Are master of the feast: Cadwal, and I, Gui. that, Whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd. Bel. Stay; come not in: [Looking in. But that it eats our victuals, I should think Here were a fairy. Gui. What's the matter, sir? Enter IMOGEN. Imo. Good masters, harm me not: Before I enter'd here, I call'd; and thought To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: Good troth, I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had found 1 woodman,] A woodman, in its common acceptation (as in the present instance) signifies a hunter. For the particular and original meaning of the word, see Mr. Reed's note in Measure for Measure, Vol. III, p. 452, n. 3. Steevens. So, in The Rape of Lucrece: 2 3 "He is no woodman that doth bend his bow 66 Against a poor unseasonable doe." Malone. 'tis our match:] i. e. our compact. See p. 88, 1. 16. Steevens. ·when restive sloth —] Resty signified, mouldy, rank. See Minsheu, in v. The word is yet used in the North. Perhaps, however, it is here used in the same sense in which it is applied to a horse. Malone. Restive, in the present instance, I believe, means unquiet, shifting its posture, like a restive horse. Steevens. An earthly paragon!] The same phrase has already occurred in The Two Gentlemen of Verona: "No; but she is an earthly paragon." Steevens. Gold strew'd o' the floor." Here 's money for my meat: As I had made my meal; and parted Gui. Money, youth? Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those Who worship dirty gods. Imo. I see, you are angry: Whither bound? Have died, had I not made it. Bel. Imo. To Milford-Haven, sir.7 What is your name? Imo. Fidele, sir: I have a kinsman, who Bel. Gui. Were you a woman, youth, 5 o' the floor.] Old copy-i' the floor. Corrected by Sir T. Hanmer. Malone. and parted-] A syllable being here wanting to the measure, we might read, with Sir Thomas Hanmer and parted thence. Steevens. - sir.] This word, which is deficient in the old copies, has been supplied by some modern editor, for the sake of metre. Steevens. 8 I am fallen in this offence.] In, according to the ancient mode of writing, is here used instead of-into. Thus, in Othello: "Fallen in the practice of a cursed slave." Again, in King Richard III: "But first, I'll turn yon fellow in his grave." Steevens. I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty, I bid for you, as I'd buy.] The old copy reads. -as I do buy. The correction was made by Sir T. Hanmer. He reads unneces sarily, I'd bid for you, &c. In the folio the line is thus pointed: Arv. I'll make 't my comfort, He is a man: I 'll love him as my brother:. Imo. 'Mongst friends! If brothers?'Would it had been so, that they Had been my father's sons! then had my prize Aside. Been less; and so more equal ballasting1 To thee, Posthúmus. Bel. He wrings at some distress.2 Gui. 'Would, I could free 't! Or I; whate'er it be, What pain it cost, what danger! Gods! Bel. Imo. Great men, Hark, boys. [Whispering. That had a court no bigger than this cave, That did attend themselves, and had the virtue Which their own conscience seal'd them, (laying by "I should woo hard, but be your groom in honesty: I think this passage might be better read thus: I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty, That is, I should woo hard, but I would be your bridegroom. [And when I say, that I would woo hard, be assured that] in honesty I bid for you, only at the rate at which I would purchase you. 1 then had my prize Tyrwhitt. Been less; and so more equal ballasting -] Sir Thos. Hanmer reads plausibly, but without necessity, price for prize, and balancing for ballasting. He is followed by Dr. Warburton. The meaning is,-Had I been a less prize, I should not have been too heavy for Posthumus. Johnson. The old reading is undoubtedly the true one. So, in King Henry VI, P. III: "It is war's prize to take all vantages." Again, ibidem: "Methinks, 'tis prize enough to be his son." The same word occurs again in this play of Cymbeline, as well as in Hamlet. Steevens. 2 He wrings at some distress.] i. e. writhes with anguish. So, in our author's Much Ado about Nothing: "To those that wring under a load of sorrow." Again, in Tom Tyler and his Wife, bl. 1. "I think I have made the cullion to wring." Steevens. That nothing gift of differing multitudes,)3 I am 3 That nothing gift of differing multitudes,] The poet must mean, that court, that obsequious adoration, which the shifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. persuaded therefore our poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote: That nothing gift of defering multitudes: i. e. obsequious, paying deference.- Deferer, Ceder par respect a quelqu'un, obeir, condescendre, &c -Deferent, civil, respectueux, &c. Richelet. Theobald. He is followed by Sir Thomas Hanmer and Dr. Warburton ; but I do not see why differing may not be a general epithet, and the expression equivalent to the many-headed rabble. Johnson. It certainly may; but then nothing is predicated of the manyheaded multitude, unless we supply words that the text does not exhibit, "That worthless boon of the differing of many-headed multitude, [attending upon them, and paying their court to them;]" or suppose the whole line to be a periphrasis for adulation or obei sance. There was no such word as defering or deferring in Shakspeare's time. 66 'Deferer a une compaigne," Cotgrave, in his Dictionary, 1611, explains thus "To yeeld, referre, or attribute much, unto a companie Malone. That nothing gift which the multitude are supposed to bestow, is glory, reputation, which is a present of little value from their hands; as they are neither unanimous in giving it, nor constant in continuing it. Heath. I believe the old to be the right reading. Differing multitudes means unsteady multitudes, who are continually changing their opinions, and condemn to-day what they yesterday applauded. M. Mason. Mr. M. Mason's explanation is just. So, in the Induction to The Second Part of King Henry IV: "The still discordant, wav'ring multitude." Steevens. 4 Since Leonatus false.] Mr. M. Mason would read: Since Leonatus is false but this conjecture is injurious to the metre. If we are to connect the words in question with the preceding line, and suppose that Imogen has completed all she meant to say, we might read: Since Leonate is false. Thus, for the convenience of versification, Shakspeare sometimes calls Prospero, Prosper, and Enobarbus, Enobarbe. Steevens. As Shakspeare has used "thy mistress' ear," and "Menelaus' tent," for thy mistresses ear, and Menelauses tent, so, with still greater licence, he uses-Since Leonatus false, for-Since Leonatus is false. Malone. Boys, we 'll go dress our hunt.-Fair youth, come in: Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp'd, We'll mannerly demand thee of thy story, So far as thou wilt speak it. Gui. Pray, draw near. Arv. The night to the owl, and morn to the lark, less Enter Two Senators and Tribunes. 1 Sen. This is the tenour of the emperor's writ; Tri. Remaining now in Gallia? 1 Sen. Ay. With those legions Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy Must be supplyant: The words of your commission Will tie you to the numbers, and the time Of such a licence, I believe, there is no example either in the works of Shakspeare, or of any other author. 5 That since the common men are now in action 'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians; Steevens. And that &c.] These facts are historical. Steevens. See p. 77, n. 3. Malone. 6 and to you the tribunes, For this immediate levy, he commands His absolute commission.] He commands the commission to be given to you. So we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen. Johnson. |