As he had lost some province, and a region A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and Cam. I dare not know, my lord. Polix. How dare not!-do not? Do you know, and dare not 50 Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts; Myself thus alter'd with't. Cam. There is a sickness Which puts some of us in distemper; but I cannot name the disease; and it is caught Polix. How! caught of me ! Make me not sighted like the basilisk: 51 I've look'd on thousands, who have sped the better 50 "Suck, or something such, is the true interpretation of your language." 'Be intelligent" here means give intelligence. 51 Shakespeare has many allusions to this old fabulous serpent, which was said to have the power of killing by its look, or of darting deadly venom from its eyes. Cockatrice was another name of the beast. See vol. v. page 207, note 15. In whose success we're gentle,52 - I beseech you, If you know aught which does behove my knowledge In ignorant concealment. Cam. I may not answer. Polix. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well! I conjure 53 thee, by all the parts of man - whereof the least Is not this suit of mine,54 - that thou declare What incidency thou dost guess of harm Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near; If not, how best to bear it. Cam. Sir, I'll tell you; Since I am charged in honour, and by him That I think honourable: therefore mark my counsel, I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me Cry lost, and so good night! Polix. On, good Camillo. Cam. I am appointed him 55 to murder you. 52" In whose succession, or by succession from whom, we are well-born, or inherit our nobility of rank." So both success and gentle were often used; the latter being opposed to simple, or low-born.- Clerk-like is learned or scholarly; scholar being the proper meaning of clerk. 53 In Shakespeare's time, conjure, in the sense of earnestly request, was pronounced with the accent on the first or the second syllable, indifferently; the two ways of pronunciation not having become appropriated to the different senses of the word. 54 Some obscurity again. Whereof refers to parts; parts means duties, claims, or rights; and the order of the words according to the sense is, "whereof this suit of mine is not the least"; that is, not the least of all the claims of man which honour does acknowledge. - Incidency is contingency or likelihood; what is likely to happen or befall. 55 Am appointed the one, or the man, apparently. Polix. By whom, Camillo ? Cam. Polix. By the King. For what? Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears, As he had seen't, or been an instrument you to't, that you have touch'd his Queen To vice 56 Polix. O, then my best blood turn To an infected jelly, and my name Be yoked with his 57 that did betray the Best! A savour that may strike the dullest nostril Cam. Swear this thought over By each particular star in heaven and 56 Vice is commonly explained as meaning to force; the word being used of any engine worked by a screw. This explanation is certainly countenanced by a passage in Twelfth Night, v. 1: "Since you to non-regardance cast my faith, and that I partly know the instrument that screws me from my true place in your favour," &c. Another explanation may be, that vice is here used in the sense of to tempt, to corrupt, to vitiate. Mr. Joseph Crosby thinks it may be “ that the Poet here purposely employed the word vice as possessing a double propriety, implying not only 'as though he had been an instrument to urge you to it,' but 'had been a vicious instrument, viciously to screw you up, or impel you along, to the commission of this crime.' 57 Judas. A clause in the sentence of excommunicated persons was, "let them have part with Judas that betrayed Christ." Polix. How should this grow? Cam. I know not: but I'm sure 'tis safer to Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night! Your followers I will whisper to the business; Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove, I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer Than one condemn'd by th' King's own mouth, thereon I saw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand: Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready, and Is for a precious creature as she's rare, In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me: The gracious Queen, Part of his theme, discomfort Of his ill-ta'en suspicion !59 Come, Camillo ; 58 Places clearly means offices or honours. Polixenes means that Camillo shall be placed near him, or in the highest offices under him. 59 The meaning seems to be, " May a speedy departure befriend me, and I will respect thee as a father, if Thou bear'st my life off hence: let us avoid. The keys of all the posterns: please your Highness [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.Sicilia. A Room in the Palace. Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies. Herm. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring. 1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord, Shall I be your playfellow? Mam. No, I'll none of you. I Lady. Why, my sweet lord? Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if I were a baby still. - I love you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my lord? Mam. Not for because Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say, Too much hair there, but in a semicircle, Or a half-moon made with a pen. nowise discomfort the Queen in respect of his groundless suspicion! Polixenes is apprehensive, as he well may be, that his flight will confirm the jealousy of Leontes, and so add to the sufferings of the Queen. And such is indeed the effect of the "good expedition " that rescues him from danger. Shakespeare often uses nothing simply as a strong negative, equivalent to nowise or not at all. He also repeatedly uses of with the force of in respect of. See Critical Notes. |