The Sonnets and Other Poems

by William Shakespeare

  372 bane death, destruction

  375 steel harden (puns on “steal”)

  376 grave engrave, make an impression upon

  377 regard notice

  381 bereft deprived of

  382 hence go away

  384 palfrey horse for ordinary riding (as opposed to a warhorse)

  387 Affection passion, lust

  388 suffered permitted (to burn)

  391 jade worn-out horse

  393 fee due, reward

  395 thong leather strap, i.e. rein

  bending crest arched neck

  396 Enfranchising freeing

  397 in … bed naked in her bed

  400 agents parts (i.e. penis)

  like similar

  401 faint feeble, fainthearted

  bold daring/sexually immodest

  404 of from

  405 on of

  presented offered, available

  406 Though even if

  yet still, nevertheless

  proceedings behavior

  408 made perfect learned by heart

  409 quoth said

  411 owe i.e. take on the responsibility of the debt

  412 My … it the only desire I feel for love is the urge to discredit it

  414 but … breath in the same breath, at the same time

  417 springing sprouting, growing

  diminished weakened, deprived

  419 backed and burdened broken in and ridden

  420 waxeth grows

  422 idle worthless

  bootless pointless

  424 alarms calls to arms

  ope open

  426 battery assault by heavy bombardment

  429 mermaid’s i.e. Siren’s, a mythical creature, part woman, part bird, whose enchanting singing lured sailors to their death (also slang for “prostitute”)

  430 pressed (I am) oppressed, crushed

  434 inward … invisible inner, invisible beauty (i.e. his voice)

  435 outward parts physical appearance

  move stir/sexually arouse (picking up on the genital sense of part)

  436 sensible capable of feeling

  443 stillatory still (in which perfume is distilled)

  face excelling incomparably beautiful face

  446 other four i.e. senses

  448 suspicion wariness of evil

  451 ruby-coloured portal i.e. his lips

  453 betokened Wrack signified shipwreck

  456 flaws squalls of wind

  457 presage omen

  advisedly attentively, warily

  marketh observes, notes

  459 grin bare his teeth

  462 ere before

  463 flatly prostrate/without hesitation

  465 recures cures, heals

  466 love some editors emend to “loss”

  thriveth prospers

  469 late intent recent intention

  471 cunning skillful/crafty

  wittily ingeniously

  472 Fair fall may fair befall, good luck to (playing on Venus’ literal “fall”)

  475 wrings pinches

  480 so … still as long as he continues to kiss her (still may play on sense of “motionless”)

  482 blue windows blue-veined eyelids/eyes (though these were gray in line 140)

  490 repine discontent

  494 drenched immersed/drowned

  495 Or either

  497 death’s annoy i.e. as distressing as death

  500 shrewd severe, harsh

  503 leaders military captains (who serve the queen)/guides

  504 But were it not

  piteous merciful, compassionate

  506 liveries uniforms worn by a particular nobleman’s servants

  wear wear out

  507 verdure freshness/taste

  509 star-gazers astrologers

  510 plague in 1593, the year of the poem’s publication, the plague was particularly virulent in London

  511 seals … imprinted stamps that have left their authoritative impression in my lips, as if in wax

  513 sell myself connotations of prostitution

  514 So provided that

  use good dealing trade fairly/have good sex

  515 slips errors/counterfeit coins/sexual lapses

  516 seal-manual signature/personal seal on a ring

  519 touches kisses

  520 told counted

  523 queen may pun on “quean,” i.e. prostitute

  owe bear, have for

  524 Measure … with i.e. attribute my aloofness to

  525 know plays on sense of “have sex with”

  526 fry very young fish

  forbears spares

  527 mellow ripe

  529 world’s comforter i.e. sun

  531 owl … shrieks the owl was considered a bird of ill omen, its cry thought to herald death

  532 fold the pen, enclosure

  538 tendered paid (in settlement of a debt)

  540 Incorp’rate united in one body

  541 disjoined broke off

  544 surfeit drink to excess

  on drouth of drought

  545 plenty abundance (of desire/flesh/ kisses)

  pressed overwhelmed/pressed literally

  dearth famine

  550 insulter (victorious) attacker

  551 vulture i.e. ravenous desire, predatory imagination

  pitch fix, set (may play on one sense of the noun: “highest point to which a bird of prey soars before swooping on its victim”)

  553 spoil booty, goods acquired by plunder

  554 forage plunder, pillage/glut oneself like a wild beast

  reek smoke with heat

  555 reek and smoke sweat

  556 careless reckless

  557 oblivion generating heedlessness

  558 wrack destruction

  561 roe species of small deer

  chasing being hunted

  562 froward refractory, fretful

  dandling rocked or joggled up and down

  564 listeth desires

  565 so is so

  temp’ring heating

  567 out of hope (that seem) hopeless

  compassed achieved

  vent’ring taking risks

  568 whose … commission who has license to go further than his orders

  570 choice object of choice

  571 gave over given up

  573 Foul harsh, unkind

  574 rose … plucked like lock-picking, a standard image of (female) virginity loss

  575 fast safe, secure

  580 look well to take good care of

  581 Cupid the Roman god of love was Venus’ son; he caused people to fall in love by firing arrows at them

  protest declare

  583 waste spend

  584 watch remain awake

  586 make the match agree to the assignation, appoint a rendezvous (match plays on sense of “sexual encounter”)

  590 lawn fine white linen/alternative name for the plant “hound’s tongue” or “Venus’ navelwort”

  592 yoking fastening around the neck/subduing

  595 lists official enclosure in which tournaments were held (possibly plays on sense of “list” as “pleasure/appetite”)

  596 champion opponent/one who fights on her behalf

  mounted on horseback, i.e. on top of her

  hot encounter spirited fight/lustful sexual encounter

  597 prove discover

  598 manage take a horse through a series of exercises/handle sexually, “ride”

  599 That so that

  Tantalus in Greek mythology, a king who stole from the gods and was condemned to stand in a pool below a fruit tree that remained just out of his reach

  600 clip embrace

  Elysium the heaven of classical mythology

  601 painted grapes refers to Pliny’s account of Zeuxis the painter, apparently so skillful that birds mistook his painted grapes for real ones

  602 pine the maw starve the stomach
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  603 mishaps misfortunes

  604 helpless useless

  605 warm effects sexual feelings and arousal

  608 assayed attempted

  proved demonstrated, achieved

  611 Fie expression of impatience or disgust

  613 hadst would have

  615 advised warned

  616 churlish rough, violent

  617 tushes tusks

  whetteth still sharpens continually

  618 mortal death-dealing

  bent determined (referring to the butcher)/curved (referring to the tusks)

  619 bow-back arched back

  battle battalion in full array

  620 pikes spines (maintains the image of armed troops by playing on sense of “long-handled weapons with pointed steel heads”)

  621 fret rage

  622 sepulchres tombs

  623 moved angered/forced to leave his lair (hunting term)

  625 brawny covered with hardened skin, unfeeling

  626 proof armor

  628 ireful angry

  venture dare to attack

  632 tributary i.e. submissive (a tributary pays homage to his conqueror)

  633 eyne eyes

  635 vantage his advantage

  636 root dig up, destroy

  mead meadow

  637 cabin lair

  638 foul wicked

  639 will wish, intention

  641 not to dissemble I won’t lie

  645 downright straight down/straightaway

  647 boding foreboding, fearful

  649 jealousy anxious care for another’s safety

  650 sentinel guard, lookout

  651 suggesteth incites

  653 Distemp’ring disturbing the natural constitution of/diluting with water

  654 abate put out

  655 bate-breeding strife-producing

  656 canker parasitic grub that destroys plants

  tender spring youthful growth

  657 carry-tale rumormonger, telltale

  dissentious quarrelsome

  661 so that

  663 his i.e. Adonis’

  667 indeed in reality

  668 That I who

  670 divination prophetic insight

  673 needs wilt must

  674 Uncouple release your dogs

  flying fleeing

  675 subtlety cunning

  676 roe species of small timid deer

  encounter fight

  678 well-breathed fit, not out of breath

  679 on foot in pursuit

  purblind dimly sighted (which hares were thought to be)

  680 overshoot outstrip, overtake

  682 cranks and crosses twists and turns about and crosses backward and forward

  doubles sharp turns

  683 musets gaps in hedges and fences/hares’ lairs

  684 amaze confuse

  686 cunning well-trained/crafty

  687 earth-delving conies burrowing rabbits

  keep live

  689 sorteth mixes

  690 shifts stratagems

  waits on attends

  694 ado fuss, difficulty

  cold fault point at which they lost the scent

  695 spend their mouths bark loudly

  echo in Greek mythology, Echo was the nymph who loved self-obsessed Narcissus and pined away on his account until only her voice was left

  697 Wat common name for a hare

  700 alarums sounds of their approach

  702 sore grievously

  passing-bell bell tolling for the souls of the dead

  703 dew-bedabbled made wet by the dew

  704 return turn again/turn back

  indenting zigzagging

  705 envious malicious

  708 relieved helped

  712 Unlike myself i.e. contrary to my usual behavior as the goddess of love

  moralize explain the moral meaning

  715 leave break off

  716 aptly promptly, readily

  718 of by

  724 true honest

  725 modest Dian i.e. Diana, Roman goddess of chastity (modesty), the moon, and hunting

  726 forsworn having broken her vow (of chastity)

  727 of … reason I see the reason for the darkness of the night

  728 Cynthia the Greek name for Diana

  729 forging counterfeiting

  731 framed created, shaped

  high heaven’s despite defiance of heaven

  733 destinies in Greek mythology, the three Fates were also known as “Destinies”: one spun the thread of a man’s life, another measured it, and the third cut it

  734 cross thwart, oppose

  curious ingenious, beautifully fashioned

  736 defeature disfigurement

  738 mischances misfortunes, disasters

  739 agues acute fevers

  740 pestilence plague

  wood mad

  741 marrow-eating sickness syphilis (which corrodes the bones)

  attaint infection

  742 Disorder disturbance of bodily balance/(sexual) misdemeanors

  blood sexual desire

  743 Surfeits digestive disorders resulting from excessive eating or drinking

  impostumes abscesses

  747 favour facial features

  savour sweet scent

  hue complexion

  751 fruitless childless/ useless

  752 vestals virgins (specifically the priestesses who guarded the sacred fire of the temple of Vesta in Rome)

  self-loving i.e. not giving their love to a man/selfish because producing no children

  754 dearth famine

  755 prodigal extravagant

  756 oil with connotations of semen (burns then refers to sexual heat)

  760 destroy … obscurity also alludes to masturbation

  762 Sith since

  pride arrogance, self-love/state of (masturbatory) phallic erection

  slain picking up on the sexual sense of “to die” (“to orgasm”)

  763 made away murdered

  764 mischief calamity/evildoing

  765 whose … slay who commit suicide (but continues the play on masturbation)

  desperate spiritually hopeless (the state that preceded suicide)

  766 butcher-sire murdering father

  reaves deprives

  767 Foul-cank’ring discoloring and corroding

  treasure plays on sense of “semen”

  frets erodes, decays

  768 put to use loaned out with interest/employed sexually

  769 fall return (plays on the notion of Venus’ literal fall and on sense of sexual succumbing)

  770 over-handled too commonly treated (with sexual connotations)

  773 foul wicked, immoral/dirty, black

  774 treatise tale, talk

  776 moving persuasive (also suggests busy literal motion)

  777 wanton lustful

  781 Lest in case

  782 closure enclosure

  783 undone ruined

  787 reprove reject, condemn

  789 device tricks, wily ingenuity

  792 bawd pimp

  795 semblance appearance

  796 blotting tarnishing, staining

  797 Which refers to beauty

  hot tyrant i.e. lust

  stains sexually defiles

  bereaves robs, plunders

  806 text theme on which one speaks

  green young, inexperienced

  808 teen sorrow, affliction

  813 laund glade, open space in a wood

  apace swiftly

  816 eye sight

  818 late-embarkèd recently departed on a ship

  friend could also mean “lover”

  820 ridges crests

  contend strive in conflict

  821 pitchy intensely black (“pitch” is a tarlike substance)

  822 Fold in enfold, envelop

  824 flood sea

  825 stonished astonished/bewildered/dismayed
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  827 confounded confused/defeated

  828 fair … way i.e. Adonis, whose presence illuminated the path

  830 neighbour neighboring

  831 Make … of echo

  832 Passion lament

  deeply solemnly/loudly

  836 extemporally spontaneously, improvised

  837 thrall captive

  dote infatuatedly fond/foolish

  839 heavy sad

  anthem song in which two voices sing in response to each other

  845 copious abundant, verbally elaborate

  847 withal with

  848 parasites flatterers

  849 tapsters innkeepers

  850 humour mood, whim

  fantastic wits young men with fanciful ideas and wild notions

  854 moist cabinet dewy dwelling (lark’s nest on the ground)

  860 clear shining

  862 influence flow of power thought to emit from stars and planets

  863 a son i.e. Adonis, mortal but brighter than the sun (on which “son” puns)

  864 May who may

  865 myrtle the evergreen shrub or small tree was sacred to Venus

  866 o’erworn gone by

  868 hearkens listens

  870 coasteth approaches/pursues at a distance (hunting term)

  cry yelping of hounds

  875 milch doe lactating female deer

  dugs teats, udder

  876 brake thicket

  877 are … bay have cornered the prey, forcing it to turn to defend itself

  879 folds coils

  882 Appals dismays, terrifies

  confounds overcomes

  883 chase animal that is hunted

  887 curst fierce, savage

  888 strain court’sy are excessively polite regarding (i.e. hang back)

  cope encounter, fight

  889 dismal ominous

  890 surprise ambush

  894 basely fly run away in a cowardly manner

  stay the field remain on the battlefield

  895 ecstasy frenzy (of anxiety)

  899 Bids commands

  901 frothy foaming

  903 sinews nerves

  906 rate berate, angrily reprove

  murther murder/(being) a murderer

  907 spleens impulses

  909 mated checked, thwarted

  911 respects considerations/intentions

  naught … respecting heeding nothing at all/incapable of proper thinking

  912 In hand preoccupied

  914 caitiff wretch

  916 sovereign plaster sure remedy (i.e. licking)

  919 ill-resounding harshly echoing

  920 flap-mouthed a mouth with broad, hanging lips

  921 welkin sky

  volleys … voice i.e. barks repeatedly

  923 Clapping pressing down, fixing

  926 prodigies extraordinary events, regarded as omens

  928 Infusing imbuing, filling

  dreadful terrifying

  929 up in

  930 exclaims on cried out on, loudly accuses

  931 Hard-favoured harsh-featured

  932 divorce separator