The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [2492]
I.iii.78 (28,1) The specialty of rule] The particular rights of supreme authority.
I.iii.81 (29,2) When that the general is not like the hive] The meaning is, When the general is not to the army like the hive to the bees, the repository of the stock of every individual, that to which each particular resorts with whatever be has collected for the good of the whole, what honey is expected? what hope of advantage? The sense is clear, the expression is confused.
I.iii.101 (30,5) Oh, when degree is shak'd] I would read,
—So when degree is shak'd. (see 1765, VII, 431, 5)
I.iii.103 (30,6) The enterprize] Perhaps we should read,
Then enterprize is sick!—
I.iii.104 (30,7) brotherhoods in cities] Corporations, companies, confraternities.
I.iii.128 (31,8) That by a pace goes backward] That goes backward step by step.
I.iii.128 (31,9) with a purpose/It hath to climb] With a design in each man to aggrandize himself, by slighting his immediate superior.
I.iii.134 (31,1) bloodless emulation] An emulation not vigorous and active, but malignant and sluggish.
I.iii.152 (31,2) Thy topless deputation] Topless is that has nothing topping or overtopping it; supreme; sovereign.
I.iii.167 (32,3) as near as the extremest ends/Of parallels] The parallels to which the allusion seems to be made are the parallels on a map. As like as East to West.
I.iii.179 (32,4)
All our abilities, gifts, natures, shapes,
Severals and generals of grace exact,
Atchievements, plots]
The meaning is this, All our good grace exact, means of excellence irreprehensible.
I.iii.184 (32,5) to make paradoxes] Paradoxes may have a meaning, but it is not clear and distinct. I wish the copies had given,
—to make parodies.
I.iii.188 (33,6) bears his head/In such a rein] That is, holds up his head as haughtily. We still say of a girl, she bridles.
I.iii.196 (33,7) How rank soever rounded in with danger] A rank weed is a high weed. The modern editions silently read,
How hard soever—
I.iii.202 (33,8) and know by measure/Of their observant toil the enemies' weight] I think it were better to read,
—and know the measure,
By their observant toil, of th' enemies' weight.
I.iii.220 (34,1) Achilles' arm] So the copies. Perhaps the author wrote,
—Alcides' arm.
I.iii.262 (35,4) long continu'd truce] Of this long truce there has been no notice taken; in this very act it is said, that Ajax coped Hector yesterday in the battle.
I.iii.270 (36,7) (With truant vows to her own lips he loves)] That is, confession made with idle vows to the lips of her whom he loves.
I.iii.319 (37,1) nursery] Alluding to a plantation called a nursery.
I.iii.341 (38,4) scantling] That is, a measure, proportion. The carpenter cuts his wood to a certain scantling.
I.iii.343 (38,5) small pricks] Small points compared with the volumes.
II.i (40,1) The Grecian camp. Enter Ajax and Thorsites] ACT II.] This play is not divided into acts in any of the original editions.
II.i.13 (41,2) The plague of Greece] Alluding perhaps to the plague sent by Apollo on the Grecian army.
II.i.15 (41,3) Speak then, thou unsalted leaven, speak] [T: unwinnow'dst] [W: windyest] Hanmer preserves whinid'st, the reading of the folio; but does not explain it, nor do I understand it. If the folio be followed, I read, vinew'd, that is mouldy leven. Thou composition of mustiness and sourness.—Theobald's assertion, however confident, is false. Unsalted leaven is in the old quarto. It means sour without salt, malignity without wit. Shakespeare wrote first unsalted; but recollecting that want of salt was no fault in leaven, changed it to vinew'd.
II.i.38 (42,5) aye that thou bark'st at him] I read, O that thou bark'dst at him.
II.i.42 (42,6) pun thee into shivers] Pun is in the midland counties the vulgar and colloquial word for pound. (1773)
II.i.125 (45,1) when Achilles' brach bids me] The