Did ever, in so true a flame of liking Το Hel. Count. Madam, I had. Wherefore? tell true. For general sovereignty; and that he will'd me To cure the desperate languishes, whereof Count. For Paris, was it? speak. This was your motive Hel. My lord your son made me to think of this; Else Paris, and the medicine, and the king, Had, from the conversation of my thoughts, Haply been absent then. Count. But think you, Helen, If you should tender your supposed aid, He would receive it? He and his physicians Are of a mind; he, that they cannot help him, Embowell'd of their doctrine, have left off Hel. 4 There's something hints, f and love;] i. e. The goddess of amorous rites.-MALONE. g- notes, whose faculties inclusive-] Receipts, in which greater virtues were enclosed than appeared to observation.-JOHNSON, Embowell'd of their doctrine,] i. e. Exhausted of their skill.-STEEVENS. More than my father's skill, which was the greatest Shall, for my legacy, be sanctified By the luckiest stars in heaven: and, would your honour But give me leave to try success, I'd venture The well-lost life of mine on his grace's cure, By such a day, and hour. Count. Dost thou believ't? Hel. Ay, madam, knowingly. Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave, and love, Means, and attendants, and my loving greetings To those of mine in court; I'll stay at home, Be And pray God's blessing into thy attempt: gone to-morrow; and be sure of this, What I can help thee to, thou shalt not miss. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.—Paris. A Room in the King's Palace. Flourish Enter King, with young Lords, taking leave for the Florentine war; BERTRAM, PAROLLES, and Attendants. : King. Farewell, young lords, these warlike principles Do not throw from you:—and you, my lords, farewell :Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all, The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis receiv'd, And is enough for both.. 1 Lord. It is our hope, sir, After well enter'd' soldiers, to return And find your grace in health. King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart Will not confess he owes the malady That doth my life besiege. Farewell, young lords; Whether I live or die, be you the sons Of worthy Frenchmen: let higher Italy (Those 'bated, that inherit but the fall 2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, serve your majesty! Both. Our hearts receive your warnings. King. Farewell.-Come hither to me. [The King retires to a couch. 1 Lord. O my sweet lord, that you will stay behind us! Par. 'Tis not his fault; the spark— O, 'tis brave wars! 2 Lord. Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with; Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early. Par. An thy mind stand to it, boy, steal away bravely. Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry, Till honour be bought up, and no sword worn, 1 Commit it, count. Par. let higher Italy (Those 'bated, that inherit but the fall Of the last monarchy,) see, &c.] The ancient geographers have divided Italy into the higher and the lower, the Apennine hills being a kind of natural line of partition; the side next the Adriatic was denominated the higher Italy, and the other side the lower; and the two seas followed the same terms of distinction, the Adriatic being called the upper Sea, and the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan, the lower. Now the Sennones, or Senois, with whom the Florentines are here supposed to be at war, inhabited the higher Italy, their chief town being Arminium, now called Rimini, upon the Adriatic.-HANMer. Those 'bated here signifies, those being taken away or excepted. The sentence implies no more than they excepted, who possess modern Italy, the remains of the Roman Empire.-HOLT WHITE. m n questant―] i. e. Competitor. Before you serve.] i. e. Before you serve in war.--JOHNSON. • But one to dance with!] It should be remembered that, in Shakspeare's time, it was usual for gentlemen to dance with swords on.-MALONE. 1 Lord. Farewell, captain. 2 Lord. Sweet monsieur Parolles ! Par. Noble heroes, my sword and yours are kin. Good sparks and lustrous, a word, good metals;-You shall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio, with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his sinister cheek; it was this very sword entrenched it: say to him, I live; and observe his reports for me. 2 Lord. We shall, noble captain. Par. Mars dote on you for his novices! [Exeunt Lords.] What will you do? Ber. Stay: the king [Seeing him rise. Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the noble lords; you have restrained yourself within the list of too cold an adieu: be more expressive to them; for they wear themselves in the cap of the time, there, do muster true gait," eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star; and, though the devil lead the measure, such are to be followed: after them, and take a more dilated farewell. Ber. And I will do so. Par. Worthy fellows; and, like to prove most sinewy sword-men. Exeunt BERTRAM and PAROLLES. Enter LAFEU. Laf. Pardon, my lord, [kneeling.] for me and for my tidings. King. I'll fee thee to stand up. Laf. Then here's a man Stands, that has brought his pardon. I would you That, at my bidding, you could so stand up. P there, do muster true gait, &c.] The meaning is that those lords living constantly in the court, or, as Shakspeare expresses it, wearing themselves in the cap of the time, do there muster the true gait, i. e. gain perfect knowledge of the most approved rules of conduct,-they eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star; of the person in the highest repute for fashion. 9 measure,] i. e. The dance. Laf. Goodfaith, across : But, my good lord, 'tis thus; Will you be cur'd Of your infirmity? King. Laf. No. O, will you eat No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will, To give Great Charlemain a pen in his hand, If King. What her is this? Laf. Why, doctor she; My lord, there's one arriv'd, you will see her, now, by my faith and honour, If seriously I may convey my thoughts In this my light deliverance, I have spoke Now, good Lafeu, King. By wond'ring how thou took'st it. Laf. And not be all day neither. r Nay, I'll fit you, [Exit LAFEU. across:] This word is used when any pass of wit miscarries.-JOHNSON. While chivalry was in vogue, breaking spears against a quintain was a favourite exercise. He who shivered the greatest number was esteemed the most adroit; but then it was to be performed exactly with the point, for if achieved by a side stroke, or across, it shewed unskilfulness, and disgraced the practiser. HOLT WHITE. t u medicine]-here put for a female physician. - profession,] i. e. Her declaration of the end and purpose of her coming. ▾ Than I dare blame my weakness:] Lafeu's meaning appears to be this:"That the amazement she excited in him was so great, that he could not impute it merely to his own weakness, but to the wonderful qualities of the object that occasioned it.-M. MASON. |