Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The TragediesJohnson, Samuel
General
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies
Johnson, Samuel
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
The meaning, somewhat harshly expressed, according to our authour's
custom, is this: _We need not fear him_, the proper _remedies_ against
him _are taken_, by restoring _peace and quietness_.
IV.vi.32 (410,2) affecting one sole throne,/Without assistance] That is,
without _assessors_; without any other suffrage.
IV.vi.51 (411,3) reason with the fellow] That is, have some _talk_ with
him. In this sense Shakespeare often uses the word.
IV.vi.72 (412,4) can no more atone] To _atone_, in the active sense, is
to _reconcile_, and is so used by our authour. To _atone_ here, is, in
the neutral sense, to _come to reconciliation_. To _atone_ is to
_unite_.
IV.vi.85 (412,5) burned in their cement] [W: "cement" for "cincture or
inclosure"] _Cement_ has here its common signification.
IV.vi.98 (413,5) The breath of garlick-eaters!] To smell of garlick was
once such a brand of vulgarity, that garlick was a food forbidden to an
ancient order of Spanish knights, mentioned by Guevara.
IV.vi.112 (414,7)
they charge him even
As those should do that had deserv'd his hate,
And therein shew'd like enemies]
Their _charge_ or injunction would shew them insensible of his wrongs,
and make them _shew like enemies_. I read _shew_, not _shewed, like
enemies_.
IV.vi.124 (414,8) They'll roar him in again] As they _hooted_ at his
departure, they will _roar_ at his return; as he went out with scoffs,
he will come back with lamentations.
IV.vii.37 (417,1)
whether pride,
Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man; whether]
Ausidius assigns three probable reasons of the miscarriage of
Coriolanus; pride, which easily follows an uninterrupted train of
success; unskilfulness to regulate the consequences of his own
victories; a stubborn uniformity of nature, which could not make the
proper transition from the _casque_ or _helmet_ to the _cushion_ or
_chair of civil authority_; but acted with the same despotism in peace
as in war.
IV.vii.48 (418,2) he has a merit,/To choak it in the utterance] He has a
merit, for no other purpose than to destroy it by boasting it.
IV.vii.55 (418,4) Right's by right fouler] [W: fouled] I believe
_rights_, like _strengths_, is a plural noon. I read,
_Rights by rights_ founder, _strengths by strengths do fail_.
That is, by the exertion of one right another right is lamed.
V.i.20 (420,2) It was a bare petition] [_Bare_, for mean, beggarly.
WARBURTON.] I believe rather, a petition unsupported, unaided by names
that might give it influence.
V.i.63 (422,4) I tell you, he does sit in gold] He is inthroned in all
the pomp and pride of imperial splendour.
[Greek: Chruzothronos Aerae]--Hom.
V.i.69 (422,5) Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions] This if
apparently wrong. Sir T. Hanmer, and Dr. Warburton after him, read,
_Bound with an oath_ not to _yield to_ new _conditions_.
They might have read more smoothly,
--_to yield no new conditions_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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