Read The Sonnets and Other Poems Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
The Sonnets and Other Poems (39 page)
46
with … intent
determined to act swiftly
47
liver
considered the seat of the passions, especially sexual desire
48
heat
lust
49
still blasts
always withers
53
underprop
support, maintain
55
despite
spite
57
in … intitulèd
entitled to that white
58
Venus’ doves
the goddess of love had a chariot drawn by white doves
fair
pale, white
field
battlefield/surface of a shield on which the heraldic device is displayed (i.e. Lucrece’s face)
59
Virtue … red
i.e. as red is the color of modest blushes
60
golden age
mythical first age of perfection and happiness
gild
tinge with gold or red
61
shield
protection/insignia
63
assailed
attacked
fence
defend
64
heraldry
heraldic symbolism
65
Argued
(disputed over and) demonstrated
67
world’s minority
the beginnings of time
68
still
constantly
70
seat
throne
73
traitor eye encloses
treacherous gaze is surrounded
77
in
over
79
niggard prodigal
i.e. both inadequate, yet unwisely lavish in her praises
82
doth owe
has yet to pay
83
answers
makes good, pays
surmise
conjecture, imagination
84
still-gazing
gazing uninterruptedly
88
limed
caught with birdlime, a sticky substance smeared on branches
secret
deceptive, containing a trap
89
securely
unsuspectingly
cheer
welcome, hospitable entertainment
90
reverend
respectful
92
that
i.e. his
inward will
coloured
concealed
93
pleats
folds (of cloth as if his
majesty
were a cloak)
94
That
so that
inordinate
irregular, out of the ordinary
97
so … store
feels so deprived despite having so much
98
pineth
starves/yearns
99
coped
encountered (literally, fought/embraced sexually)
stranger
a stranger’s
100
parling
speaking/negotiating (military term)
101
subtle shining secrecies
sly secret thoughts that gleamed in his eyes
102
margents
margins
103
touched no
sensed, guessed at/had nothing to do with (plays on sense of “had no sexual contact with”)
104
moralize
interpret
wanton sight
lascivious gaze
105
More … light
other than to note that his eyes gleamed in the light
106
stories
relates
108
decks
adorns
110
bruisèd arms
dented armor
111
heaved-up
raised
112
greets
i.e. thanks
116
fair
clear, cloud-free
welkin
sky, i.e. face
117
sable
black
119
vaulty
cellarlike/having an arched roof
stows
stores
121
Intending
pretending
heavy spright
sleepy spirits
122
questionèd
conversed
123
wore out
passed
125
to … betake
goes to bed
126
cares
troubles, anxiety
127
revolving
turning over in his mind
128
sundry
various
of … obtaining
involved in achieving his sexual desires
130
weak-built hopes
little expectation of success
131
traffic … gaining
often trades dishonestly for profit
132
treasure
quibbles on sense of “vagina”
meed
reward
133
adjunct
the consequence
supposed
anticipated, thought of
134
fond
foolish/infatuated with
135
that … bond
i.e. they waste what they do have in an attempt to get what they do not
137
hoping
hoping for
139
surfeit
overindulge and become ill
sustain
suffer
144
one … gage
i.e. we’re willing to stake everything
145
As
such as
fell
fierce, savage
148
ventr’ing ill
undertaking a foolish risk/venturing to commit a sin
leave
cease
149
expect
hope for
150
infirmity
weakness
151
defect
insufficiency
153
wit
sense, intelligence
154
augmenting
i.e. seeking to augment
155
hazard
a risk, gamble
doting
foolish/infatuated
157
forsake
abandon
160
confounds
defeats, overthrows
164
comfortable
comforting
165
death-boding cries
animal noises which foretold death; the sounds of
owls
and
wolves
were considered ill omens
166
season
time
surprise
attack suddenly
167
silly
defenseless
170
mantle
cloak
rudely
roughly
174
betake … retire
withdraw
175
rude
violent/uncivilized/unruly
176
falchion
curved sword
smiteth
strikes
179
lodestar
guiding light
180
advisedly
deliberately
183
premeditate
ponder upon, anticipate
188
His … lust
his poor defense of his intentions, namely lust, which is always destroyed upon being satisfied
189
justly
rightfully, rationally
192
unhallowed
wicked, unholy
196
weed
garment
198
grave
memorial tomb, i.e. the future reputation of his family
200
soft
unmanly, effeminate
fancy’s
desire’s
201
still
always
202
digression
moral deviation
205
golden coat
royal coat of arms
206
loathsome dash
mark of dishonor in the coat of arms
207
cipher me
express, symbolize
fondly
foolishly/infatuatedly
did dote
was infatuated/behaved madly
208
note
mark, sign
209
hold it for
consider it
212
froth
perhaps with connotations of semen
214
toy
trifle
217
straight
immediately
220
Post
hasten
221
engirt
surrounded
222
blur
blemish
224
ever-during
everlasting
225
invention
imagination, ingenuity
228
eyes … light
eyes were thought to see by emitting beams of light
229
doth still exceed
is even greater
230
fly
flee
232
sire
father
235
work upon
strive to persuade/have sex with
236
quittal
requital, payment
239
fact
crime
241
not her own
i.e. she is married
243
will
intention/sexual desire (could also mean “penis”)
past … removing
beyond the power of reason to dissuade
244
Who
he who
sentence
moral maxim
saw
saying
245
painted cloth
wall hanging depicting scenes from moral or biblical tales (a cheaper substitute for tapestries)
246
graceless
merciless/impious
disputation
debate
248
makes dispensation
dispenses
249
for vantage still
constantly to advantage
250
confound
destroy, overthrow
251
effects
influences
253
Quoth
said
255
hard
bad
258
lawn
fine linen
259
took
having been taken
261
it
i.e. Tarquin’s hand
262
Which
refers to her
fear
it
i.e. Lucrece’s hand
265
Narcissus
in Greek mythology, a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool; in some versions of the tale he drowned attempting to embrace himself
267
colour
pretext
269
Poor … abuses
worthless, lowly people feel remorse for their trivial misdemeanors
271
Affection
passion, lust
272
gaudy
brightly colored
273
The coward
i.e. even the coward
dismayed
discouraged, overcome with fear
274
avaunt
be gone
Debating, die!
Let debate cease!