Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies — John Shaqi
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
V.iii.3 (430,6) how plainly/I have born this business] That is, _how
openly, how_ remotely from artifice or concealment.
V.iii.39 (431,7) The sorrow, that delivers us thus chang'd,/Makes you
think so] Virgilia makes a voluntary misinterpretation of her husband's
words. He says, _These eyes are not the same_, meaning, that he saw
things with _other eyes_, or other _dispositions_. She lays hold on the
word _eyes_, to turn his attention on their present appearance.
V.iii.46 (431,8) Now by the jealous queen of heaven] That is, _by Juno_,
the guardian of marriage, and consequently the avenger of connubial
perfidy.
V.iii.64 (432,1) The noble sister of Poplicola] Valeria, methinks,
should not have been brought only to fill up the procession without
speaking.
V.iii.68 (432,2) epitome of yours] I read,
--_epitome of you_.
_An epitome of you_ which, _enlarged by the commentaries of time_, may
equal you in magnitude.
V.iii.74 (433,4) every flaw] That is, every _gust_, every _storm_.
V.iii.100 (435,2) Constrains them weep, and shake] That is, _constrain_
the eye to _weep_, _and_ the heart to _shake_.
V.iii.149 (436,3) the fine strains] The niceties, the refinements.
V.iii.159 (436,5) he lets me prate,/Like one i' the stocks] Keep me in a
state of ignominy talking to no purpose.
V.iii.176 (437,6) Does reason our petition] Does _argue for_ us and our
petition.
V.iii.201 (438,7) I'll work/Myself a former fortune] I will take
advantage of this concession to restore myself to my former credit and
power.
V.iii.206 (438,8) Come, enter with us,--Ladies, you deserve] [Warburton
proposed to give the speech beginning "Ladies, you deserve" to Aufidius]
The speech suits Aufidius justly enough, if it had been written for him;
but it may, without impropriety, be spoken by Coriolanus: and since the
copies give it to him, why should we dispossess him?
V.iv.22 (439,1) He sits in state as a thing made for Alexander] In a
foregoing note he was said to _sit in gold_. The phrase, _as a thing
made for Alexander_, means, _as one made to resemble Alexander_.
V.vi.39 (443,2) He wag'd me with his countenance] This is obscure. The
meaning, I think, is, he _prescribed_ to me vith an air of authority,
and gave me _his countenance_ for _my wages_; thought me sufficiently
rewarded with good looks.
V.vi.44 (443,3) For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him] This is
the point on which I will attack him with my utmost abilities.
V.vi.66 (444,4) answering us/With our own charge] That is, _rewarding us
with our own expences_; making the cost of the war its recompence.
V.vi.125 (446,5) his fame folds in/This orbe o' th' earth] His fame
overspreads the world.
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