The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3)

240

Not in Isham copy or ed. "A."

241

So ed. B.—Ed. C "my."

242

The original has "agmen." Cunningham suggests "pack." If we retain "fact" the meaning is "Danaus' guilt."

243

Old eds. "vn-protested." ("Unde nihil, quamvis non tueare, perit.")

244

So ed. B.—Ed. C "follows." (The sense wanted is "Furiously let him follow" &c.)

245

"Ante suos annos occidit."

246

"Unde vir incestum scire coactus erat." (Here "incestum" is "adultery.")

247

"Scelus."

248

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

249

"Mendosos … mores."

250

"Heu quam, quae studeas ponere, ferre grave est."

251

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "And."

252

This is Dyce's certain correction for the old eds. "blush." (The originals has "uror.")

253

Then.

254

Ed. A "those nimble hands."

255

256

So Isham copy and ed. A.—Eds. B, C "say."

257

This and the next three lines are omitted in Isham copy and ed. A.

258

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "yellow trest."

259

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

260

So Dyce for "Poor wench" of the old eds.—The original has "Ipse miser vidi."

261

"Maeonis Assyrium femina tinxit opus." Dyce remarks that Marlowe "was induced to give this extraordinary version of the line by recollecting that in the sixth book of Ovid's Metamorphoses Arachne is termed 'Maeonis,' while her father is mentioned as a dyer."

262

A bad mistranslation of "Et volo non ex hac illa fuisse nota."

263

Far from the original "Nescio quis pretium grande magister habet."

264

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

265

Dyce remarks that Marlowe's copy had "ales mihi missus" for "imitatrix ales."

266

So Dyce for "goodly" of the old eds. ("piæ volucres").

267

Shrill.

268

So Dyce for "not" of the old eds.

269

So Dyce for "It is as great."

270

"Miluus."

271

"Graculus."

272

Old eds. "crowes."

273

Old eds. "words."

274

Marlowe was very weak in Latin prosedy. The original has "manibus rapiuntur avaris."

275

Old eds. "goodly" ("pias volueres").

276

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

277

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

278

"Serva Phœbas" (i.e. Cassandra).

279

Old eds. "my."

280

So ed. B.—Ed. C "the."

281

282

The original has "Unum est e dominis emeruisse satis."

283

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

284

So ed. B.—Ed. C "my."

285

In some strange fashion Marlowe has mistaken the substantive "rudis" (the staff received by the gladiator on his discharge) with the adjective "rudis" (rude). The original has "Tutaque deposito poscitur ense rudis."

286

Old eds. "Let her enjoy me;" but the original has "Saepe fruar domina."

287

"Artibus in dubio est haec sit an illa prior." Dyce suggests that Marlowe read "Artubus."

288

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

289

Eds. B, C, "vast deep sea."

290

The original has "saevus" (for which Marlowe seems to have read "suavis").

291

Isham copy and ed. A "souldiour … his," and in the next line "his blood."

292

So Cunningham for—

293

So Isham copy and eds. B, C—Ed. A "let."

294

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

295

"Cæsa."

296

Old eds. "Argos."

297

"Bibuli litoris illa mora est."

298

Dyce was doubtless right in supposing "wreaks" to be used metri causa for "wrecks." Cunningham wanted to give the meaning "recks;" but that meaning does not suit the context. The original has "credenti nulla procella nocet."

299

"Excipiamque humeris."

300

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

301

"Cura parte triumphe mea."

302

Ed. B "but yet me."—Ed. C "but yet without."

303

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

304

Old eds. "with," which must be a printer's error. (The original has "clam me.")

305

Old eds. "slipping."

306

"Gallica turma" (i.e. the company of Galli, the priests of Isis).

307

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

308

"Vitio."

309

Old eds. "On."

310

Old eds. "to-day."

311

"Est pretium parvæ non leve vita moræ."

312

Dyce's suggestion for "thee" of the old eds. The original has "Aque sua caesum matre queruntur Ityn."

313

314

An inelegant translation of "Saepe suos uteros quae necat ipse perit."

315

Marlowe has given a meaning the very opposite of the original—"Et clamant 'Merito' qui modo cumque vident."

316

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

317

Old eds. "by."

318

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

319

"Findat."

320

Ed. B "in fields."—Ed. C "in field."

321

Old eds. "swearest."

322

Old eds. "your."

323

"Et faciles curvis vallibus este viæ."

324

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

325

Old eds. "and the."

326

Marlowe reads "nymphæ" for "nymphe."

327

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

328

The original has "Quam cito de toto rediit meus orbe Sabinus," &c.

329

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

330

"Et faciat voto rara repulsa locum."

331

Old eds, "haole"—The construction is not plain without a reference to the original:—

332

So Dyce for "gave" of the old eds.

333

The reading of the original is "Saepe time insidias."

334

Dogs tied up on account of their fierceness.

335

Old eds. "Whether" (a common form of "whither").

336

"Tabellas."

337

As dearly as life.

338

Old eds. "effect."

339

340

"Me tibi rivalem si juvat esse, veta."

341

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

342

Old eds. "good head."

343

So Dyce—Old eds. "looke." ("Palla jacebat humi.")

344

Old eds. "he."

345

Old eds. "sitting." ("Atque impercussos nocte movere pedes.")

346

Ed. B "keepes;" ed. C "keepers." This line and the next are a translation of:—

347

The original has

(Marlowe's copy read "novi.")

348

"Desierat."

349

"In vacuas auras." (The true reading is "aures.")

350

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

351

"Contactu lateris laeditur ista tui."

352

"Tua contraha crura."

353

354

Defile.

355

A strange rendering of "linguis animisque favete."

356

Ed. B "pleace;" ed. C "place."

357

Old eds. "Or while."

358

"Cancellis" (i.e. the rails).

359

Old eds. "they."

360

"Promisit."

361

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

362

Old eds. "by."

363

("Invidiæ" here means "discredit, odium.")

364

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

365

Old eds. "least." ("Nec custodiri, ni velit, ulla potest.")

366

The original has "Nescio quid, quod te ceperit, esse putant."

367

Dyce calls this line an "erroneous version of 'Non proba sit quam vir servat, sed adultera; cara est.'" But Merkel's reading is "Non proba fit quam vir servat, sed adultera cara"—which is accurately rendered by Marlowe.

368

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.—In the old copies this elegy is marked "Elegia v." The fifth elegy (beginning "Nox erat et somnus," &c.) was not contained in Marlowe's copy.

369

Old eds. "redde-growne."

370

So Dyce for "rushest" of the old eds.

371

So Dyce for "arrowes" of the old eds.

372

The original has "Inachus in Melie Bithynide pallidus isse." &c.—Dyce suggests that Marlowe's copy had "in media Bithynide."

373

Old eds. "Aesope."

374

Old eds. "shame."

375

"Loca sola."

376

The original has "Desit famosus qui notet ora pudor" (or "Desint … quae," &c.)

377

"Forsitan haec alios, me mea damna movent."

378

"Demens."

379

Old eds. "Ile."

380

Marlowe read "nunc candide" for "non candide."

381

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A:—

382

"Dominumque vocavit."

383

So Isham copy and ed. A.—Eds. B, C "When."

384

"Flava Chlide."

385

So Isham copy and ed. A.—Eds. B, C "we had."

386

The verb "embase" or "imbase" is frequently found in the sense of "abase." Here the meaning seems to be "weakened, enfeebled." (Ovid's words are "Sagave pœnicea defixit nomina cera.")

387

So Isham copy and ed. A ("needle points").—Eds. B, C "needles' points."

388

So Isham copy and ed. A.—Eds. B, C "The."

389

"Turpiter."

390

Neglected.

391

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy "received in, and in I got me."

392

So old eds.—Dyce reads "kiss'd."

393

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "and refusde it."

394

"Sic aret mediis taciti vulgator in undis."

395

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "nor."

396

Isham copy "yeares;" ed. A "yeres;" eds. B, C "eare."

397

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "Seeing now thou."

398

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "great hurt."

399

The original has "Aut te trajectis Aeaea venefica lanis," &c. (As Dyce remarks, Marlowe read "ranis.")

400

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

401

So ed. B.—Ed. C "his." ("Caput hoc galeam portare solebat.")

402

Then.

403

Old eds. knew.

404

Marlowe has quite mistaken the meaning of the original "Proque bono versu primum deducite pilum."

405

A very loose rendering of Ovid's couplet—

406

So Dyce for "she" of the old eds. ("Imperat ut captae qui dare multa potest.")

407

The original has "Me prohibet custos: in me timet illa maritum."

408

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

409

Ed. B "Eeliga"—Ed. C "Elegia."

410

411

The original has—

In Marlowe's copy the couplet must have been very different.

412

Old eds. "vnkeembe" and "unkeemb'd."

413

Old eds. "carst."

414

"Auxisti numeros, culte Tibulle, pios."

415

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

416

Threshing-floor ("area").

417

Marlowe has made the school-boy's mistake of confusing "caneo" and "cano."

418

The original has

Marlowe appears to have read "Qui tibi concubitus," &c.

419

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

420

The original has "Venerunt capiti cornua sera meo."

421

"Et que taceo."

422

"Qui dant fallendos se tibi saepe, deos."

423

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

424

Marlowe has put his negative in the wrong place and made nonsense of the couplet:—

425

Old eds. "lookes."

426

"Ambiguae captos virginis ore viros." ("Ambigua virgo" is the sphinx.)

427

The original has "Concinit Odrysium Cecropis ales Ityn."

428

Marlowe's copy must have been very corrupt here. The true reading is

429

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

430

"It per velatas annua pompa vias."

431

432

"Praeverrunt latas veste jacente vias."—Dyce remarks that Marlowe read "Praebuerant."

433

"Ore favent populi." (In Henry's monumental edition of Virgil's Æneid, vol. iii. pp. 25-27, there is a very interesting note on the meaning of the formula "ore favete." He denies the correctness of the ordinary interpretation "be silent.")

434

"Et scelus et patrias fugit Halæsus opes."

435

So Isham copy and eds. B, C.—Ed. A "wit."

436

So Isham copy.—Ed. A "night-sports."

437

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "Or."

438

So Isham copy.—Ed. A "people."

439

So Isham copy.—Ed. A "toyes."

440

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "mine ever yours."

441

"Mens abit."

442

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "through."

443

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "dying."

444

The original has

445

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "yeeld not."

446

So eds. B, C.—Isham copy and ed. A "garland."

447

So Isham copy and eds. A, B.—Ed. C "that I."

448

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

449

"Tenerorum mater amorum."

450

"Marlowe's copy of Ovid had 'Traditur haec elegis ultima charta meis.'"—Dyce. (The true reading is "Raditur hic … meta meis.")

451

"Non modo militiae turbine factus eques."

452

"Cum timuit socias anxia turba manus."

453

"Marlowe's copy of Ovid had 'Culte puer, puerique parens mihi tempore longo.' (instead of what we now read 'Amathusia culti.')"—Dyce.

454

Old eds. "pluckt."

455

Dyce has carefully recorded the readings of a MS. copy (Harl. MS. 1836) of the present epigrams. As in most cases the variations are unimportant, I have not thought it necessary to reproduce Dyce's elaborate collation. Where the MS. readings are distinctly preferable I have adopted them; but in such cases I have been careful to record the readings of the printed copies.

456

So Dyce.—Old eds. "loue and praise thee;" MS. "Seeme to love thee."

457

So Isham copy and MS. Ed. A "approve."

458

Censuring. Dyce compares the Induction to the Knight of the Burning Pestle:—

459

So MS.—Old eds. "does."

460

MS. "Which carrieth under a peculiar name."

461

So MS.—Old eds. "lies."

462

"To this epigram there is an evident allusion in the following one

463

It was a common practice for gallants to sit upon hired stools in the stage, especially at the private theatres. From the Induction to Marston's Malcontent it appears that the custom was not tolerated at some of the public theatres. The ordinary charge for the use of a stool was sixpence.

464

Malone was no doubt right in supposing that there is here an allusion to the "private boxes" placed at each side of the balcony at the back of the stage. They must have been very dark and uncomfortable. In the Gull's Horn-Book Dekker says that "much new Satin was there dampned by being smothered to death in darkness."

465

MS. "In meritriculas Londinensis."

466

MS. "Ware."

467

MS. "dissolv'd"

468

Sir Christopher Hatton's tomb. See Dugdale's History of St. Paul's Cathedral, ed. 1658, p. 83.

469

"The new water-work was at London Bridge. The elephant was an object of great wonder and long remembered. A curious illustration of this is found in the Metamorphosis of the Walnut Tree of Borestall, written about 1645, when the poet [William Basse] brings trees of all descriptions to the funeral, particularly a gigantic oak—

470

See the admirable account of "The Theatre and Curtain" in Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps' Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare, ed. 3, pp. 385-433. It is there shown that the access to the Theatre play-house was through Finsbury Fields to the west of the western boundary-wall of the grounds of the dissolved Holywell Priory.

471

Not in MS.

472

MS. "knowen this towne 7 yeares."

473

Not in MS.

474

Old eds. "streets."

475

Not in MS.

476

So Isham copy.—Other eds. omit the words "this is."

477

So MS. and eds. B, C. Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

478

Mastiff.

479

So Isham copy and MS.—Eds. A, B, C "and as idle."

480

So MS.—Isham copy and ed. A "oft."

481

Not in MS.

482

So Isham copy.—Omitted in ed. A.

483

So Isham copy.—Eds. A, B, C "old."

484

Boulogne was captured by Henry VIII. in 1544.

485

The reference probably is to the visitation of 1551.

486

In 1557 an English corps under the Earl of Pembroke took part in the war against France. "The English did not share in the glory of the battle, for they were not present; but they arrived two days after to take part in the storming of St. Quentin, and to share, to their shame, in the sack and spoiling of the town."—Froude, VI. 52.

487

Havre.—The expedition was despatched in 1562.

488

Led by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland in 1569.

489

The reference is to the frost of 1564.—"There was one great frost in England in our memory, and that was in the 7th year of Queen Elizabeth: which began upon the 21st of December and held in so extremely that, upon New Year's eve following, people in multitudes went upon the Thames from London Bridge to Westminster; some, as you tell me, sir, they do now—playing at football, others shooting at pricks."—"The Great Frost," 1608 (Arber's "English Garner," Vol. I.)

490

"This yeare [1560] in the end of September the copper monies which had been coyned under King Henry the Eight and once before abased by King Edward the Sixth, were again brought to a lower valuacion."—Hayward's Annals of Queen Elizabeth, p. 73.