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
II.iii.38 (154,8) inhoop'd, at odds] Thus the old copy. _Inhoop'd_ is
_inclosed, confined_, that they may fight. The modern editions read,
_Beat mine_, in whoop'd-_at odds_.--
II.v.1 (155,9) musick, moody food] [The _mood_ is the _mind_, or _mental
disposition_. Van Haaren's panegyrick on the English begins,
_Groot-moedig Volk, great-minded nation_.] Perhaps here is a poor jest
intended between _mood_ the _mind_ and _moods_ of musick.
II.v.41 (l57,4) Not like a formal man] [_Formal_, for ordinary. WARB.]
Rather decent, regular.
II.v.103 (161,8) Thou art not what thou'rt sure of!] For this, which is
not easily understood, Sir Thomas Hanmer has given,
_That_ say'st but _what thou'rt sure of!_
I am not satisfied with the change, which, though it affords sense,
exhibits little spirit. I fancy the line consists only of abrupt starts.
_Oh that his fault should make a knave of thee_,
That art--not what?--Thou'rt sure on't.--Get thee
hence.
_That his fault should make a knave of thee that art_--but what _shall I
say thou art not_? Thou art then sure of _this marriage._--Get thee
hence.
Dr. Warburton has received Sir T. Hanmer's emendation.
II.v.115 (161,9) Let him for ever go] She is now talking in broken
sentences, not of the messenger, but Antony.
II.vi.24 (163,2) Thou canst not fear us] Thou canst not affright us with
thy numerous navy.
II.vi.28 (163,3) But since the cuckow builds not for himself] Since,
like the cuckow, that seizes the nests of other birds, you have invaded
a house which you could not build, keep it while you can.
II.vii.1 (167,6) some o' their plants] _Plants_, besides its common
meaning, is here used for the _foot_, from the Latin.
II.vii.14 (167,9) a partizan] A pike.
II.vii.16 (167,1) To be call'd into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to
move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster
the cheeks] This speech seems to be mutilated; to supply the
deficiencies is impossible, but perhaps the sense was originally
approaching to this.
_To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in it_, is
a very ignominious state; great offices _are the holes where eyes should
be, which_, if eyes be wanting, _pitifully disaster the cheeks_.
II.vii.88 (170,2) thy pall'd fortunes] _Palled_, is vapid, past its time
of excellence; _palled_ wine, is wine that has lost its original
spriteliness.
II.vii.102 (171,3) Strike the vessels] Try whether the casks sound as
empty.
II.vii.116 (171,4) The holding every man shall bear] Every man shall
accompany the chorus by drumming on his sides, in token of concurrence
and applause. [Theobald had emended "beat" to "bear"] (1773)
III.i.1 (173,6) Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck] _Struck_ alludes
to darting. Thou whose darts have so often struck others, art struck now
thyself. (1773)
III.ii.12 (175,8) Arabian bird!] The phoenix.
III.ii.16 (176,9)
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