Twelfth Night (36 page)

3
curate
parish priest

3
the whilst
in the meantime

4
dissemble
disguise

5
dissembled
feigned, deceived

6
become
suit

7
function
task/role (of priest)

8
said
reputed

9
housekeeper
host

9
goes as fairly
sounds as good

9
careful
painstaking/conscientious

10
competitors
conspirators, partners in crime

12
Bonos dies
“good day” (mock Latin/Spanish)

12
old … Prague
an invented authority

13
never … ink
was illiterate

13
King Gorboduc
legendary British king

23
hyperbolical
immoderate/vehement/raging

23
fiend
evil spirit (supposedly possessing Malvolio)

23
vexest
torment

30
modest terms
mild expressions

31
house
i.e. room

35
barricadoes
barricades

35
clerestories
upper windows

41
puzzled
bewildered

42
Egyptians … fog
in the Bible, God punished the Egyptians with three days of darkness

45
abused
wronged/maltreated

46
constant
decided/consistent/logical

46
question
discussion, debate

47
Pythagoras
ancient Greek philosopher who believed in the transmigration of souls from humans to animals

49
grandam
grandmother

49
happily
perhaps (though may play on adverbial sense)

55
allow … wits
acknowledge you are sane

56
woodcock
proverbially stupid and easily caught bird

59
exquisite
ingenious/exact (in imitation)

60
am … waters
can turn my hand to anything

63
To
go to

65
delivered
liberated

67
upshot
final stroke, conclusion

67
by and by
straight away

72
perdy
by God (from French
par dieu
)

82
besides
out of

82
five wits
mental faculties: common sense, fantasy, judgment, memory, and imagination

83
notoriously
evidently/outrageously

85
But
only

87
propertied
packed away like a piece of furniture/a stage prop

88
face
bully

90
Advise you
be careful/consider

92
bibble babble
idle chatter

95
God buy you
goodbye, literally “God be with you”

100
shent
rebuked

104
Well-a-day
alas/would

113
requite
repay

118
a trice
an instant

119
Vice
buffoon/comic character in old morality plays

121
dagger of lath
the weapon of the Vice character

121
lath
thin wood

125
Pare
trim

125
Pare thy nails
probably a comic routine in morality plays

125
dad
the Vice was sometimes portrayed as the devil’s son

126
goodman
title for someone below the rank of gentleman

Act 4 Scene 3

6
was
had been

6
credit
report

7
range
roam

9
disputes well
i.e. agrees

11
accident
unforeseen event

12
instance
precedent

12
discourse
rationality

14
wrangle
argue

15
trust
belief

17
sway her house
govern her household

18
Take … dispatch
deal with matters of household business

21
deceivable
deceptive

24
chantry
private chapel

24
by
nearby

26
Plight … faith
pledge your love (in a binding betrothal)

27
jealous
anxious, uncertain, wary

29
Whiles
until

29
note
public knowledge

30
What
at which

30
celebration
i.e. marriage

31
birth
social status

35
fairly note
observe with favor

Act 5 Scene 1

5
This … again
seemingly refers to the anecdote about Elizabeth I and her kinsman Dr. Boleyn; she asked for his dog and promised him anything in return, upon which he asked for the animal back

8
trappings
ornaments/bits and pieces

10
for
because of

18
abused
deceived

18
so … affirmatives
if the outcome is like the response to a request for a kiss, where “no, no, no, no” means “yes, yes”

22
though
even though

23
friends
i.e. one who gives him
praise

26
But
except for the fact
double-dealing
duplicity/giving twice

29
your grace
favor/virtue (plays on the customary way of addressing a duke)

29
in your pocket
i.e. to hide it/to give money

30
flesh and blood
human instincts/frailty

30
it
i.e. the
ill counsel

31
to
as to

33
Primo, secundo, tertio
“first, second, third” (Latin)

33
play
game

34
third … all
i.e. third time lucky (proverbial)

34
triplex
triple time in music

35
tripping
nimble, skipping

35
measure
stately dance/music

35
Saint Bennet
church of Saint Benedict

38
throw
roll of the dice/occasion

41
lullaby
i.e. farewell

48
Vulcan
Roman god of fire, and the gods’ blacksmith

49
bawbling
trifling

50
For
(trifling) because of

50
draught
depth of water required to float the ship

50
unprizeable
of little value

51
scathful
damaging

51
grapple
close fighting, attempts to board another ship

52
bottom
ship (literally, ship’s hull)

53
very
even

53
envy
malice, i.e. his enemies

53
loss
defeat

56
Phoenix
name of Illyrian ship

56
fraught
cargo

56
Candy
Candia, modern Heraklion, a port in Crete

57
Tiger
name of Illyrian ship

59
desperate
disregarding

60
brabble
brawl

61
on my side
(his sword) in my defense

62
put … me
spoke to me strangely

63
but distraction
if not madness

64
Notable
notorious

66
bloody
bloodthirsty

66
dear
grievous, severe

69
Be … I
allow me to

71
base
basis

74
rude
rough

77
retention
reservation

78
All … dedication
dedicated wholly to him

79
pure
purely

80
adverse
hostile

84
face … acquaintance
deny he knew me

85
grew … wink
in the space of a moment he behaved as if we had not seen each other for twenty years

87
recommended
committed

95
But for
as for

98
but … have
except that which I refuse him, i.e. love

103
lord
if addressed to Viola, “husband” (Viola uses the sense of “master”)

105
aught
anything

106
fat
gross

106
fulsome
distasteful, nauseating

110
uncivil
uncivilized

111
ingrate
ungrateful

111
unauspicious
ill-omened, unpromising

113
tendered
offered (may play on “tender,” i.e. loving, gentle)

114
Even what
whatever/exactly what

114
become
suit

116
Egyptian thief
character from a Greek romance who tried to kill a captive he loved when his own life was threatened

118
savours nobly
has a taste of nobility

119
non-regardance
disrespect/lack of attention

120
that
since

121
screws
forces

123
minion
favorite/darling

124
tender
care for/value

126
in … spite
to the vexation of his master

127
ripe in mischief
ready to do harm

130
jocund
cheerful

130
apt
readily

131
To … rest
in order to give you ease

135
mores
such comparisons

137
tainting of
discrediting

138
beguiled
deceived

146
sirrah
sir (contemptuous; used to an inferior)

148
baseness
cowardice/lowly nature

149
strangle
stifle

149
propriety
real identity

151
that
that which

152
that thou fear’st
him you fear, i.e. Orsino

155
unfold
reveal

160
joinder
joining

161
close
meeting

163
compact
agreement

164
Sealed … function
certified by my priestly authority

165
watch
clock

168
grizzle
sprinkling of gray hair

168
case
(animal) skin

169
craft
cunning

170
trip
wrestling move to throw opponent

173
protest
declare/swear

175
Hold little faith
keep some part of your promise

176
presently
immediately

179
H’as broke
he has cut

180
coxcomb
head (with suggestion of fool’s cap resembling a cock’s crest)

184
incardinate
incarnate

186
’Od’s lifelings
by God’s little lives (mild oath)

192
set nothing by
think nothing of

193
halting
limping

193
in drink
drunk

194
tickled
i.e. beaten

194
othergates
in another way, i.e. differently