All's Well That Ends Well

by William Shakespeare

  233 credit believe/trust

  234 schools universities, medical faculties

  235 Embowelled disemboweled, emptied

  235 doctrine learning, science

  235 left off abandoned

  239 receipt prescription/remedy

  240 sanctified blessed

  242 try success find out what happens

  242 venture risk

  243 well-lost i.e. lost for a good cause

  244 such a a specific

  246 knowingly i.e. securely with confidence 247 leave permission

  250 into unto/upon

  252 miss lack

  Act 2 Scene 1

  2.1 Location: Paris

  1 principles i.e. advice

  2 throw from you forget

  4 gift i.e. of advice

  7 well-entered (becoming) experienced

  10 owes owns

  13 higher italy highranking Italians/northern Italy (Tuscany) 14 Those ... monarchy except those who merely inherit their places from what is left of the Holy Roman Empire/they that are cast down by having merely the remains of the Holy Roman Empire 16 woo court, flirt with

  16 wed i.e. own, be bound to

  17 questant seeker, one on a quest

  17 shrinks recoils (plays on the sense of "loses his erection") 18 cry proclaim

  21 lack ... deny i.e. cannot say no

  22 captives i.e. to the girls' charms

  23 serve fight (plays on the sense of "have sex")

  27 spark young man about town

  28 brave splendid

  30 here to stay here

  30 kept a coil fussed over

  32 bravely boldly/worthily

  33 forehorse ... smock lead horse in a team led by a woman 34 masonry stonework floor (i.e. not a battlefield) 35 bought up won by others

  36 one ... with i.e. an ornamental weapon

  36 steal sneak (the First Lord plays on the sense of "rob") 40 grow to become attached to

  40 a tortured body like a body being torn apart

  44 a word in a word

  44 metals blades/spirits ("mettles")

  45 Spurio "counterfeit" (Italian)

  46 cicatrice scar

  46 sinister left

  47 entrenched gashed, grooved

  48 reports response

  50 Mars may Mars

  50 novices recruits

  52 Stay wait on/obey (Second Folio repunctuates "Stay:" which changes the sense to "Wait: the king is coming") 53 spacious ceremony ample courtesy

  54 list boundary

  55 wear ... time i.e. are fashionable/notable 56 muster true gait display correct bearing/behavior 58 received fashionable

  58 measure stately dance

  59 dilated extended

  62 like likely

  63 sinewy muscular, energetic

  64 tidings news

  65 fee pay

  66 brought his pardon i.e. something to earn it 69 broke thy pate given you a blow to the skull

  71 across i.e. a clumsy hit (in jousting, to break a lance across rather than striking directly with the point showed poor skill) 74 will ... fox in Aesop's fable the fox declared the grapes were sour because he couldn't reach them; the king dismisses the idea of recovery because he thinks it impossible 75 will will eat/want

  75 an if if

  76 medicine doctor

  78 Quicken give life to

  78 canary a lively Spanish dance

  79 simple minimal/herbal/medicinal

  80 araise raise from the dead/sexually arouse

  80 King Pippin eighth-century French king, father of Charlemain (Charlemagne) 81 pen plays on the sense of "penis"

  87 light lighthearted/sexually suggestive

  87 deliverance delivery, reporting

  88 profession claims of skill

  90 blame attribute to

  90 weakness partiality, susceptibility

  94 admiration object of wonder

  95 spend expend

  95 take off reduce, remove

  96 took'st conceived of, caught

  97 fit satisfy

  99 special nothing particular trifles

  99 ever prologues always introduces

  99 Enter Helen some editors suppose that she is disguised, since in Act 2 Scene 3 Lafew appears surprised at her identity, despite having met her in Act 1 Scene 1; this is possible, but it seems more likely that he is complicit with her plan (hence Cressid's uncle) and that the later surprise is feigned 100 come your ways come along

  105 Cressid's uncle Pandarus, go-between for the lovers Troilus and Cressida 107 follow relate to

  110 profess practice, make a profession of

  110 well found of established skill

  114 receipts recipes for medical cures

  115 issue product

  116 th'only the foremost/peerless

  117 triple third

  118 Safer more safely

  120 cause ... power disease (cause) for which the worth of my father's gift is most effective 122 tender offer

  122 appliance remedy/treatment

  123 bound prepared/dutiful

  125 credulous readily believing

  127 congregated college i.e. of doctors

  128 art skill/scholarship/science

  129 inaidible unable to be assisted

  131 prostitute submit (basely)

  132 empirics quack doctors

  132 dissever divide

  133 great self kingly person

  133 credit reputation

  133 esteem give merit to, believe in

  134 senseless foolish

  134 sense rational hope

  134 deem judge (it to be)

  135 duty i.e. as a subject (having tried to help you) 135 pains efforts

  136 office services, duty

  138 modest one slight thought/thought that confirms my modest, seeemly behavior 138 to ... again for me to return with/to conduct me home 139 to than to

  142 at full in detail

  142 no part not at all

  143 art (sufficient) medical skill

  145 set ... rest stake everything (derived from the card game primero) 146 He i.e. God

  148 holy writ the Bible, which contains several examples of the young being wiser than their elders 148 babes foolish/inexperienced

  149 great ... sources Moses struck rock from which water flowed for the thirsty Israelites (Exodus 17) 150 simple small

  150 great ... dried Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea, which parted, allowing them to pass on dry ground (Exodus 14) 151 great'st great persons, such as Pharaoh, who complained about God's power 153 hits succeeds

  154 shifts operates

  156 by ... paid be their own reward

  157 Proffers offers

  157 for as

  158 Inspired divinely inspired (plays on the sense of "inhaled") 158 breath words

  160 square shape

  160 shows appearances

  162 count consider

  164 experiment trial

  165 impostor swindler

  165 proclaim ... aim declare my success before attempting to hit the target/claim skill that is greater than my ability 169 space period of time

  171 greatest i.e. God's

  173 torcher torchbearer, the sun god, who was carried across the sky in a horse-drawn chariot 173 diurnal ring daily circuit

  174 occidental western (i.e. sunset)

  175 Hesperus the evening star (Venus)

  176 pilot's glass nautical hourglass

  181 venture risk/wager

  182 Tax accusation

  183 strumpet's harlot's/whore's

  184 Traduced slandered

  185 Seared branded

  185 extended stretched on a rack

  189 slay deny, extinguish

  190 sense higher wisdom/natural feeling, instinct 191 rate value

  192 estimate value

  194 prime youth

  195 Thou ... hazard your willingness to risk this 195 needs necessarily


  196 monstrous desperate unnaturally reckless

  197 practicer practitioner

  197 physic medical advice/medicine

  198 ministers delivers (plays on the sense of "dispenses healing") 199 break time miss my deadline

  199 property any particular respect

  201 Not in not

  204 make it even fulfill it

  207 What whatever

  208 Exempted far removed

  214 premises observed conditions noted/fulfilled

  215 performance carrying out (of the request)

  216 of in

  217 resolved determined

  217 still always

  220 tended on attended

  221 Unquestioned unquestionably

  223 high as word amply as promised

  Act 2 Scene 2

  2.2 Location: Rossillion

  1 put ... height thoroughly test

  2 breeding education/upbringing

  3 highly fed overfed

  3 lowly inadequately

  5 make you do you think

  6 put off dismiss

  8 put pass

  9 make a leg bow

  12 answer throughout the exchange this word seems to have phallic connotations (question thus suggests "vagina") 16 pin narrow/sharp

  16 quatch probably squat/fat

  16 brawn meaty/well-rounded

  18 fit suitably

  19 groats fourpenny coins

  20 French crown gold coin/bald head (symptom of syphilis) 20 taffety punk finely dressed whore

  20 Tib typical name for lower-class girl/whore (diminutive of "Isabel") 20 rush ring made of reeds/vagina

  21 Tom typical name for a rogue

  21 forefinger with phallic connotations

  21 pancake traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, the feasting day before Lent 21 morris morris dance

  22 nail with phallic connotations

  22 his its

  22 hole with vaginal connotations

  22 cuckold man with an unfaithful wife

  22 horn traditionally cuckolds were supposed to sprout horns 23 quean prostitute (puns on "queen")

  23 wrangling knave quarrelsome servant/rogue

  24 pudding sausage (perhaps with phallic connotations) 24 his its

  31 neither on the contrary

  34 fool in question ignorant/inexperienced in questioning (you) 37 putting off evasion

  40 O lord, sir! a fashionable phrase amongst affected courtiers 40 Thick quickly

  41 homely meat plain food

  46 is very sequent follows logically

  47 answer reply cleverly/respond well

  48 bound to't obliged to reply/tied up for it

  51 noble used ironically, as she is wasting time

  55 present immediate

  55 Commend me convey my regards

  59 fruitfully abundantly

  59 before my legs i.e. very quickly

  60 again back again

  Act 2 Scene 3

  2.3 Location: Paris

  2 philosophical persons scholars of "natural philosophy"

  2 modern everyday

  2 things things that seem

  3 causeless inexplicable by natural causes

  4 ensconcing ourselves into fortifying ourselves with 5 unknown fear fear of the unknown

  6 rarest most extraordinary

  5 argument topic, issue

  7 shot out suddenly appeared

  7 latter most recent

  9 relinquished of abandoned by

  9 artists scholars, medical practitioners

  10 Galen famous second-century Greek physician

  10 Paracelsus famous sixteenth-century Swiss physician 11 authentic fellows accredited members of the medical profession 13 gave him out proclaimed him to be

  18 Just exactly

  20 showing visible/printed form

  25 dolphin puns on "dauphin" (i.e. heir to the French throne) 25 'Fore me before me; mild oath, like "upon my soul"

  27 brief ... tedious short and the long

  28 facinerious extremely wicked

  33 debile minister feeble agent

  36 Generally universally

  39 Lustigue lusty vigorous (from the German lustig) 39 Dutchman German

  40 tooth sweet tooth, i.e. appetite for pleasure 41 coranto lively dance

  42 Mor du vinager! pseudo-French oath, literally "death of/by vinegar"

  46 banished sense loss of feeling

  47 repealed recalled, given a second chance

  49 attends awaits

  50 parcel group

  51 my bestowing my power to give in marriage

  53 frank election free choice

  54 forsake refuse

  57 bay ... furniture my bay horse with a docked tail (curtal), and all his trappings 58 My ... boys' to have as many teeth/to be as little broken to the bit (i.e. youthful) as these boys 59 writ to be able to claim/exhibit

  62 She ... Lord some editors suppose that this direction is misplaced and belongs with the later line spoken to First Lord 66 protest declare

  68 whisper whisper to

  70 white death pallor of death

  73 Who he who

  73 his ... me my love for him

  74 Dian Diana, Roman goddess of chastity

  75 Love i.e. Cupid, god of love 78 All. mute there is no more to be said

  80 ames-ace double ace, lowest throw in dice

  80 for my life were my life at stake

  81 honour high status/willingness to marry/admiration 83 Love may Love

  84 Her ... wishes i.e. myself, Helen

  85 No better i.e. I wish for nothing better than your humble love

  90 th'Turk i.e. non-Christian barbarian

  96 Sure surely

  97 got conceived

  98 happy fortunate

  101 grape i.e. fruit of good lineage

  102 drunk wine i.e. to give you good blood 103 known seen through

  115 bring me down i.e. by making me marry a social inferior (with associations of bringing into the marriage bed, and, possibly, of losing one's erection) 117 breeding upbringing

  117 charge order/expense

  119 corrupt debase/contaminate

  119 ever forever

  120 title lack of title

  123 confound distinction be indistinguishable

  123 stands off separate

  128 proceed come forth

  130 great ... none titles puff us up rather than virtue (swell's: "swell is," elided for meter) 131 dropsied swollen/proud/diseased

  133 property inherent quality

  133 go i.e. be known

  135 heir because the qualities are inherited from nature 136 That ... sire true honor is scornful of inherited title when accompanying behavior not worthy of it 140 foregoers ancestors

  141 Deboshed debauched, corrupted

  142 trophy memorial

  144 honoured bones indeed i.e. the remains of those who were truly honorable 147 dower dowry

  148 strive attempt

  149 choose assert your own choice

  150 restored cured

  152 at the stake tied up like a bear to be baited, under attack 152 which which threat

  154 this of this

  155 misprision scorn

  156 desert right/recompense

  156 That you who

  157 We the royal plural

  157 poising weighing

  157 defective i.e. lighter (as she is humble) 158 weigh ... beam outweigh you and tip your scale up to the crossbar 159 in us within my royal power

  160 Check restrain

  161 travails in labors for

  162 Believe not deny

  162 presently immediately

  166 the staggers giddiness, unsteadiness (also, a horse disease affecting balance) 166 careless untended/reckless/irresponsible

  166 lapse decline

  168 Loosing being loosed, inflicted

  169 all terms any form

  171 fancy desire

  172 great creat
ion creation of greatness

  172 dole portion

  173 which late who recently

  175 who i.e. Helen

  179 counterpoise equal weight (i.e. in dowry)

  179 not not equal

  180 replete complete/perfect/abundant

  183 whose ... brief the formal accomplishment of which (i.e. marriage) shall quite properly follow the present agreement 186 more ... space have to wait for a time

  187 Expecting waiting for (the arrival of)

  187 As as long as

  188 religious sacred/true/dutiful

  188 err go astray

  196 succeeding consequences (i.e. a fight)

  197 companion comrade/rascal

  198 man manly/mankind (Lafew shifts the sense to "servant") 201 too old i.e. for a duel

  201 satisfy appease (in place of a duel)

  202 write claim to be

  204 dare ... do have the courage to accomplish only too well, I dare not because of your old age 205 ordinaries standard meals

  206 vent utterance

  207 scarfs military sashes

  207 bannerets small banners

  208 vessel ship, adorned with flags

  209 burden cargo

  209 found seen through

  209 thee i.e. your company

  210 taking up arresting/calling to account

  212 antiquity old age

  215 trial testing of supposed courage

  215 hen i.e. not a bold cock; perhaps also refers to Parolles' "plumage"

  216 window of lattice ale-house (whose red lattice windows signified its function) 216 casement window

  218 egregious outrageous

  221 dram small amount

  221 bate lessen

  222 scruple tiny amount

  223 wiser i.e. in future

  224 pull ... contrary swallow a good quantity of your foolishness 227 bondage what binds you (i.e. the scarves of which he is proud) 227 hold maintain

  228 in the default when you fail

  229 know understand/see through

  231 poor doing inadequate ability to inflict vexation

  232 doing action (plays on the sense of "having sex") 232 will will pass (puns on past as "passed") 232 in ... leave with what movement age will allow me 234 shall ... me upon whom I will vent my anger for these insults 235 scurvy contemptible

  236 fettering imprisoning

  237 with any convenience on a suitable occasion 237 an even if

  243 reservation concealment

  243 wrongs insults

  243 good lord i.e. patron (rather than employer) 243 Whom he whom

  248 garter tie (with scarves)

  248 hose stockings, usually tied up with garters 249 set ... stands put your penis where your nose should be/smell your bottom 253 breathe exercise (through fighting)

  254 measure treatment/judgment

  255 Go to expression of dismissive impatience

  255 picking ... pomegranate i.e. a small offense, as an excuse 256 vagabond itinerant vagrant, traveling without license 257 true honest/licensed

  257 saucy insolent

  258 commission warrant, allowance

  259 heraldry i.e. authority, entitlement

  263 Undone ruined

  263 cares troubles, sorrows

  272 import content, sense

  275 box container/vagina

  276 kicky-wicky woman

  277 Spending expending/wasting/ejaculating

  277 marrow vitality/sexual energy/semen

  278 curvet horse's leap

  280 jades worn-out horses

  286 furnish me to equip me for