Coriolanus

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Coriolanus Page 24

by William Shakespeare


  80 cambric fine linen (originally from Cambray in Flanders) 80 sensible capable of feeling, sensitive

  81 leave cease

  87 Verily truly

  94 nothing doubt prevailing have no doubt they will succeed 96 Give me excuse excuse me, i.e. permit me to stay 99 disease ... mirth spoil our good cheer 100 troth truth

  103 at a word once and for all, in a word

  1.4 Location: outside Corioles; the rest of the scenes in Act 1 take place at varying distances from the city

  1.4 Drum a drummer

  1.4 Colours ensigns, bearers of military banners or flags 1.4 to them i.e. to them comes

  1 met i.e. in battle

  2 My ... no i.e. I bet my horse against yours that they haven't 6 spoke encountered one another, fought

  9 nor neither

  13 'larum alarum, i.e. call to arms

  14 Mars Roman god of war

  15 smoking i.e. steaming (after immersion in hot blood) 16 fielded engaged on the battlefield parley trumpet summons to negotiation between enemy forces on the walls i.e. the upper staging level or gallery, conventionally used to represent city walls 18 nor ... he i.e. there are no men within the walls who fear you 21 pound us up confine us (like animals)

  22 pinned with rushes i.e. bolted weakly, as if with mere reeds 24 List listen (to)

  25 cloven split in two, divided

  27 Their let their our instruction our example, a lesson to us 30 proof impenetrable

  31 beyond our thoughts more than we had imagined

  34 edge sword edge

  35 south south wind, thought to carry disease

  38 Further than seen even before you are seen (because of your diseased stench) 39 Against ... mile so contagiously that the infection will carry a whole mile against a contrary wind souls of geese i.e. cowards and fools 41 Pluto Roman god of the underworld

  42 behind in the back, i.e. as they fled in cowardice 43 agued trembling (an ague was a fever characterized by shaking) 43 Mend improve

  43 home toward the target, i.e. the enemy 46 beat drive with blows

  48 ope open seconds supporters

  49 followers pursuers them i.e. the gates 50 fliers those who retreat 54 th'pot the cooking pot, i.e. death

  59 Clapped to shut

  60 answer face/encounter in a fight

  62 sensibly capable of feeling pain outdares dares more than 63 bows bends stand'st he stands left i.e. alone in the city 64 carbuncle entire flawless red precious stone

  66 Cato Marcus Cato, known as the "Censor," an advocate of Rome's military virtues (an anachronism: Cato lived 234-149 BC) 73 fetch him off rescue him

  73 make remain stay (with him)

  3 murrain plague (literally disease affecting cattle and sheep) 1.5 Trumpet trumpeter

  4 prize value

  5 drachma silver coin (here deemed of little value)

  6 irons iron weapons, swords

  6 of a doit i.e. worth very little doit Dutch coin worth only half an English farthing 6 doublets close-fitting jackets

  6 hangmen hangmen were entitled to keep the clothing of those they put to death 9 the general i.e. Cominius

  12 convenient appropriate

  12 make good secure

  20 physical medicinal, restorative (a reference to the common medical treatment of bloodletting) 24 charms magic spells

  25 opposers' opponents'

  26 Prosperity ... page i.e. may success attend on you 27 Thy ... highest i.e. may prosperity be no less a friend to you 1.6 retire retreat

  1 Breathe you catch your breath, rest

  2 stands resistance/holding of a military position

  4 struck been fighting, given blows

  5 By ... gusts at intervals and blown in on the wind

  6 The may the

  8 fronts faces/front ranks (of the army)

  10 issued come forth

  17 briefly not long ago

  18 confound waste

  21 that so that

  25 as as if

  26 stamp imprint, i.e. form, bearing

  27 Before-time formerly

  29 tabor small drum used for reveling

  31 meaner humbler, lower-ranking/less worthy

  35 clip clasp, embrace

  38 tapers candles

  38 to bedward to indicate bedtime, to show the way to bed 40 busied about decrees busy with legal judgments

  45 slip be unleashed

  51 common file ordinary soldiers

  52 budge flinch

  55 think think so

  59 to ... purpose i.e. draw breath, regroup (in order to win) 60 lies their battle are their troops drawn up

  63 bands i'th'vanguard troops in the foremost part of the army (spelled "vaward" in Shakespearean English) 63 Antiates people from Antium, now Anzio, in southern Italy 64 of ... trust their most reliable men

  69 endure remain

  72 advanced upraised

  72 darts small spears/arrows

  73 prove test

  76 balms healing ointments

  81 painting i.e. blood

  83 Lesser ... report less for his personal safety than for his reputation 84 brave noble, splendid/courageous

  86 him alone only that man

  89 O ... me? Do you choose me as your sword? (where O, me alone is an exclamation of surprise)/Do you select only me as your weapon? (perhaps referring to the fact that the soldiers have raised him aloft like a sword) 90 outward superficial, for the sake of appearance

  91 But is is not worth

  96 cause ... obeyed circumstance dictates

  100 Make ... ostentation i.e. match this impressive display with action 101 Divide in all have a portion of all (the booty) 1 ports gates

  3 centuries companies of one hundred soldiers

  4 holding i.e. of the city

  6 Fear not do not doubt/do not worry about

  6care diligence/responsibility

  1.8 several separate

  4 Not Afric owns Africa does not possess

  5 fame and envy great reputation and personal malice/envied reputation/hated reputation 5 Fix thy foot stand firm (in preparation for hand-to-hand combat) 6 budger one who flinches

  8 holla shout at (as, while hunting, one would cry out after a fleeing hare) 13 Wrench up strain, summon

  15 bragged progeny the (Trojan) ancestry you boast of 16 scape escape from

  18 In ... seconds with your damned supporters

  1.9 Flourish trumpet fanfare (usually signaling the arrival or departure of a person in authority) 1.9 retreat trumpet call instructing soldiers to retreat 1.9 scarf sling/bandage

  1 tell thee o'er recount to you

  4 attend listen

  4 shrug i.e. in disbelief

  5 I'th'end admire and eventually marvel

  6 gladly quaked willingly frightened, eager and trembling 6 dull sluggish/stupid

  7 fusty stale, moldy

  8 hearts wills, inclinations

  10 cam'st ... before i.e. this was a trifling challenge for you, in comparison with the battle you fought at Corioles 13 caparison mere trappings

  16 charter ... blood right to praise her offspring

  18 induced prevailed upon

  20 effected carried out

  21 overta'en outdone

  22 be ... deserving i.e. bury your worthiness 25 a traducement slander

  27 to ... vouched i.e. affirmed in the highest possible terms 29 In sign as a token

  33 not i.e. not hear themselves remembered

  34 gainst in the face of

  35 tent probe, clean surgically (i.e. cure)

  36 good ... store fine ones and plenty of them

  37 in ... city gained in the field and in the city

  38 the i.e. one

  40 At ... choice entirely as you choose

  44 stand insist

  44 common part ordinary share

  45 beheld the doing seen the action

  bare bareheaded, a sign of respect

  49 soothing flattery

  50
parasite sycophantic, sponging courtier (playing on the sense of "silkworm") 50 him i.e. the parasite (though functioning as "it," him could refer to steel or silk) 51 overture announcer, a herald/leader, opener of the attack (some editors emend to "ovator," i.e. one who receives an ovation or a processional entrance into Rome for a military commander) 52 For that because

  53 debile feeble

  53 note attention, notice being taken

  54 shout me forth proclaim my virtues/hail me

  56 little small achievements

  56 dieted in fed on

  57 sauced seasoned, flavored

  60 give portray, report by your

  60 patience with your permission

  62 means intends

  62 proper own

  65 garland wreath of victory

  67 his trim belonging the equipment (trim) that goes with him 69 host army

  70 th'addition the title/mark of distinction

  73 fair clean

  74 howbeit nevertheless

  75 stride sit astride

  76 undercrest bear (as if on a crest)

  77 th'fairness ... power the best of my ability

  82 best leading citizens, most high-ranking men (of Corioles) 82 articulate negotiate a treaty

  89 sometime at one time, formerly

  89 lay lodged

  90 used treated

  91 cried called out

  97 Deliver release

  103 visage face

  1 ta'en captured

  2 good condition favorable terms

  5 that what

  6 condition quality

  7 i'th'part ... mercy for the side that is at the mercy of the victors 9 encounter meet in combat

  12 emulation rivalry

  13 where whereas

  15 potch poke, thrust

  16 or either

  16 craft skill/cunning

  18 subtle cunning, treacherous

  19 stain disgrace/eclipse

  20 shall ... itself shall my valor fly from its own nature 21 naked defenseless

  21 fane temple

  23 Embarquements prohibitions

  24 rotten corrupt, decayed

  26 upon under

  26 guard protection

  27 hospitable canon law of hospitality

  29 what who

  32 attended awaited

  33 south south of

  2.1 Location: Rome

  1 augurer Roman religious official who foretold the future through studying celestial phenomena, the behavior and entrails of birds and other sacrificial creatures 3 Not ... people not what the people wish for

  5 beasts i.e. even beasts

  10 baas bleats

  14 enormity vice, wickedness

  16 stored well supplied

  20 censured judged, thought of

  20 o'th'right-hand file by honorable and noble men (who were, in battle, traditionally placed on the right-hand side of a troop formation) 26 'tis ... matter i.e. if you do get angry

  26 a ... occasion i.e. the slightest opportunity, serving as a thief 28 at your pleasures as you choose

  33 single solitary/feeble

  35 toward ... necks i.e. inward 39 brace pair

  40 testy irritable

  43 humorous temperamental (governed by the four bodily humors thought to control disposition and mood) 44 hot spiced/warm

  44 allaying moderating, cooling

  44 Tiber Rome's river, i.e. water

  45 imperfect faulty (in character)

  46 complaint i.e. complainant in a legal case 46 tinder-like hot-tempered, easily incensed

  46 motion cause

  47 converses associates, is familiar

  47 buttock ... night i.e. late nights

  48 spend expend, use up

  49 breath utterance, words (i.e. he does not bear grudges) 49 wealsmen public servants

  50 Lycurguses i.e. wise men; Lycurgus was a legendary Spartan legislator, noted for his wisdom 51 I ... it i.e. my grimace will reveal what I think 169 make ... it honor a man whose wrongdoing is punished, and curse the justice that did so 52 delivered expressed, reported

  53 the ... syllables i.e. foolishness in most of what you say 53 compound union, association

  55 deadly excessively

  56 tell say/report

  56 good honest/handsome

  56 this i.e. all that I have just admitted about myself 57 the ... microcosm i.e. my face (which charts the nature of the body, often viewed as a "little world") 58 bisson bleary-eyed

  58 conspectuities faculties of sight/insights

  59 character personality sketch/physical appearance 62 caps i.e. doffing of caps in deference

  62 legs i.e. bows

  63 wholesome forenoon potentially profitable morning 64 orange-wife woman who sells oranges; perhaps suggesting a dispute between a prostitute and her client; prostitutes often posed as orange-sellers in the public theaters 64 faucet-seller seller of taps for wine or beer barrels 64 rejourn postpone, adjourn

  65 controversy dispute

  65 audience hearing

  66 party and party i.e. two sides in a legal dispute 67 pinched tormented

  68 mummers actors in a mime

  68 set ... flag i.e. declare war

  69 bleeding unhealed, unresolved

  74 giber joker

  74 table dinner table

  74 bencher magistrate

  77 subjects citizens/topics

  77 When even when

  80 botcher one who mends old clothes

  82 in a cheap even at the lowest

  83 Deucalion in Greek mythology, the son of Prometheus; he and his wife were the only survivors of Zeus' great flood 83 peradventure perhaps/probably

  26 Ere ... you i.e. before they could prevent you actually becoming consul 137 The ... sight my eyeballs

  84 e'en evening, i.e. farewell

  88 the moon governed by Diana, Roman goddess of chastity 89 follow your eyes i.e. go eagerly

  91 Juno supreme Roman goddess and wife of Jupiter

  93 most prosperous approbation great proof of success/great success and acclaim 104 estate endowment

  105 make ... at mock dismissively

  106 sovereign efficacious, excellent

  106 Galen famous Greek physician (an anachronism; Galen lived in the second century) 106 empiricutic empirical/fraudulent

  107 to compared with

  107 report reputation

  107 horse-drench dose of horse medicine

  108 wont accustomed

  111 a he

  113 brows i.e. in the form of a victor's garland 115 disciplined beaten, punished

  119 an if

  119 'fidiussed i.e. treated as Aufidius was; Menenius playfully coins a word from Aufidius' name 121 possessed aware, informed

  124 name of honor, credit for

  124 action military enterprise

  128 purchasing deserving, winning

  130 Pow waw! expression of dismissive scorn (i.e. "Of course they're true!") 136 cicatrices scars

  137 place i.e. as a consul

  137 repulse driving back/defeat

  137 Tarquin the last king of Rome, defeated in about 496 BC

  139 One ... nine either an error arising from the desire to outdo Volumnia, or Menenius begins adding up aloud, then does not bother to enumerate the other six wounds as he makes a mental leap to the total 148 nervy sinewy, muscular

  149 advanced raised up

  149 declines descends

  sennet trumpet call signaling a procession

  152 to in addition to

  153 These ... follows these names, as a mark of honor, are to be followed by 160 prosperity good fortune, success

  162 gentle noble, honorable

  163 deed-achieving honour honor won by actions

  166 gracious delightful/virtuous/full of divine grace 176 light joyful (playing on the sense of "not weighty" to provide antithesis with the literal sense of heavy here signifying "sad") 177 on's of his

  180 crab-trees crab-a
pple trees, i.e. the bitter tribunes 181 grafted altered, made to grow (literally, grafted to a superior tree) 181 relish taste

  182 We ... folly i.e. some painful or foolish things must be accepted for what they are and cannot be called otherwise 186 Give make

  188 shade conceal

  191 change of honours new honors (i.e. his new name) 193 inherited realized, acquired

  194 fancy imagination

  195 wanting lacking

  196 cast bestow

  199 sway rule

  199 state ceremony, formal procession

  201 bleared dim, bleary

  202 spectacled made clear, given glasses

  202 prattling gossiping, chattering

  203 rapture fit

  204 chats chats about

  204 malkin girl, wench

  205 lockram linen

  205 reechy dirty (picks up aurally on richest)

  206 stalls display tables in front of shops

  206 bulks frameworks projecting from the fronts of shops, used to display goods 207 leads lead-covered flat roofs

  207 ridges roof ridges

  207 horsed straddled

  208 variable complexions various types of person

  208 agreeing in agreement/alike, equal

  209 seld-shown seldom-seen

  209 flamens priests

  210 popular plebeian

  210 puff become out of breath

  211 vulgar station place among the crowd

  212 Commit ... kisses i.e. they raise their veils and risk getting sunburn 212 damask pink

  213 nicely gauded skillfully made-up

  213 th'wanton spoil the unrestrained destruction/lascivious plundering 214 Phoebus the sun god

  214 pother fuss, commotion

  215 that ... him whichever god it is that leads Coriolanus 216 powers faculties

  216 his human powers i.e. Coriolanus' body 217 graceful posture divine bearing

  218 on the sudden suddenly/immediately

  218 warrant guarantee/predict

  219 office task, function

  219 power authority, i.e. term of office 220 He ... end he cannot carry his honors steadily from their beginning to their proper conclusion, i.e. he cannot long maintain his new honors 225 for ... stand whom we represent

  226 upon because of

  226 ancient long-standing

  227 which i.e. which cause

  229 As as that

  233 napless vesture threadbare garment

  235 breaths i.e. voices of support

  237 miss it i.e. not be appointed consul

  238 carry it but i.e. obtain it other than 243 like likely

  244 good wills interest wishes

  246 So ... end matters shall end either with his destruction or that of us and our authority (many editors emend authorities to "authority's") 248 suggest hint, insinuate to

  249 still always

  250 mules i.e. subservient beasts of burden 250 pleaders i.e. the tribunes

  251 dispropertied deprived, dispossessed (them of) 252 capacity capability, understanding

  254 provand provender, food

  259 want be lacking

  260 put upon't encouraged, incited to it

  263 darken obscure/taint

 

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