Notes for Shakespeare's Sonnet 70


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Shakespeare's
Sonnet
70

2. slander's mark: slander's target.

3. suspect: suspicion.

4. crow: —A crow was considered to be a foul or evil bird. The point of comparing suspicion ("suspect") to "A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air," is that the "sweetest air" seems even more sweet by contrast to the crow.

5. So thou be good: given that you are good.

6. being woo'd of time: i.e., since you are courted by the world.

7. canker: the rose worm.

8. thou present'st a pure unstained prime: i.e., you display a pure, unspotted bloom of youth.

9. ambush of young days: temptations that lie in wait for inexperienced youth.

10. Either not assail'd or victor being charg'd: i.e., either because you were not tempted or because you triumphed when you were tempted.

11. this thy praise cannot be so thy praise: i.e., this praise of you cannot be your only praise.

12. envy evermore enlarged: malice, always at liberty.

13. suspect of ill: suspicion of bad behavior.  mask'd not thy show: did not partly obscure your attractiveness.

14. owe: own.