36 state ... for situation is hopeless with regard to 38 thriftless unprofitable
Act 2 Scene 3
1 Approach come
2 betimes early diluculo surgere (... saluberrimum est) "to get up early is most healthy" (Latin proverb) 6 can drinking vessel
9 lives i.e. living beings (Sir Andrew interprets as "way of life") 9 four elements earth, air, fire, and water, from which everything was thought to be made 13 Marian variant of Mary/Maria
13 stoup drinking vessel/measure of alcohol
15 hearts fine friends
15 picture ... three captioned picture showing two fools or asses, so that the spectator is the third 17 catch musical round
18 breast set of lungs, singing voice
19 leg for dancing, or bowing before singing
20 thou wast you were
22 Pigrogromitus ... Queubus words invented by Feste as examples of his feigned wisdom 22 equinoctial equator
24 leman sweetheart
24 Hadst it? Did you receive it?
25 impeticos i.e. pocket up
25 gratillity gratuity (another invented word)
26 whipstock whip-handle
26 Myrmidons Achilles' followers; possible play on "Mermaid Inn," a tavern in Shakespeare's London 27 bottle-ale houses low-class taverns
32 testril of sixpenny coin from
34 song ... life drinking song (Sir Andrew interprets good as "virtuous, moral") 39 high and low i.e. in terms of pitch or volume 40 Trip go, skip
40 sweeting darling
45 hereafter in the future
47 still always
48 plenty profit
49 and twenty an intensifier (the singer's lover is "twenty times sweet") 50 stuff quality/material
51 true honest/legitimate
52 contagious breath infectious breath/catchy song
54 hear ... nose i.e. if we inhaled sound
54 dulcet in contagion sweetly contagious
55 welkin sky
55 rouse startle/wake
56 three souls three singers would have thrice the effect; powerful music was supposed to draw forth the soul 57 weaver often associated with psalm-singing, so to excite one with a drinking song would be a real achievement 58 dog i.e. good (Feste plays on the literal sense) 59 By'r lady by Our Lady, the Virgin Mary
60 'Thou knave' the words of the round
61 Hold thy peace be quiet (subsequent dialogue plays on "piece," penis) 62 constrained compelled
67 keep make
68 steward manager of household affairs
70 Catayan Catharan (puritan)
70 politicians schemers
71 Peg-a-Ramsey spying wife in a popular ballad
71 'Three ... we' popular refrain from a song
72 consanguineous blood-related
72 Tillyvally nonsense
73 'There ... lady!' the opening and refrain of a song about the biblical tale of Susanna and the Elders 74 Beshrew curse
76 grace charm
76 natural convincingly/idiotically
77 'O ... December' from an unidentified song, possibly an erroneous reference to the twelfth day of Christmas (i.e. Twelfth Night) 80 wit good sense
80 honesty decorum
80 tinkers popularly viewed as drunkards
82 squeak out i.e. sing shrilly
82 coziers' cobblers'
83 mitigation or remorse considerate lowering
85 Sneck up! Shut up!/Buzz off!
86 round blunt
87 harbours lodges
88 nothing allied not related to
92 'Farewell ... gone' over the next few lines Sir Toby and Feste adapt lines from a contemporary ballad 95 Is't even so? Is that the way things are?
100 an if if
101 spare not spare him not/be merciless
103 Out o' tune false
103 Art are (you)
105 cakes and ale i.e. festivity, particularly abhorrent to one with puritan tendencies 106 Saint Anne mother of the Virgin Mary; another anti-puritan dig 106 ginger spice in ale/aphrodisiac
108 rub ... crumbs polish your chain of office (reminding Malvolio of his servant status) 110 prized valued
111 contempt disrespect/disobedience
111 give means i.e. provide drink
112 rule behavior
113 Go ... ears i.e. like an ass; a dismissive insult 115 a-hungry (very) hungry
115 the field to a duel
120 out of quiet agitated
121 For as for
121 let ... him leave him to me
122 gull trick
122 nayword byword (for stupidity)
123 recreation source of amusement
125 Possess inform
126 puritan overly strict moralist; not necessarily a member of the extreme Protestant religious movement 128 exquisite ingenious/excellent
133 constantly consistently
133 time-pleaser time-server, flatterer
133 affectioned pretentious
133 cons ... book learns high-flown expressions by heart 134 by great swarths in broad sweeps (like quantities of scythed hay) 134 The best persuaded having the highest opinion 136 excellencies excellent features/accomplishments 136 grounds of faith foundations of belief
140 obscure epistles ambiguous letters
142 expressure expression
143 complexion appearance/coloring/temperament
143 feelingly personated accurately represented
144 on ... matter when we have forgotten the circumstances in which something was written or what it was about 145 make distinction of distinguish between
145 hands handwriting
146 device plot
153 Ass puns on "as"
155 physic medicine/treatment
157 construction interpretation
158 event outcome
159 Penthesilea Queen of the Amazons; probably refers to Maria's shortness 160 Before me mild oath like "upon my soul"
161 beagle skillful hunting dog
166 recover obtain/win
166 foul way out miserably far from success/badly out of pocket 168 cut cart-horse (castrated or with docked tail)/vagina 170 burn warm/sweeten with burnt sugar
170 sack Spanish white wine
Act 2 Scene 4
2 but (I want to hear) only
3 antique quaint/old
4 passion suffering
5 airs melodies
5 recollected terms studied, artificial expressions
13 the while in the meantime
17 Unstaid and skittish unsettled and fickle
17 motions else other emotions
18 constant faithful (contemplation of the)
20 gives ... throned reflects the heart exactly
22 masterly from experience/knowingly
24 stayed lingered
24 favour face
26 by your favour if you please (plays on the sense of "on your face") 31 still always
32 wears she she adapts herself
33 sways she level swings in perfect balance/exerts constant influence 35 fancies infatuations
36 worn exhausted
38 I ... well I believe it
40 hold the bent hold steady (from archery: holding the bow taut) 42 displayed unfurled, in full bloom
47 Mark take note of
48 spinsters spinners
49 free carefree/innocent
49 weave ... bones make lace with bone bobbins
49 Do use are accustomed
49 silly sooth simple truth
50 dallies deals lightly/toys
51 old age bygone times, good old days
54 away here
55 cypress cypress-wood coffin/among sprigs of cypress (associated with mourning) 58 stuck adorned, strewn
58 yew yew twigs, also emblematic of mourning
60 My ... it I am the truest lover who ever died for love 63 strewn pronounced "strown"
73 pleasure ... paid with pain (proverbial)
75 leave to lea
ve permission to dismiss
76 melancholy god Saturn, thought to govern melancholy dispositions 77 doublet close-fitting jacket
77 changeable taffeta shot silk, the color of which changes depending on the light 78 opal iridescent gem of changeable color
78 men ... constancy i.e. inconstant men
79 their ... everywhere "he that is everywhere is nowhere" (proverbial) 80 that's ... nothing that's the attitude that considers a useless voyage to be profitable 82 give place leave
85 dirty dishonorably acquired/despicable/muddy
86 parts attributes, i.e. wealth
87 giddily lightly
87 fortune traditionally held to be fickle
88 miracle ... gems i.e. Olivia's beauty
89 pranks adorns
96 be answered satisfied
98 bide withstand
100 retention the power to retain (emotion)
101 appetite desire/fancy
102 motion impulse/emotion
102 liver thought to be the seat of strong passion 102 palate organ of taste, i.e. easily satisfied 103 suffer undergo
103 surfeit sickening overindulgence
103 cloyment excessive gratification
103 revolt revulsion (of appetite)
104 mine i.e. my love
105 compare comparison
107 owe have for
115 history story
118 damask pink, like the damask rose
119 green and yellow sickly, pale and sallow
120 patience ... monument carved figure on a memorial 123 shows outward displays
123 are more have more substance
123 will our desires
123 still always
128 to go to
131 give no place not give way
131 denay denial
Act 2 Scene 5
1 Come thy ways come along
2 scruple tiny amount
3 boiled puns on (black) "bile," the cause of melancholy; also a joke, since melancholy was a cold, dry humor 4 niggardly mean-minded
5 sheep-biter nasty, shifty fellow (literally, a dog that attacks sheep) 7 bear-baiting a pastime that was particularly disapproved of by puritans 9 fool ... blue bruise him (metaphorically) with fooling 10 pity ... lives a pity we should live
12 metal of India i.e. pure gold, treasure
13 box-tree thick evergreen shrub used in ornamental gardens 14 walk path
15 behaviour courtly gestures
17 contemplative preoccupied/mindlessly gazing
17 Close stay hidden
19 tickling i.e. flattery; one method of catching trout is to stroke them under their gills 21 she Olivia
21 affect love/feel fondness for
21 thus near i.e. close to saying
22 fancy love
23 uses treats
24 follows serves
25 overweening arrogant/overambitious
26 rare splendid
26 turkey-cock a proverbially proud, vain bird
27 jets struts
27 advanced plumes raised feathers
28 'Slight (by) God's light
32 Pistol shoot
34 example precedent
34 lady ... wardrobe unknown allusion to the marriage of a woman to her social inferior 35 yeoman ... wardrobe servant in charge of household clothes and linen 36 Jezebel in the Bible, proud wife of Ahab, King of Israel; term for a wicked, deceptive, or lascivious woman 37 in absorbed in his own fantasies
38 blows him puffs him up
40 state canopied chair of state
41 stone-bow crossbow that shoots stones
42 officers household servants
42 branched embroidered with a branched pattern or with images of foliage 43 daybed sofa/bed for daytime reclining (with sexual associations) 47 humour of state temperament/power of one in authority 48 demure ... regard solemn survey of the room and company 49 would wish
49 Toby Malvolio omits "Sir"
50 Bolts and shackles! restraints for a prisoner
52 people servants
52 start sudden movement
52 make out go
53 perchance perhaps
54 my-- perhaps chain of office, which Malvolio momentarily forgets he would not be wearing, but he could be referring to anything; a genital quibble is probably present 55 curtsies bows
57 cars chariots/carts, i.e. by torture
60 familiar friendly
60 regard of control authoritative look
61 take strike, give
62 Cousin kinsman
63 prerogative due privilege, right
66 scab scoundrel
67 sinews muscles, strength
73 employment business
74 woodcock proverbially stupid bird
74 gin trap
75 humours whims, moods
75 intimate suggest
77 hand handwriting
78 C's ... T's "cut" was slang for "vagina," but the joke may well be on "cunt" (with and as "n") 78 great P's uppercase P's/noble vagina ("piece")/copious urination 79 in contempt of beyond
83 impressure imprint, seal
83 Lucrece Olivia's seal-ring bears the image of Lucrece, Roman heroine who committed suicide after being raped 83 uses to seal customarily seals
85 liver seat of passion
90 numbers altered meter changed
92 brock badger, used contemptuously
94 Lucrece knife knife Lucrece used to kill herself
96 sway rule
97 fustian nonsensical/pompous (literally, inferior cloth) 101 What what a
101 dressed prepared for
102 wing flight/speed
102 staniel kestrel, or small falcon
102 checks swoops
105 formal capacity normal intelligence
105 obstruction obstacle
106 position arrangement
106 portend mean
108 O, ay puns on the O ... I of M.O.A.I. make up work out 108 at ... scent has lost the trail
109 Sowter name of a hound (a "souter" was a cobbler) 109 cry bark
110 rank foul-smelling
112 cur dog
113 faults finding the scent again after the trail has gone cold 114 consonancy ... sequel consistency of pattern
115 suffers holds up
115 probation investigation
116 O shall end O ends Malvolio's name/a cry of misery will end this business/the hangman's noose ends life 119 eye puns on Ay and I
120 detraction defamation, slander
121 simulation disguised meaning
121 former earlier, clearer parts of the letter
122 crush force a meaning from
122 bow yield
124 revolve consider (with play on "turn round," which may cue Malvolio to do so) 124 stars fortunes
127 open their hands offer bounty
127 blood and spirit i.e. all of you, body and soul 128 embrace willingly accept
128 inure accustom
128 like likely
129 slough outer skin
129 opposite antagonistic/contradictory
130 tang ... state ring out on political topics
131 trick of singularity peculiar, distinctive behavior 133 ever at all times
134 cross-gartered wearing garters crossed near the knee 134 Go to i.e. come on
137 alter services exchange places of mistress and servant; with sexual innuendo 138 Fortunate-Unhappy i.e. wealthy, but lacking requited love 139 champaign open countryside
139 open clear
139 discovers reveals
140 politic political/prudent
140 baffle publicly disgrace
141 gross dull/base
141 point-device to the last detail
143 jade deceive
143 excites urges
146 manifests herself to reveals herself as
147 injunction order
147 habits ways of dressing/behavior
148 happ
y fortunate
148 strange aloof
148 stout proud, haughty
152 entertainest welcome, accept
154 still always
158 Sophy Shah of Persia
159 device plot
164 gull-catcher fool-trapper/trickster
165 Wilt ... neck? i.e. I submit totally to you 167 play gamble
167 tray-trip type of dicing game
168 bondslave slave
173 aqua-vitae strong spirits, such as brandy
174 fruits outcome
180 contempt object of contempt
181 Tartar Tartarus, hell of classical mythology
183 make one join in, tag along
Act 3 Scene 1
3.1 tabor small drum
1 Save God save
1 live by earn your living with (Feste plays on the sense of by as "next to") 7 lies by dwells near/sleeps with
8 stands is maintained
9 stand is placed
10 You have said you have had your say/fair enough 10 sentence saying
11 cheveril kidskin (pliable leather)
13 dally nicely play subtly/triflingly
14 wanton uncontrolled, ambiguous/lecherous 19 bonds legal contracts
19 disgraced them i.e. by suggesting that a man's word alone was not enough 21 yield give
32 pilchards small fish that resemble herring 34 late recently
35 orb planet, world
36 but were it not for the fact that
38 your wisdom i.e. you, a hired servant/fool 39 pass upon jest at/judge
41 commodity supply
43 for one wanting a beard/from love for a bearded man 46 these i.e. coins
46 bred multiplied; Feste asks for more money 47 put to use invested for profit (plays on the sense of "having had sex") 48 Pandarus uncle to
48 Phrygia country in Asia Minor where Troy was situated 48 Cressida and go-between for his niece and her lover Troilus
53 Cressida ... beggar in some versions of the story, Cressida became a beggar with leprosy 54 conster explain
55 out ... welkin beyond me
55 welkin sky, heavens
55 element sphere of knowledge/sky
58 craves requires
60 quality character/rank
61 haggard untrained hawk
61 check swoop
62 practice occupation
64 is fit suits the purpose
65 folly-fall'n stooping to foolishness
68 Dieu ... monsieur "God save you, sir" (French) 69 Et ... serviteur "And you, too. [I am] your servant" (French) 71 encounter approach/enter
72 trade business, with sexual innuendo
72 to with, concerning
73 bound to heading for
73 list limit, objective
75 Taste try out
76 understand support/comprehend
79 gait and entrance corresponding nouns to Sir Toby's verbs; gait puns on "gate"
80 prevented anticipated/forestalled
81 the may the
81 odours sweet smells
85 hath no voice cannot be uttered
86 pregnant receptive
86 vouchsafed (kindly) bestowed, i.e. attentive 88 all ready committed to memory, ready for use 90 hearing audience (with Cesario)
95 'Twas ... world proverbial: things haven't been the same 96 lowly feigning pretended modesty
96 compliment courtesy
98 yours your servant