Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

And, were they attired in grave weeds,

Rome could afford no tribune like to these.

 

Titus

Titus Andronicus                  Act III Scene i, Line 44

Two of Titus’s sons have just been led off to be executed for a crime they did not commit. Titus is pleading for his sons’ lives with the tribunes, who appear to be ignoring him, when Titus’s other son, Lucius, comes in. He tells his father that he is pleading in vain, and that no tribune is listening to them. Here is Titus’s full response to his son.

Why, ‘tis no matter, man: if they did hear,
They would not mark me; or if they did mark,
They would not pity me. Yet plead I must:
And bootless unto them…
Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones;
Who, though they cannot answer my distress,
Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes,
For that they will not intercept my tale:
When I do weep, they humbly at my feet
Receive my tears, and seem to weep with me;
And, were they but attired in grave weeds,
Rome could afford no tribune like to these.
A stone is soft as wax, tribunes more hard than stones;
A stone is silent, and offends not,
And tribunes with their tongues doom men to death.—
But wherefore stand’st thou with thy weapon drawn?

That last line refers to the fact that Lucius has decided to go rescue his brothers.

I think it’s a good little speech about the quality of tribunes and of stones and of a man’s desperation. It made me think a little of the Simon and Garfunkel line… and a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries…

It also makes me think, more so, of some of today’s public officials, today’s tribunes, and how they are worth less than stones, for the reasons that Titus gives. Yes, there are days when I feel that many of our current tribunes are as dumb and deaf, and as worthless as rocks or stones.

Well put, Will.

Pull up, Pete, pull up!

Forget about pulling up, Pete… are you as deaf as rocks and stones! 

I’m down here! Let me out of this thing!

HEY!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

The great Achilles,—whom opinion crowns

The sinew and the forehand of our host,--

Having his ear full of airy fame,

Grows dainty of his worth, and in his tent

Lies mocking our designs: with him, Patroclus,

Upon a lazy bed, the livelong day

Breaks scurril jests;

And with ridiculous and awkward action-- 

Which, slanderer, he imitation calls--

He pageants us.

Ulysses

Troilus and Cressida                     Act I Scene iii, Line 143

And there you have it. The Greek leaders are discussing why they aren’t winning this war. In today’s passage Ulysses is saying that one reason for this is that their best fighter,— their sinew and forehand — Achilles, is dogging it: laying around all day in bed with his boy-toy Patroclus, whilst the latter talks smack about the Greek leaders. 

Yes, that is exactly what Ulysses is saying. So, was Achilles gay? Ask Patroclus.

Wait, Achilles was gay? I'll be darned.

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

No? What needed, then, that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket? The quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let’s see: come, if it be nothing, I shall not need my spectacles.

 

Earl of Gloster

King Lear                      Act I Scene ii, Line 33

The Earl is talking to his son, Edmund, about the letter that Edmund is holding and not letting his father see.

Yesterday we were looking at meter, and the question came up concerning the use of meter and prose in Will’s works. Yes, whilst much of his plays are written in the infamous iambic pentameter, there is much that is written in plain old prose, like Today’s Lines and like what you’re reading right now. And, in fact, this scene is a perfect example. It begins with Edmund alone, talking about his illegitimacy and how he’s going to get the upper hand on his half- brother by forging a letter that he will make sure his father will find. All this is in verse (iambic pentameter). Gloster enters, also speaking in verse, until he sees the letter that Edmund is trying to “hide” from him. As soon as the topic goes to the letter, the text leaves verse and goes to prose. And it remains prose for the rest of the scene until Edmund is alone again at the end where it goes back to verse for the last six lines of the scene.

Why does Will flip back and forth twixt verse and prose? I can make all sorts of speculations, but the fact of the matter is, wait for it…

I don’t…………………………knooowwwww.

And I’m not sure anyone really does. 

 

Acckk! I knew he was gonna say that. 

I just…knew!

 

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.