50 honour object of distinction
52 obloquy disgrace
54 honour's virginity's
54 ring with vaginal connotations
58 proper personal
63 bid commanded
65 order take make arrangements
66 band bond
67 yet maiden still virgin
72 proceeds comes to pass
73 token betoken, signify
75 wife i.e. by having sex
75 hope i.e. of marrying Bertram
75 be done ends
81 like same
83 braid i.e. twisted, deceitful
84 Marry let those marry
85 disguise deceptive role
86 cozen trick
Act 4 Scene 3
4.3 Location: battlefield
2 since ago
5 worthy deserved
8 his bounty (the instrument of) his generosity
10 darkly secretly
13 perverted seduced/corrupted
14 fleshes rewards with meat (as hounds were given a piece of the kill; sexual connotations) 15 will sexual desire/penis
15 spoil plundered loot/despoiling/meat given to hounds 16 monumental i.e. serving as a reminder of his ancestry 16 made successful
17 composition bargain (plays on the sense of "something made") 18 delay subdue
18 rebellion rebellious, lustful appetites
18 ourselves i.e. human
20 Merely entirely
21 still always
21 themselves i.e. their true, treacherous natures 22 attain to reach
22 ends objectives/deaths
22 he i.e. Bertram
23 contrives conspires
23 proper stream own current of desire
25 Is ... meant does it not show (as)
28 dieted ... hour restricted to his appointed time 29 apace quickly
30 company companion
30 anatomized dissected, revealed
31 curiously ... counterfeit elaborately he has displayed this false jewel (Parolles) 33 him i.e. Parolles
33 he ... his i.e. Bertram
34 the other i.e. Parolles
36 overture opening, move toward
39 higher further
40 demand question
40 of his council in his confidence
42 deal ... act partaker in his affairs
45 pretence purpose
46 sanctimony holiness
50 justified proved
53 office role
54 rector priest/ruler
57 arming establishment, strengthening
57 verity truth
59 make ... of take comfort in
63 encountered met
68 cherished comforted, pitied
71 solemn formal
71 for leave for
72 offered given
74 needful necessary
74 if even if
75 more ... commend stronger commendations than Bertram deserves 79 dispatched settled
80 by ... success quickly and successfully/here follows a summary of my success 81 congied with taken ceremonious leave of
81 nearest closest company
83 entertained my convoy hired my means of transport 84 parcels of dispatch major items of business 84 nicer more delicate/lascivious
89 hear of it i.e. because Diana may be pregnant and/or may claim him as her husband 92 module model (of a soldier)
92 double-meaning prophesier ambiguous, equivocal oracle 94 stocks instrument of public punishment in which the arms, head, or legs were confined 94 gallant showy, ostentatious
95 usurping laying false claim to
96 spurs symbols of knightly valor
96 carry bear, conduct (the Second Lord puns on the sense of "transport") 99 shed spilled
101 time ... remembrance beginning of his memory 101 instant disaster current misfortune
103 a he
109 Hoodman term for the blindfolded player in the game Blind Man's Bluff 112 constraint force
113 pasty meat pie with pinched crusts
117 note memorandum/list
119 horse cavalry
120 is strong i.e. has
126 take the sacrament i.e. swear most religiously 126 how and which however and whichever
128 All's one it's all the same
128 past-saving beyond redemption
131 theoric theory
132 chape metal plate covering the point of the sheath 134 clean free from blood/polished
140 con i.e. give
140 in the nature considering the way in which 145 marvellous extremely
147 a-foot in terms of foot soldiers
148 live i.e. live only for
150 so as
153 muster-file official list of soldiers
153 rotten and sound (of those both) sick and healthy 154 poll heads, i.e. soldiers
155 cassocks soldier's cloaks/coats
159 condition (military) character
164 well-weighing heavy/persuasive
167 particular individual points
168 inter'gatories questions
170 botcher mender (of clothes and shoes)
170 'prentice apprentice
171 shrieve's fool idiot girl in the sheriff's care 172 innocent fool
173 him nay no to him
175 his ... falls i.e. he is in danger of a sudden death 178 lousy lice-infested/contemptible
184 o'th'band of the military company
186 good sadness all seriousness
194 advertisement advice, warning
194 proper respectable
196 ruttish lustful
196 up back
198 favour permission
202 fry young fish
203 both-sides two-faced
204 drop offer, pay with
205 scores incurs a bill
206 Half ... it one is halfway there if the bargain is well-made, so set out your terms clearly (or "be even") and succeed 207 after-debts outstanding bills
207 it i.e. payment
209 mell mingle/have sex
210 For count on account/so be sure
211 before in advance
214 in's on his
215 manifold linguist speaker of many languages 216 armipotent powerful in arms
220 fain obliged
223 nature my natural life
229 egg ... cloister i.e. trifling thing, even from a holy place 230 Nessus centaur who tried to rape Hercules' wife 230 professes not does not make a practice of 232 Hercules Greek hero famed for feats of strength 234 swine-drunk drunk as a pig (i.e. excessively drunk--and thus likely to wet his bed-clothes) 235 they i.e. the servants who put him to bed 235 conditions habits
243 led ... tragedians drums announced a performance by actors 244 belie tell lies about
246 Mile-end field outside the city of London where citizen militia were trained 247 doubling of files simple military marching maneuver 254 cardecue quart d'ecu, small French silver coin 254 fee-simple absolute possession (legal term used of land or property) 255 cut ... perpetually prevent inheritance to all subsequent heirs forever 262 for as
263 lackey errand-running servant
264 coming on advancing
267 captain ... horse cavalry commander
270 no more have nothing more to do with
271 beguile the supposition deceive the opinion 276 discovered revealed
277 pestiferous malicious, pestilent
278 held regarded
286 you you send
287 for bound for
289 in on
290 a very an absolute
292 undone ruined/undressed
295 but only
297 impudent shameless, immodest
299 great big/noble
303 Who he who
307 fooled made a fool of/tricked
Act 4 Scene 4
4.4 Location: Florence
2 One ... world i.e. the French king
3 surety guarantor
&n
bsp; 6 which gratitude gratitude for which
7 Through even through
7 Tartar inhabitant of Central Asia, considered pitiless and savage 10 convenient convoy suitable means of transport 11 breaking disbanding
12 hies him hastens
14 our welcome i.e. we are expected
21 be i.e. provide
21 dower dowry
22 motive agent/means
25 saucy trusting lecherous acceptance
25 cozened deluded
26 Defiles blackens/pollutes
26 pitchy dark (pitch is a tar-like substance) 27 loathes i.e. Helen
27 for ... away i.e. in place of Diana 29 yet further
31 death and honesty i.e. a chaste death 32 Go with i.e. result from
32 impositions commands
33 Upon at
34 Yet for a while
35 But ... word through the power of word alone: either a metaphysical reference to the "word of God" or a meta-theatrical reference to the power of theater 38 revives will reinvigorate
39 fine's end's
40 renown i.e. important thing
Act 4 Scene 5
4.5 Location: Rossillion
1 with by
1 snipt-taffeta in slashed silk, indicative of showiness 2 saffron orange-red dye used to color ruffs and food 3 unbaked uncooked/immature/impressionable
3 doughy dough-like/malleable
4 Your i.e. had it not been for Parolles, your 6 humble-bee bumble-bee
10 dearest direst/most precious
10 groans ... mother i.e. in labor
11 rooted established/planted (Lafew develops this sense) 13 light on come across
14 sweet marjoram type of herb
15 herb of grace rue, herb associated with repentance (suggests Helen's spiritual grace) 16 herbs edible salad plants
16 nose-herbs scented plants for smelling
17 Nebuchadnezzar Babylonian king, forced from his kingdom and made to eat grass 18 grace puns on "grass"
19 Whether which of the two
20 fool supposedly fools had big penises
20 service employment/sexual service
23 cozen cheat
23 service duty, i.e. sex
25 bauble fool's baton with a carved head on one end/penis 25 do with sexual connotations
27 subscribe vouch/answer
34 maine mane, like that of a royal English lion/meinie, family, retinue 34 fisnomy physiognomy, facial features
35 hotter in France choleric, angry, warlike (to the French)/susceptible to the "French disease" (syphilis) 37 black prince Edward the Black Prince of England, son of Edward III 39 Hold thee be quiet
40 suggest tempt
42 woodland rustic, i.e. simple
43 fire also "hellfire"
44 prince ... world another title for the devil 45 narrow gate according to the Bible, the route to salvation (Matthew 7:13) 46 pomp proud, showy people
47 many majority
47 chill faint-hearted/sensitive to cold (thus preferring the warmth of hellfire) 47 tender fond of comfort
50 Go thy ways be off
51 before now, before I grow truly fed up with you 52 tricks i.e. tampering with the horses' feed to save hay 53 jades' tricks mischief caused by badly behaved horses 55 shrewd cunning, mischievous
55 unhappy unlucky/discontented/mischievous
56 gone dead (i.e. her husband the count)
59 pace restraint, obedient movement (horse-training term) 61 lady's i.e. Helen's
62 moved urged, persuaded
64 minority youth, when they were minors
64 self-gracious remembrance his own thoughtfulness, without prompting 65 propose i.e. for marriage to Bertram 71 post rapidly
72 numbered was aged
73 him i.e. a messenger
73 intelligence information
78 with ... admitted how I might with propriety be allowed to be present (at the meeting of Bertram and the king) 80 but only
80 your honourable privilege the privilege due your honored self 81 charter claim
83 patch of velvet used to cover either battle scars or those resulting from syphilis treatment 85 knows plays on no
86 two ... half i.e. covered with thick velvet 86 worn bare without a velvet patch/hairless (from syphilis) 88 liv'ry badge
89 belike probably
90 carbonadoed slashed (like meat for cooking)/cut in the manner of incisions made for syphilis treatment Act 5 Scene 1
5.1 Location: Marseilles
1 exceeding posting exceptional haste
2 wear wear out
5 bold confident
5 my requital the reward I shall give you
6 In happy time fortunately met
6 Gentle Astringer gentleman keeper of hawks 8 spend exert
12 fall'n less than/altered
14 sharp urgent
14 occasions needs
15 nice overscrupulous
15 put urge/compel
20 petition request
26 hence removed departed from here
27 use custom
28 pains efforts
35 like likely
36 commend commit
37 presume assure (you)
40 means ... means resources will enable us
43 falls more else happens
44 provide prepare
Act 5 Scene 2
5.2 Location: Rossillion
1 Lavache Parolles clarifies the name's probable derivation (vache is French for "cow") 4 mood anger/temper (puns on "mud")
6 sluttish a whore/dirty
8 butt'ring preparation/cooking
8 allow the wind i.e. stand downwind of me, so I don't have to smell you 9 stop block
14 me for me
15 paper i.e. soiled with excrement
16 close-stool toilet/chamber-pot enclosed in a stool 18 purr knave, jack in a card game/cat noise/animal dung 19 musk-cat i.e. perfume, the musky substance obtained from the anal glands of the civet cat 20 withal with it
21 carp fish bred in ponds/chatterer
22 ingenious wily/un-genious, i.e. stupid 23 smiles of comfort gloating (ironic usage)
27 pare trim
30 cardecue small silver coin
30 justices magistrates, responsible for dealing with beggars under Elizabethan law 36 "word" a single word, as Parolles' name means "words"
36 Cox cock's (i.e. God's)
36 Cox my passion! By God's passion! (i.e. Christ's suffering) 38 me me out
39 sooth truth
39 lost parted with/abandoned
40 in into
41 out of favor
42 Out upon thee expression of frustration and condemnation 45 inquire ... me ask for me later
Act 5 Scene 3
1 of in
1 our esteem my worth
4 home fully, truly
6 make consider
7 Natural i.e. of the passions
7 i'th'blade in the greenness, immaturity (sometimes emended to "blaze" for consistency with subsequent fire imagery) 12 high bent pulled fully taut for action (like a bow) 13 watched awaited
15 my pardon i.e. you to pardon me
19 astonish stun/dazzle
19 survey sight, gaze
20 richest most noble/most experienced
25 view sight (of him)
25 kill All repetition put an end to going over past wrongs 27 dead forgotten (also a reminder that Helen is supposed dead) 29 incensing relics anger-rousing memories
30 stranger i.e. person whose story is unknown 32 GENTLEMAN i.e. an attendant
35 hath reference to is at the disposal of
39 day of season i.e. inclined to one unchanging disposition 39 season time of year/weather
42 Distracted breaking/agitated
44 high-repented blames bitterly regretted faults 45 to in
46 whole mended/well
47 consumed used up/passed
48 take ... top tug occasion by the forelo
ck (hair at the front of the head) 49 quick'st most lively/urgent
54 stuck fixed
55 Durst dared
55 herald messenger
56 Where i.e. in my heart
56 impression image (of Lafew's daughter)
56 infixing was implanted/fastened onto
57 perspective optical glass that produced a distorted image 58 favour (woman's) face
59 fair colour beautiful appearance/pale complexion (considered attractive) 59 expressed deemed (it to be)
59 stol'n i.e. falsely created with cosmetics 60 Extended or contracted (the perspective) distorted by elongating or shortening 61 object spectacle/sight
62 she i.e. Helen
66 scores debts
67 great count large account/judgment day
68 remorseful compassionate
68 pardon reprieve from death
68 slowly carried i.e. delivered too late 69 turns becomes
71 Make trivial price undervalue
72 knowing acknowledging
72 know their grave i.e. lose them
73 displeasures wrongs
74 weep weep over, mourn
74 dust remains
76 out through
77 knell funeral bell
78 Maudlin Magdalen, Lafew's daughter; means "sorrowful" (may recall Mary Magdalene) 79 main consents i.e. agreements of the most important parties 82 they meet Bertram and Maudlin marry/the first and second marriages become similar 82 cesse variant form of "cease" (some editors assign the closing couplet to the countess, though with no warrant from the Folio) 84 digested incorporated
84 favour love token
86 come yield/come forth
90 last last time
90 took her leave said farewell to her
96 bade told
97 Necessitied to in dire need of
98 reave deprive/rob
99 stead help, support
104 reckoned valued
105 At as highly as
105 rate worth
108 casement window
111 engaged pledged (to her)
111 subscribed To acknowledged
113 answer ... overture respond honorably to her advances 115 heavy satisfaction sad resignation
117 Plutus Greek god of wealth
118 tinct tincture, elixir
118 multiplying med'cine alchemical formula for turning base metals into gold 119 science knowledge
124 to surety as witness
128 upon ... disaster in the event of some terrible misfortune befalling her 131 conjectural speculative
132 fain willingly
138 fore-past former
138 fall turn out
139 Shall ... vanity will not reprove my fears for being foolish; rather my fears have foolishly not been apprehensive enough 140 vainly stupidly/wrongly
141 sift examine carefully
141 Gentleman [the Astringer] though no mention is made here of his status as a hawk-keeper 150 for on account of
150 removes stages in a royal progress (Helen kept missing the king) 150 short i.e. too late
151 tender offer
152 vanquished won
153 this this time
154 looks manifests itself
155 importing visage countenance full of urgency 156 brief summary
161 honour's paid i.e. virginity's surrendered 161 taking no leave without saying goodbye 165 in at
165 fair i.e. where stolen or poor-quality goods were for sale; Lafew reasons that even there he would receive a better deal than in accepting Bertram for his daughter 165 toll for this sell Bertram at a market (where vendors paid a fee and entered their goods in the toll-book) 168 suitors petitioners