The Tempest

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The Tempest Page 18

by William Shakespeare


  448 chanticleer rooster

  451 waits upon attends/anticipates

  453 the for the

  455 passion acute grief

  459 fathom five five fathoms (thirty feet) deep

  462 fade decompose

  463 suffer undergo

  465 knell funeral bell

  468 ditty song/lyrics

  468 does remember recalls/commemorates

  469 mortal human (plays on the sense of "deathly")

  470 owes owns

  471 fringed curtains i.e. eyelids

  471 advance open

  472 yond yonder, over there

  475 brave handsome, noble, splendid

  477 gallant fashionable, handsome young man

  478 but except that

  478 something somewhat

  479 canker infection, corruption

  480 goodly handsome, fine

  483 natural human

  486 prompts directs, urges, wills

  489 airs Ariel's songs

  489 Vouchsafe grant (that)

  490 remain live

  492 bear me behave

  493 wonder plays on the Latin root of Miranda's name ("mirandus"--i.e. "wonderful") 494 maid human/a virgin, unmarried

  498 best i.e. highest in rank (a king, assuming his father is drowned) 499 where i.e. Naples

  502 single thing solitary/a bachelor/one and the same person (as the King of Naples) 503 He i.e. as I am now king and hear my own grief 505 ebb low tide (i.e. without tears)

  509 son Antonio's son is never mentioned again; perhaps Shakespeare forgot or cut the part, neglecting this reference 509 twain separated

  511 control challenge/govern

  513 changed eyes gazed at one another, exchanged loving looks 513 Delicate fine/ethereal

  515 done ... wrong i.e. spoken falsely in your claim to be king 516 ungently harshly/discourteously

  521 your ... forth you have not fallen in love with or betrothed yourself to someone else 523 Soft wait a moment

  524 either's each other's

  525 uneasy difficult

  525 light easy, but in next line sense shifts to "less valuable/unchaste"

  526 charge command

  527 attend listen to, take heed of

  528 ow'st not do not own

  530 on't of it (the island)

  532 temple i.e. Ferdinand's body

  539 fresh-brook mussels inedible freshwater mussels

  542 entertainment treatment/hospitality

  546 gentle noble/courteous

  546 fearful frightening

  548 foot i.e. inferior body part (proverbial: "do not make the foot the head") 550 ward defensive posture

  556 surety guarantor

  558 chide scold/punish

  560 shapes i.e. men

  562 To compared to

  568 nerves sinews, muscles

  569 vigour strength

  571 spirits vital powers/senses

  575 through i.e. from

  576 all corners else everywhere else

  581 do me do for me

  584 unwonted uncharacteristic

  587 then i.e. if that is to be the case

  Act 2 Scene 1

  3 much beyond far outweighs

  3 hint circumstance, occasion

  5 masters ... merchant officers of some merchant ship

  8 weigh balance

  10 peace possibly Sebastian puns on "peas" by introducing 11 porridge, a vegetable stew

  12 visitor charitable visitor offering comfort or advice 13 wit intelligence

  16 tell count (the strokes)

  17 entertained received

  19 dollar a large silver coin (playing on the sense of entertainer as "performer") 20 Dolour sorrow

  21 purposed intended

  22 wiselier more profoundly/wittily

  25 spare desist

  29 crow i.e. speak

  31 cockerel young cock/young man

  32 wager bet, stake

  33 A laughter "he wins that laughs" (proverbial); may also play on the sense of "the whole number of eggs laid by a hen before she is ready to sit"

  35 desert deserted

  36 Ha ... paid most editors assume that the speakers of these two lines should be reversed, so that Antonio wins the bet and laughs, then Sebastian replies that the laugh pays off the debt; but it could be that Sebastian laughs in response to Adrian's words (seems deserted?--of course it's deserted) and that by doing so he has paid off the bet 42 subtle refined

  43 temperance moderate climate (Antonio's response treats Temperance as the name of a woman) 44 delicate pleasure-seeking, voluptuous

  45 subtle crafty, sexually experienced

  45 learnedly delivered uttered authoritatively

  48 fen bog, marshland

  50 save except

  52 lusty of vigorous growth

  53 tawny yellowish brown

  54 eye tinge

  57 rarity exceptional nature

  58 credit belief

  59 vouched acknowledged

  62 new-dyed brand new

  66 pocket up conceal

  68 Afric Africa

  69 Tunis North African city, now the capital of Tunisia

  74 Dido's Dido, Queen of Carthage, was the widow of Sychaeus, but was famed for her love affair with Aeneas; she committed suicide when he left her; there may also be a lewd pun on the slang term "dido" (genitals/dildo) 75 How ... in? Antonio contests the reference to an abandoned woman as a widow 77 'widower Aeneas' Aeneas had been married to Creusa, who died in the sack of Troy 79 study of examine, meditate on

  81 This ... Carthage Tunis was about ten miles from Carthage and became the most important city in the region after Carthage fell 84 miraculous harp in Greek mythology, Amphion's music caused the walls of Thebes to rebuild themselves 89 kernels pips

  96 rarest most splendid/beautiful

  97 Bate disregard

  98 Ay, widow Dido if there is a missing speech prefix, this could be a cynical interjection from Sebastian 99 doublet close-fitting jacket

  100 in a sort to some extent

  101 sort perhaps a reference to the drawing of lots or to the "sorting" of fish for market 104 stomach appetite/inclination

  104 sense disposition

  106 rate opinion

  112 surges waves

  116 oared rowed

  117 lusty vigorous

  118 wave-worn basis the eroded base of the cliff rising from the shore 119 As as if

  124 loose release, turn loose (as one would an animal) 126 Who probably applies to Alonso's eye, but possibly to Claribel 126 wet the grief weep

  128 importuned pleaded with

  130 loathness loathing, repulsion

  131 Which ... bow which half of the scales should sink 136 dear'st most precious/significant part (i.e. Ferdinand) 139 time i.e. appropriate time

  142 chirurgeonly surgeon-like

  147 plantation opportunity for colonization (Antonio plays on the sense of "planting") 148 nettle-seed ... mallows common wild plants/weeds

  151 want lack

  152 by ... things implement the opposite to what is usual 153 traffic trade, commerce

  155 Letters scholarship, learning

  156 use of service practice of having servants

  156 succession inheritance

  157 Bourn land boundary

  157 tilth farmed land

  165 in common communal

  167 pike spear

  167 engine device/machinery/weapon

  169 foison plenty

  174 golden age in classical mythology, the earliest of ages, when life was idyllic 177 mark hear, observe

  179 minister occasion provide an opportunity (for laughter) 180 sensible responsive, sensitive

  181 nimble agile, swift to respond

  181 use are accustomed

  186 An ... flat-long if it had not been delivered with the flat side of the sword (rather than the sharp edge) 187 metal puns on "mettle" (constitution, courage)

  188
sphere position in the heavens

  188 five weeks i.e. rather than the usual four, which ought to be long enough 190 a-batfowling catching roosting birds/swindling

  192 warrant assure

  192 adventure ... weakly risk my sound judgment for such a slight cause 194 heavy drowsy

  200 omit reject, ignore

  200 it i.e. sleep

  211 as as if

  215 occasion speaks opportunity speaks to

  218 waking awake

  227 wink'st shut your eyes (i.e. refuse to see what is in front of you) 229 distinctly meaningfully, clearly

  231 custom usual self

  232 heed you heed

  233 Trebles thee o'er makes you three times greater

  234 standing water not ebbing or flowing (i.e. open to ideas/idle) 237 Hereditary sloth natural laziness/my position as younger brother to a king 239 If ... it if only you realized that your mockery reveals your intentions/if only you realized that despite your mockery you harbor genuine desires 241 invest clothe, adorn

  241 Ebbing declining

  244 say on speak more, go on

  245 setting look/fixed appearance

  246 matter of importance

  247 throes ... yield gives you much pain to bring forth 249 lord i.e. Gonzalo

  249 remembrance memory

  250 of ... memory as little remembered

  251 earthed dead and buried

  252 spirit of expert at, epitome of

  252 only Professes (as an adviser) makes it his sole vocation 260 high a hope i.e. of gaining the crown

  261 Ambition ... there ambition itself could not glimpse it and doubt that there is anything to achieve/ambition itself could not ordinarily proceed a fraction further without fear of discovery 268 leagues a league was about three miles

  268 man's life a lifetime's journey

  269 note communication/information

  269 post messenger

  271 from whom i.e. returning from whose wedding 272 cast vomited up

  274 Whereof ... prologue in relation to which all that has gone before is only a prelude to what is to come 275 discharge performance/management

  276 stuff notion/rubbish

  279 space distance

  280 cubit about twenty inches (the length of the forearm) 282 Measure us back travel back over us (i.e. retrace her steps) 282 Keep remain

  283 wake i.e. to his opportunity

  286 he i.e. Alonso

  286 prate prattle

  288 make ... chat train a jackdaw to be as profound

  289 bore ... do shared my intention/were of my way of thinking/were resolved like me 293 content liking

  294 Tender value, regard

  296 supplant overthrow

  298 garments i.e. his duke's robes

  299 feater with a better fit

  300 fellows companions, equals

  300 men servants

  302 kibe chilblain, blister

  303 put me to force me to wear

  304 deity i.e. conscience

  305 candied made of ice, crystallized

  311 perpetual wink endless sleep

  311 aye ever

  312 morsel piece of flesh/scrap

  313 Should not must not be allowed to

  315 tell ... hour declare it is whatever time we require/agree to any business that we propose 320 tribute annual sum payable by Antonio to Naples in return for receiving Alonso's help in deposing Prospero 323 rear raise

  328 project plan

  331 time opportunity

  338 ghastly full of fear

  353 verily certain

  Act 2 Scene 2

  2 flats plain, swampy ground

  3 inch-meal inch by inch

  4 nor neither

  4 pinch torment

  5 urchin-shows goblin apparitions

  6 firebrand will-o'-the-wisp, moving light

  9 mow grimace, make faces

  13 wound wound round

  13 cloven split, forked

  14.1 Trinculo perhaps from the Italian trincare ("to drink eagerly") 15 Lo look

  18 mind notice

  19 bear off ward off

  22 bombard leather wine jug

  27 poor-John dried hake, a fish mainly eaten by the poor 29 fish painted i.e. on a sign to attract passersby 30 make a man make a man rich/be taken for a man

  32 doit trifling sum (a small Dutch coin)

  33 dead Indian American Indians were sometimes displayed to the paying public 33 Legged with legs

  34 let loose take back

  37 gaberdine coarse-textured cloak

  39 shroud shelter

  43 scurvy wretched, disagreeable

  45 swabber sailor who washes the deck

  49 tang sting

  51 savour smell

  52 tailor ... itch she would let a tailor (proverbially lecherous) have sex with her (itch may suggest venereal disease) 56 the matter happening

  57 Ind India

  59 proper normal/fine

  59 four legs Stephano sees the legs of both Trinculo and Caliban and adapts a common proverb 60 give ground yield

  61 at'nostrils through his nostrils

  64 ague sickness, shaking, fever

  65 relief refreshment, sustenance

  66 recover revive

  68 neat's leather cowhide

  71 after in the manner of

  73 I ... him i.e. no price can be too high for him 76 anon shortly

  78 Come ... ways come on/come here

  79 language ... cat "ale will make a cat speak" (proverbial) 80 shake cast off

  82 chaps jaws

  85 delicate extraordinary/ingeniously made/delightful

  87 detract slander

  92 long spoon "he should have a long spoon that sups with the devil" (proverbial) 98 lesser legs presumably Trinculo has shorter legs than Caliban 100 siege excrement (Stephano pulls Trinculo out from between Caliban's legs) 100 moon-calf monstrosity, misshapen creature, idiot (born under the moon's influence) 100 vent discharge/fart

  104 overblown blown over

  110 an if if

  115 butt of sack barrel of Spanish white wine

  123 kiss the book alludes to kissing the Bible to confirm an oath, and to the phrase "kiss the cup" (i.e. "have another drink") 124 goose simpleton; also suggests drunken giddiness

  131 when time was once

  132 adore worship

  133 mistress i.e. Miranda

  133 dog ... bush in folklore, the man in the moon had been banished there with his dog after he illegally gathered kindling (his bush) on a Sunday 136 new contents i.e. more wine

  137 good light i.e. the sun

  137 shallow gullible, naive

  139 drawn drunk

  140 sooth truth

  143 perfidious treacherous

  148 puppy-headed stupid

  152 in drink drunk

  160 crabs crab-apples

  161 pignuts edible roots, earth chestnuts

  162 marmoset small monkey

  163 filberts hazelnuts

  164 scamels of uncertain meaning; perhaps error for "seamews" (seagulls) or "shamois" (goat); a fish or shellfish has also been suggested, but rock and young go better with the goatish sense 171 for i.e. to trap

  172 firing firewood

  173 trencher wooden plate

  176 high-day holiday

  Act 3 Scene 1

  1 sports activities, pastimes

  1 painful arduous

  1 their ... off the pleasure derived from the task is enhanced by the hard work/pleasure in undertaking the task and removes the sense of effort 2 baseness contemptible work

  4 mean lowly

  6 quickens enlivens

  8 crabbed irritable, churlish

  11 sore injunction severe command

  12 baseness ... executor such a lowly task has never had such a performer 13 forget forget to work

  15 Most busy least being busy seems like being at leisure, thanks to sweet thoughts of Miranda 18 enjoined bound

&nb
sp; 20 weep by releasing drops of moisture or resin

  24 discharge carry out

  33 become be fitting for

  37 infected with love

  38 visitation visit (plays on senses of "bout of plague" and "charitable visit to the poor") 41 by nearby

  45 hest command

  47 top epitome, pinnacle

  50 bondage slavery

  51 diligent attentive

  54 owed owned

  55 put ... foil thwarted it/disputed it (as in a swordfight) 60 glass mirror

  61 friend lover

  62 how ... abroad what people look like in the world

  63 skilless ignorant

  63 modesty virtue, chastity

  64 dower dowry

  68 precepts instructions, orders

  70 condition social rank

  74 flesh-fly fly that lays its eggs in dead flesh

  74 blow contaminate/deposit eggs in/swell

  81 kind event favorable outcome

  82 hollowly insincerely

  83 boded intended

  83 mischief misfortune, harm

  84 what whatever

  88 Fair excellent, pleasing

  89 rare special, profound

  90 that which breeds that which develops/their children 94 to want for lack of

  96 Hence, bashful cunning away with timid devices/coy artfulness 99 maid virgin/servant

  99 fellow spouse

  102 mistress sweetheart

  106 As ... freedom as slavery embraces freedom

  109 thousand i.e. farewells

  111 surprised delightfully bewildered/taken unawares

  111 withal by it

  111 my ... more nothing could make me rejoice more

  114 appertaining relevant to this

  Act 3 Scene 2

  1 Tell not me presumably to stop drinking

  1 out finished

  2 bear up stay standing/approach

  2 board 'em get on board/attack (i.e. "drink up")

  6 brained furnished with a brain/drunk

  8 set drunkenly fixed/glazed (Trinculo plays on the sense of "placed") 10 tail may play on the sense of "penis" or "bottom"

  13 recover reach

  13 five ... leagues about 100 miles

  13 off and on more or less

  14 standard ensign or flag bearer (puns on the sense of "person capable of standing") 15 list wish

  16 run i.e. away from battle

  17 go walk

  17 lie lie down/deceive

  22 valiant worthy/courageous

  23 case fit state, state of readiness

  24 justle jostle

  24 deboshed debauched, corrupted

  26 monstrous huge/unnatural/befitting a monster

  30 natural simpleton, idiot (plays on the sense of "normal, naturally formed") 32 if ... tree i.e. you'll be hanged like a mutineer

  37 marry by the Virgin Mary (a mild oath)

  37 stand stand still/listen/remain upright

  40 cunning art, skill, craft

  45 tale may pun on "tail," especially if Trinculo has just kicked Caliban in the backside 46 supplant uproot (plays on the sense of "usurp")

  48 Mum be quiet

  52 this thing i.e. Trinculo

  55 compassed accomplished

  56 party person in question

  57 yield him thee deliver him to you

  60 pied multicolored (refers to a jester's clothing)

  60 patch fool/clown/rogue

  64 freshes freshwater streams

  66 turn ... o'doors banish any feelings of mercy

 

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