King John

802

And if his name be George, I’ll call him Peter;

For new-made honour doth forget men’s names;

  --- King John  I, i, 186

Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age’s tooth.

  --- King John  I, i, 213

poison: i.e. flattery  tooth: appetite

Saint George, that swinged the dragon, and e’er since

Sits on his horse back at mine hostess’ door.

  --- King John  II, i, 288

Saint George: the Patron Saint of England. The legend of Saint George and the Dragon tells of Saint George taming and slaying a dragon that demanded human sacrifices. e’er: ever

He is the half part of a blessed man,

Left to be finished by such a she;

And she a fair divided excellence,

Whose fullness of perfection lies in him.

  --- King John  II, i, 437

‘Zounds! I was never so bethumped with words

Since I first called my brother’s father dad.

  --- King John  II, i, 466

天曉得！自從我第一次稱我小弟的父親為爹

從來沒被人用言語痛打過。Zounds: by God’s (Christ’s) wounds; abbreviation of God’s wounds, with reference to the wounds from Christ’s crucifixion, used to express surprise or anger. bethump: to beat or thump soundly

Mad world! mad kings! mad composition!

  --- King John  II, i, 561

composition: agreement

      , he that wins of all, 

Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,

Who having no external thing to lose

But the word “maid,” cheats the poor maid of that,

   --- King John  II, i, 569

他占盡所有人的便宜，

國王、叫花子、老人、年輕人、處女，

處女除了「處女」的名聲之外

身無長物，他把這名聲也騙走了，  win: gain the advantage of, get the better of  who: i.e. the maids

That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling commodity,

Commodity, the bias of the world.

  --- King John  II, i, 573

那位笑面虎紳士，smooth-faced: having a bland, ingratiating expression, plausible in manner  tickling: flattering   commodity: self-interest, expediency

810

I will instruct my sorrows to be proud;

For grief is proud and makes his owner stoop.

   --- King John  III, i, 68

stoop: stooping, bent

Thou wear a lion’s hide! Doff it for shame,

And hang a calve’s-skin on those recreant limbs.

  --- King John  III, i, 128

Doff: put off.  calve’s-skin: often worn by domestic fools and jesters.  recreant: cowardly

Bell, book and candle shall not drive me back,

  --- King John  III, iii, 12

Bell, book and candle: used in the ritual of excommunication.

鈴鐸、聖經和蠟燭都無法把我趕回去。

Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale

Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man;

  --- King John  III, iv, 108

生命像乏味的 講了又講的故事，

煩擾一個愛睡的人 遲鈍的耳朵。Vex: disturb, agitate

(No, no;) when Fortune means to men most good,

She looks upon them with a threatening eye.

  --- King John  III, iv, 119

mean: to intend something

(And I will sit) as quiet as a lamb;

  --- King John  IV, i, 79

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,

To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue

Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,

Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

  --- King John  IV, ii, 11

taper: candle  garnish: fit out, furnish

And oftentimes excusing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse:

  --- King John  IV, ii, 30

有時候替一件錯事 文過飾非

無異於給這件錯事 錯上加錯：

We cannot hold mortality’s strong hand.

  --- King John  IV, ii, 82

朕無法拉住死神強力的手腕。mortality: death

(Nay, but) make haste; the better foot before.

  --- King John  IV, ii, 170

要趕快；馬上去。make haste: act quickly.  the better foot before: best foot forward; embark on a journey or task with purpose and gusto

820

The spirit of the time shall teach me speed.

  --- King John  IV, ii, 176

How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds

Makes deeds ill done!

  --- King John  IV, ii, 219

Heaven take my soul, and England keep my bones!

  --- King John  IV, iii, 10

上天接納我的靈魂，英國埋葬我的屍骨！

I am amazed, methinks, and lose my way

Among the thorns and dangers of this world.

  --- King John  IV, iii, 140

amazed: stunned

Be great in act, as you have been in thought.

  --- King John  V, i, 45

The day shall not be up so soon as I,

To try the fair adventure of to-morrow.

  --- King John  V, v, 21

adventure: hazard

I do not ask you much,

I beg cold comfort;

  --- King John  V, vii, 41

827

This England never did, nor never shall,

Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror,

  --- King John  V, vii, 112