Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 2
Enter prince [DON PEDRO], CLAUDIO,
BENEDICK, and LEONATO.
DON PEDRO
1. consummate: consummated; i.e., official.
1 I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, 2 and then go I toward Arragon.
CLAUDIO
3. bring: escort.
3 I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll
4. vouchsafe: allow.
4 vouchsafe me.
DON PEDRO
5. soil: blot, stain.
5 Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new 6 gloss of your marriage as to show a child his 7 new coat and forbid him to wear it. I will only 8. be bold with: take the liberty of asking.
8 be bold with Benedick for his company; for, 9 from the crown of his head to the sole of his 10 foot, he is all mirth: he hath twice or thrice cut
11. hangman: i.e., rogue. —Cupid is a "hangman" because he makes men die of love.
11 Cupid's bow-string and the little hangman dare 12 not shoot at him; he hath a heart as sound as a 13 bell and his tongue is the clapper, for what his 14 heart thinks his tongue speaks.
BENEDICK
15 Gallants, I am not as I have been.
LEONATO
16. sadder: more serious.
16 So say I. Methinks you are sadder.
CLAUDIO
17 I hope he be in love.
DON PEDRO
18-19. there's no true drop of blood in him: he hasn't enough natural feeling.
18 Hang him, truant! there's no true drop of 19 blood in him, to be truly touched with love:
20. wants: lacks.
20 if he be sad, he wants money.
BENEDICK
21 I have the toothache.
DON PEDRO
22. Draw it: extract the tooth.
22 Draw it.
BENEDICK
23. Hang it!: confound it!; damn it!.
23 Hang it!
CLAUDIO
24-25. hang it first, and draw it afterwards: —In executions, hanging came before drawing (disembowelment).
24 You must hang it first, and draw it 25 afterwards.
DON PEDRO
26 What! sigh for the toothache?
LEONATO
27. Where is but: which is merely. a humor or a worm: —Most diseases (including toothaches) were thought to be caused by the excess of a bodily fluid, a "humor"; it was also thought that a toothache could be caused by a tiny worm in the tooth. 28‑29. every one can master a grief but he that has it: everyone can overcome a pain but the person who is actually feeling it.
27 Where is but a humor or a worm.
BENEDICK
28 Well, every one can master a grief but 29 he that has it.
CLAUDIO
30 Yet say I, he is in love.
DON PEDRO
31-39. fancy . . . fancy . . . fancy . . . fancy: love, infatuation, whim, foolishness.
31 There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless 32 it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises; 33 as, to be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman 34 tomorrow, or in the shape of two countries 35 at once, as, a German from the waist downward,
36. slops: loose breeches, fastened below the knee. >>> 36-37. a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet: —Perhaps Benedick is wearing a fashionable and romantic Spanish cloak, rather than the much more ordinary doublet.
36 all slops, and a Spaniard from the hip upward, 37 no doublet. Unless he have a fancy to this 38 foolery, as it appears he hath, he is 39 for fancy, as you would have it appear he is.
CLAUDIO
40 If he be not in love with some woman, there 41 is no believing old signs: a' brushes his hat o' 42 mornings; what should that bode?
DON PEDRO
43 Hath any man seen him at the 44 barber's?
CLAUDIO
45 No, but the barber's man hath been seen with46. the old ornament of his cheek: i.e., Benedick's beard.
46 him, and the old ornament of his cheek hath 47 already stuffed tennis-balls.
LEONATO
48 Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by 49 the loss of a beard.
DON PEDRO
50-51. civet: perfume derived from the musk of the civet; i.e., a manly fragrance.
50 Nay, a' rubs himself with civet: can you smell 51 him out by that?
CLAUDIO
52. sweet: —The word can also mean "sweet-smelling."
52 That's as much as to say, the sweet youth's 53 in love.
DON PEDRO
54. greatest note: most conspicuous mark.
54 The greatest note of it is his 55 melancholy.
CLAUDIO
56-57. wash his face . . . paint himself: —Claudio and Don Pedro are accusing Benedick of using cosmetics. A "wash" was a foundation coat, used to lighten the skin; "paint" refers to the highlights which would be applied after the wash was set.
56 And when was he wont to wash his face?
DON PEDRO
57 Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I hear 58 what they say of him.
CLAUDIO
59. Nay, but his jesting spirit: i.e., his jesting spirit is gone.
60. lute-string: The lute was associated with love songs. governed by stops: literally, regulated by frets (on the fingerboard of the lute); figuratively, restrained by his new character as a lover.
60. lute-string: The lute was associated with love songs. governed by stops: literally, regulated by frets (on the fingerboard of the lute); figuratively, restrained by his new character as a lover.
59 Nay, but his jesting spirit; which is now crept 60 into a lute-string and now governed by stops.
DON PEDRO
61 Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him. 62 Conclude, conclude he is in love.
CLAUDIO
63 Nay, but I know who loves him.
DON PEDRO
64 That would I know too: I warrant, 65 one that knows him not.
CLAUDIO
66. Yes: i.e., she does know him. ill conditions: bad characteristics.
66 Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of 67 all, dies for him.
DON PEDRO
68-69. She shall be buried with her face upwards: —Claudio has just joked that Beatrice will die for love of Benedick. Don Pedro now extends the joke. He says that if Beatrice does die for love of Benedick, she will be buried face upward, not face downward, like a suicide. Don Pedro is also playing with the sexual meaning of "die" as "have an orgasm."
68 She shall be buried with her face 69 upwards.
BENEDICK
70 Yet is this no charm for the toothache. Old 71 signior, walk aside with me: I have studied 72 eight or nine wise words to speak to you, 73. hobby-horses: buffoons.
73 which these hobby-horses must not hear.
[Exeunt Benedick and Leonato.]
DON PEDRO
74-75. For my life, to break with him about Beatrice: i.e., I am sure that Benedick is speaking with Leonato alone in order to ask for Beatrice's hand in marriage.
74 For my life, to break with him about 75 Beatrice.
CLAUDIO
76 'Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have 77. by this: by this time.
77 by this played their parts with Beatrice; 78 and then the two bears will not bite one 79 another when they meet.
Enter [DON] JOHN the Bastard.
DON JOHN
80 My lord and brother, God save you!
DON PEDRO
81. Good den: good evening.
81 Good den, brother.
DON JOHN
82 If your leisure served, I would speak 83 with you.
DON PEDRO
84 In private?
DON JOHN
85 If it please you: yet Count Claudio may hear; 86 for what I would speak of concerns him.
DON PEDRO
87 What's the matter?
DON JOHN [To Claudio.]
88 Means your lordship to be married 89 tomorrow?
DON PEDRO
90 You know he does.
DON JOHN
91 I know not that, when he knows what 92 I know.
CLAUDIO
93 If there be any impediment, I pray you94. discover: reveal.
94 discover it.
DON JOHN
95 You may think I love you not: let that appear96-97. aim better at: judge better of. by that I now will manifest: according to what I now show. 97-98. holds you well: holds you in high esteem, has great affection for you. 98. in dearness of heart: i.e., because of his affection for you. holp: helped.
96 hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now 97 will manifest. For my brother, I think he holds 98 you well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to 99 effect your ensuing marriage;—surely suit ill 100 spent and labour ill bestowed.
DON PEDRO
101 Why, what's the matter?
DON JOHN
102-103. circumstances shortened: without unnecessary details. 103-104. for she has been too long a talking of: i.e., because she is not worth even the short time we have spent in mentioning her.
102 I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances103 shortened, for she has been too long a talking 104 of, the lady is disloyal.
CLAUDIO
105 Who, Hero?
DON PEDRO
106 Even she; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every 107 man's Hero
CLAUDIO
108 Disloyal?
DON JOHN
109. paint out: portray in full, depict.
110-111. think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it: if you think of a worse characterization of her, I will show you how she deserves that, too. 111-112. Wonder not till further warrant: restrain your disbelief until further proof appears.
110-111. think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it: if you think of a worse characterization of her, I will show you how she deserves that, too. 111-112. Wonder not till further warrant: restrain your disbelief until further proof appears.
109 The word is too good to paint out her wickedness; 110 I could say she were worse: think you of a worse 111 title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till further 112 warrant: go but with me tonight, you shall see her 113 chamber-window entered, even the night before 114 her wedding-day: if you love her then, tomorrow 115 wed her; but it would better fit your honor to 116 change your mind.
CLAUDIO
117 May this be so?
DON PEDRO
118. I will not think it: i.e., I can't believe it.
118 I will not think it.
DON JOHN
119-120. If you dare not trust that you see, confess not that you know: i.e., if you don't have the courage to believe your own eyes, don't say that you know anything.
119 If you dare not trust that you see, confess not120 that you know: if you will follow me, I will 121 show you enough; and when you have seen 122 more and heard more, proceed accordingly.
CLAUDIO
123 If I see any thing tonight why I should not 124 marry her tomorrow in the congregation, 125 where I should wed, there will I shame her.
DON PEDRO
126 And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will 127 join with thee to disgrace her.
DON JOHN
128-129. till you are my witnesses: i.e., until you can bear witness to the truth of my accusation. 129. coldly: calmly.
128 I will disparage her no farther till you are 129 my witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight,
130. let the issue show itself: i.e., see for yourself.
130 and let the issue show itself.
DON PEDRO
131. untowardly turned: perversely altered.
131 O day untowardly turned!
CLAUDIO
132. mischief strangely thwarting: i.e., evil unexpectedly ruining (the happiness of the wedding).
132 O mischief strangely thwarting!
DON JOHN
133 O plague right well prevented! so will you 134 say when you have seen the sequel.
[Exeunt.]