Richard III (Modern Library Classics)
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111 seat throne
112 Threat threaten
113 avouch't affirm, declare it
114 adventure risk
115 pains efforts (made on behalf of the king)
116 Out exclamation of outrage and impatience
119 Ere before
120 packhorse workhorse
121 proud ambitious, arrogant
126 factious for on the side of, promoting dissent in the interests of 127 husband ... slain historically, Elizabeth's first husband, Sir John Grey, was killed fighting for the Lancastrians, although in 3 Henry VI (Act 3 Scene 2) he is depicted as having fought for the Yorkists 128 battle army
130 ere this before now
131 Withal moreover
133 Clarence ... Warwick Clarence and the Earl of Warwick deserted the Yorkists; Clarence married Warwick's daughter, but later returned to the Yorkist cause, events that are depicted in 3 Henry VI
133 father father-in-law
134 forswore himself broke his oath (of loyalty)
137 meed reward
139 pitiful full of pity, compassionate
140 childish-foolish innocent, inexperienced
141 Hie hurry
142 cacodemon evil spirit
144 urge bring forward, offer as evidence
157 pilled pillaged, robbed
159 If ... rebels Even if you do not bow to me as your queen, then you tremble like the rebels who deposed me 161 gentle noble, high-born/kind
161 villain low-born, rustic/scoundrel: the phrase is oxymoronic 162 mak'st thou are you doing
163 But repetition of merely recounting
163 marred destroyed
164 make do
167 abode remaining
169 thou i.e. Elizabeth
172 curse ... paper before his death, Richard Duke of York curses Margaret after she mockingly places a paper crown on his head (see 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 4) 175 clout cloth
176 pretty youthful, fine-looking
176 Rutland York's young son; the episode with the cloth also appears in 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 4
179 plagued punished ceaselessly
181 that babe i.e. Rutland
184 No ... prophesied there was no man who did not prophesy 187 catch seize
192 but answer for merely equal
192 peevish foolish, childish/obstinate
194 dull thick, dark, sluggish
194 quick vigorous, lively, sharp
195 surfeit sickness resulting from overindulgence
199 like the same
204 Decked adorned, dressed
204 stalled installed
208 standers-by bystanders, lookers-on
212 unlooked unforeseen, unexpected
213 charm magic spell, curse
213 hag witch
217 them i.e. the heavens
220 still constantly
220 begnaw eat away at, gnaw
221 for to be
223 deadly murderous
226 elvish-marked physically marked by evil elves at birth 226 abortive monstrous, deformed
226 rooting hog i.e. hunched and greedy; alludes to the boar on Richard's crest 227 sealed ... nativity branded at birth
228 slave of nature slave to bestial natural impulses/one irredeemably marked out by nature 229 slander disgrace, shame
229 heavy pregnant, weighty/sorrowful
230 issue offspring
231 rag discarded scrap
232 Margaret Richard makes Margaret the subject of her insults to him 236 cry thee mercy beg your pardon
238 looked for expected
239 period end
242 painted artificial/made-up with cosmetics
242 vain flourish meaningless, frivolous adornment
242 fortune (rightful) position
243 bottled swollen (with venom), rounded, bottle-shaped 245 thou whet'st you are sharpening
247 bunch-backed hunchbacked
248 False-boding falsely prophesying
248 frantic deranged, mad
251 well served treated as befits you (Margaret maintains the sense of "treated" and adds the sense of "obeyed, paid respect to") 252 duty respect, deference
256 Master Marquis Margaret contemptuously prefaces the aristocratic "marquis" with the form of address for an untitled man 256 malapert impertinent
257 fire-new brand new, newly minted
257 current valid, legitimate
258 nobility continues the coining imagery with a quibble on "noble" (a gold coin) 264 so high this high (i.e. noble)
265 eyrie nest/brood of young birds of prey (especially eagles, king of birds)/noble stock of children 266 dallies with teases, plays with
266 scorns the sun eagles were thought to be able to gaze unblinkingly into the sun 267 sun puns on son
272 suffer endure, permit
278 My charity the charity I feel/the charity I am shown 278 outrage violence, hostility
278 life my shame the only life I am allowed is a dishonorable one/I am ashamed to live 279 still perpetually
283 fair good fortune
285 compass bounds
286 pass go any further than
288 but anything other than that
291 Look when whenever
292 venom poisonous
292 rankle inflict a festering wound
294 marks blemishes/identifying insignia/aims, sights
297 respect deem worthy of listening to
299 soothe flatter, humor
311 vantage advantages, benefits (i.e. being queen)
311 her wrong the wrong done to her
312 hot eager
312 do somebody good i.e. help Edward to the crown 313 cold ungrateful, indifferent
315 franked ... fatting penned in to be fattened up (for slaughter) 318 scathe harm
319 well advised cautious
324 wait upon attend
326 mischiefs wicked, evil deeds
326 abroach in motion
327 lay ... of impose as a serious accusation against (i.e. blame on) 328 cast in darkness caused to be imprisoned (with connotations of death) 329 beweep cry over
329 gulls idiots, gullible people
331 allies supporters, relatives
332 stir incite, stir up
333 whet encourage, incite
338 ends scraps
341 hardy bold
342 dispatch carry out (plays on the sense of "kill")
346 repair make your way
347 sudden swift
348 obdurate inflexible, determined
349 well-spoken articulate, persuasive
350 mark pay attention to, listen to
351 prate chat
354 eyes drop millstones proverbial image of hard-heartedness 354 fall let fall, drop
355 straight straightaway
Act 1 Scene 4
1.4 Location: the Tower of London
1.4 Keeper guard (this role could be conflated with Brackenbury) 1 heavily sadly
5 spend pass/expend (like money)
6 Though 'twere even if it were
7 dismal ominous, sinister
13 hatches deck
14 cited up recalled
17 giddy swaying, unstable
19 stay steady, restrain
20 main sea
27 Inestimable impossible to count or value
27 unvalued priceless
37 yield the ghost die
37 envious flood malicious sea
38 Stopped in shut up, blocked in
39 vast boundless/empty
40 bulk body
42 sore serious, extreme
45 melancholy flood the River Styx, which had to be crossed to get to Hades, the classical underworld 46 sour ferryman Charon, who ferried souls to Hades
47 kingdom ... night Hades, the underworld
48 stranger foreign, newly arrived
50 perjury oath-breaking; Clarence broke his oath of allegiance to Warwick by returning to fight for the Yorkists after he and Warwi
ck had changed sides to support the Lancastrians 51 monarchy kingdom (the underworld)
51 afford offer, give to
53 shadow ghost (of Prince Edward, Henry VI's son)
54 shrieked ghosts were traditionally supposed to speak in shrill voices 55 fleeting fickle, capricious
56 field battlefield
57 Furies in classical mythology, three female spirits of vengeance 58 legion army
59 Environed surrounded
61 season while, time
64 though if
68 requites rewards, repays
73 prithee beg you (literally "I pray thee")
74 heavy oppressed, burdened, sorrowful
76 breaks cracks, disrupts
76 seasons natural rhythms of time
76 reposing hours time for rest
77 noontide midday
78 for as
79 for at the cost of, as the result of
80 for in exchange for
80 unfelt imaginations abstract concepts that cannot actually be experienced, illusory glories 81 cares anxieties
82 low name those of ordinary humble status
83 fame reputation, name
93 reason deduce, work out
94 will want to
96 signify to inform
107 urging of bringing forth/emphasis on
117 stay wait
118 passionate humour emotional mood
118 It ... me it usually lasts
119 tells twenty counts to twenty
130 entertain receive, be hospitable to
134 checks rebukes
134 lie have sex
137 restore return
138 keeps retains/maintains, supports
139 for as
140 well prosperously/virtuously
144 him i.e. conscience
145 insinuate ingratiate himself
148 tall brave
150 Take strike
150 costard head (literally, a type of large apple)
151 malmsey-butt barrel of strong, sweet wine from Greece 153 device plan
153 sop piece of bread soaked in wine
156 reason converse, talk
158 anon soon
167 Wherefore why
177 drawn forth selected
180 quest inquest, those holding a judicial inquiry
183 convict convicted
185 charge command
190 Erroneous misguided, erring
190 vassals servants, slaves
190 king of kings i.e. God
191 table ... law i.e. the Ten Commandments
192 do no murder the Sixth Commandment (Exodus 20:13)
193 Spurn at reject, scorn
197 false forswearing breaking your oath (forbidden by the Ninth Commandment) 198 receive the sacrament take Communion as a means of affirming your oath 199 In quarrel of in the cause of
202 Unripp'dst tore open
202 bowels intestines, entrails
202 sovereign's son i.e. Prince Edward, son of Henry VI 204 dreadful inspiring dread and awe
205 dear extreme, grievous (a)
212 quarrel (settling of the) dispute
213 indirect devious, oblique
214 cut off kill
215 bloody violent, bloodthirsty
216 gallant-springing gallant and youthful, growing promisingly 217 novice youth, beginner
218 My brother's love love for my brother
223 meed money, reward
233 friendship also kinship
235 lessoned taught
236 is kind is gentle, well-meaning/has feelings of natural kinship 242 labour my delivery strive to obtain my release
244 thraldom servitude, enslavement
246 feeling sensibility, awareness
255 pent shut up
260 beastly not human, lacking in reason
268 desperately dispatched carried out in desperation, executed recklessly (desperately has connotations of spiritual hopelessness) 269 fain willingly
269 Pilate ... murder Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea involved in the crucifixion of Christ, washed his hands before the discontented crowd as a means of exonerating himself from blame 280 out get out, be known ("murder will out" was proverbial) Act 2 Scene 1
2.1 Location: the royal court, London
2.1 Flourish trumpet fanfare signaling the arrival of a person in authority 3 embassage message
8 Dissemble not (in shaking hands) do not conceal, disguise
9 from of
10 true honest, faithful
11 thrive I may I thrive
12 dally trifle, feign, mock
13 king of kings i.e. God
14 Confound overthrow, catch out
14 award sentence, appoint
15 end (cause of) death
19 son i.e. stepson
20 factious divisive, generators of factions
22 unfeignedly sincerely, without deception
26 protest declare
30 allies relatives
33 but ... Doth i.e. and does not, with all duteous love 38 Deep cunning
38 hollow insincere
38 guile cunning, deceit
41 cordial heart-restoring medicine
43 wanteth only lacks
44 period end, completion
45 in good time right on time, at the perfect moment
47 morrow morning
52 swelling proud, arrogant/incensed, angry
52 wrong-incensed full of wrongly directed anger/enraged by perceived wrongs 54 heap gathering, group (casual and demeaning term in this context) 55 intelligence information
55 surmise assumption, conjecture
57 is hardly borne has caused offense, is resented
67 desert deserving, justification
68 Lord Scales actually another title of Lord Rivers; Shakespeare erroneously supposes another character; some editors omit the line 72 the ... tonight a newborn baby
75 well compounded settled as effectively
77 to your grace into your favor
79 flouted mocked
80 gentle kind, mild/noble
86 forsook abandoned
89 that i.e. that first order
89 Mercury swift messenger of the Roman gods, usually depicted with wings on his cap and sandals 90 tardy slow
90 bare the countermand brought the order revoking the first 91 lag late, slowly
92 God ... suspicion I pray God there are none, less noble and loyal than Clarence, more involved in treachery yet less closely related to the king, who deserve worse than Clarence's fate yet go free from suspicion (a pointed remark aimed at Elizabeth and her relatives) 95 go current pass as legitimate coin
96 boon request for a favor
100 forfeit ... life revocation of the death penalty that his servant has incurred 103 doom ... death sentence (doom) my brother to death
107 sued pleaded
108 be advised to reconsider, reflect/to be cautious
110 forsake abandon, renounce
112 field battlefield
113 down on the ground, unhorsed/at his mercy
116 lap enfold, swathe
118 thin thinly dressed
118 numb numbing
119 remembrance memory
122 carters cart drivers
122 waiting vassals attendant servants
123 defaced ... Redeemer i.e. committed murder (since man is made in God's image) 125 straight straightaway
127 But yet
128 ungracious wickedly, lacking divine grace
129 proudest most splendid, eminent/most self-esteeming
130 beholding beholden, indebted
133 On of
133 you i.e. the assembled company
134 closet private room/bedchamber
136 Marked observed, noticed
139 still constantly
Act 2 Scene 2
1 grandam grandmother
6 wretches exiles/miserable people
6 castaways rejected ones
&
nbsp; 8 cousins a general term for relatives
10 As being
11 lost wasted, pointless (sense then shifts to "gone")
14 importune urge, entreat persistently
18 Incapable inexperienced, unknowing
18 shallow naive
22 impeachments accusations, charges
24 kindly gently, benevolently/as a family member
27 gentle shape an appearance of nobility, a benevolent guise 28 visor mask
30 dugs breasts (breast milk was popularly thought to convey some of the qualities of the mother) 33.1 hair ... ears disheveled and loose hair was a theatrical convention signifying distress 35 chide berate, chastise
36 black profound, dark, hellish
37 to ... enemy i.e. commit suicide
38 rude impatience uncontrolled outburst, violent want of endurance 39 act deed/division of a play (continuing the theatrical image begun with scene) 42 want lack
43 brief quick
44 catch catch up with
47 interest right, entitlement
48 title in claim on (as Edward's mother)
50 his images i.e. his sons
51 mirrors i.e. images, reflections
51 semblance likeness
53 false glass i.e. Richard, a distorted, false image of his father 60 moiety small portion
61 overgo exceed
63 kindred similar, belonging to relatives
64 unmoaned unlamented, not grieved for
65 widow-dolour widow's grief
65 be shall be
67 barren to so infertile that I cannot
67 complaints grief, lamentations
68 reduce return, bring together
69 watery moon i.e. the moon, which controls the tides 74 stay support
77 Was never widow there was never a widow who
77 dear grievous/costly
81 parcelled in specific parts, divided between them
81 general all-encompassing
87 nurse nourisher, feeder
88 pamper cram, feed luxuriously
92 dull sluggish, reluctant
94 opposite antagonistic, adversarial
95 For it requires because it reclaims
96 careful caring
104 cry you mercy beg your pardon
107 meekness humility
110 butt-end concluding part
111 grace quibbling on the duchess' title and on the sense of "religious virtue"
112 cloudy gloomy
113 moan sorrow, grief
117 broken rancour divisive animosity (broken begins an image of an injured limb) high-swoll'n very inflamed/proud 118 But lately splintered only recently splinted, reset (though at the same time continuing the imagery of fragmentation) 119 kept looked after
120 Meseemeth it seems to me
120 little train small retinue of attendants and accompanying nobles 121 Forthwith immediately Ludlow Ludlow Castle, in Shropshire, near the Welsh border fet fetched 124 multitude large group
127 estate state, kingdom green new, vulnerable (with suggestions of the prince's youth) 128 Where ... himself when each horse is in control of his own reins and may go where he pleases (i.e. in the absence of a strong rider to govern) 130 As ... apparent both the fear of possible harm as well as actual harm 132 with between
133 compact agreement, contract
135 green new, not tested
136 apparent evident, real breach breakage, rupture 137 haply perhaps/probably urged encouraged 139 meet appropriate, suitable
142 post hasten