’t think I’ve ever run into that name.

So I don't have anything to say about today’s line, other than remarking on the name Eglamour. That’s because I’ve no idea about what’s going on with today’s line, so I didn’t really want to get into discussing it.

Eglamour.

Happy Mother's Day all. 

My associate has abandoned Will and me today in favor of his Mother.

He knows who butters his bread.