GLOSSARY AND NOTES BY J. THOMSON ACT I Page 3, line 12. - Two hours': the probable duration of a Drama in Shakespeare's time; see Prologue to " Henry VIII". Carry coals: put up with insults; Carriers of coals were esteemed the lowest of menials. 5, 1. 7,7. Poor John a sorry dish of a fish called hake, an inferior sort of cod, eaten by servitors during Lent. 7, 16. Bite my thumb: a mode of quarrelling common to Shakespeare's time, originally peculiar to Italy. 11, 17. Free-town a translation of Villa Franca, the name used in Brooke's poem of Romeus and Juliet, published in 1562. 15, 1. Create should be created; create improperly introduces a couplet amidst blank verse. 15, 9. Either gentle cousin should be read after Why; or, Benvolio after such. The line that rhymed with this is lost. Me who she is you love apparently dropped. : 17, 12. Hers exquisite: elliptical for to call hers, which is exquisite, the more into contemplation. 18, 9. -Fourteen years: In Brooke's poem Capulet says XVI yeres; and in the Palace of Pleasure, the age is given as not yet attayned to the age of XVIII yeares. 18, 13. Early made should be early marri'd as in first quarto, the play upon the marr'd and marri'd seems more likely than the repetition of made the last word of the previous line. 18, 15. Of my earth: meaning, hopeful lady of my world, my life. 19, 13. A much disputed line. The reading in the text has the authority of the first quarto. One was regarded as no number. The conceit is obscurely expressed. 20, 12. God-den: a corruption of good-e'en for good evening; which salutation was used as soon as noon was past, after which time good-morrow, or good-day, was esteemed improper. 21, 3. This, and the lines down to Helena though written as prose, are in verse: Anselme must be read Anselmo and the word and inserted before Livia as in first quarto. 22, I. Crush a cup as we now say, crack a bottle. : 22, 15. Tut probably written Tut! tut! as required by the metre. Teen sorrow. 24, 4. Lammas-tide the first of August. 24, 12. : Eleven years : much discussion has been had to prove that Shakespeare referred to an earthquake felt in England in April 1580. The Nurse's reckonings cannot be made. to tally. Quoth the dove-house: refers to the effect of the 26, 11. Your mother according to the strict letter this would make Lady Capulet 26 or 27 while Capulet is at least three-score. Shakespeare evidently described Juliet's mother as being considerably older than 27. 27, 21. County count. 28, 9. Entrance here a trisyllable. 29, 22. Senseless rushes in Shakespeare's time it was the custom to strew rooms, and the stage with rushes. >> 30, 4. Dun's the mouse: apparently, keep still; but the meaning of the phrase is wholly lost. Burn daylight waste time. 31, 13. Round little worm: when maids were idle, it was believed that worms bred in their fingers. 31, 24. - Sweetmeats: kissing comfits, or, artificial aids to sweeten the breath. 325 8. Plats the manes: believed to be a common trick of malignant spirits for the annoyance of man and beast. Strike, drum a stage direction only; to change 33, 16. March-pane: a kind of almond cake; a favourite dessert. 34, 16. ring! a ring! 36, A hall, a hall make room, as we now cry, a 6. Fleer sneer, grin. 36, 15. carriage. 37, 11. Portly: well behaved. Not, necessarily, of large Contrary accented on second syllable; this is the only instance of the verb in Shakespeare. 37, 12. Princox a coxcomb. 39, 12. 66 Is it e'en so according to the old stage direction they whisper in his eare ", their reason for going, to which this is his assent. Romeo and Juliet. 21 ACT II 43, 1. The Prologue, in the Quartos and Folios, ends Act I. 44, 6. 45, 10. Dull earth: Romeo's earthly self. Ape used like poor fool. 46, 6. Poperin pear: a poor pear from Poperingues in France. 46, 11. He jests this is Romeo's soliloquized answer to Mercutio, to whom he had refused to disclose himself. 48, 7. -Thou art thyself: i. e. Montague or not, you would be the same, would be Romeo's true self. 48, 12. Name: reads word except in first quarto. 3. 49, Tear the word as an actor would tear up or change a part he disliked. 50, 13. Farewell compliment: away with formality. 51, 14. Contract as a noun it is accented variably on either syllable; as a verb always on the second syllable. Afeard used interchangeably with afraid. 52, 15. 54, 2. : Tassel-gentle a prized male hawk appropriated to a Prince therefore selected by Juliet to represent her Romeo. 55, 16. good hap. 56, 15. 57, 3. of smell. 60, 3. 61, 3. - Dear hap good fortune the first quarto has Mickle much. : With that part with the olfactory nerves, or sense Sudden haste it imports me much to be speedy. Dares, being dared: a play of words, on dare, to venture, and dare, to challenge. |