|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes on Act III, scene iii
emperor: Charles V, the greatest of the Hapsburgs, ruled 1519-1558
ere: before; that is, the emperor heard that the Cardinal was a worthy soldier before he became a churchman
Pescara: historical figure who defeated the French in 1525
Lannoy: viceroy of Naples and a favorite of Charles V
French king: Francis I
employment: an appointed post by the king
muster-book: registry for the army
gunpowder: they ridicule him for using gunpowder only for a toothache, not for fighting
leaguer: army camp
Til the scent be gone: until the food runs out
service: the news about the battles
pewterers: artists who make pewter toy soldiers; that is, he only plays at war (some editions have "painter")
by the book: his experience with war comes only from reading
almanac: astrological charts
critical: dangerous
taking: being taken
pate: head
pot-gun: a child's popgun, describing a braggart of no substance
touchhole: where a cannon is lit (I wish he had blown his bragging to bits)
sumpter-cloth: fancy blanket for a horse's saddle, only for the wealthy and powerful to sit on
foxes ... tails: reference to the biblical story of Samson, who tied foxes' tails together (hence dividing their heads) and lit them on fire to run through the enemies' fields (Judges 15)
wrack: ruin
fantastical: fanatical, or pursuing foolish fantasies, trivial knowledge about classical myths
shoeing-horn: to know whether Julius Caesar's nose was as well shaped as a shoe horn (to help slip on shoes)
mark: notice
salamander: thought to live in fire
bad faces: he has made more men suffer
Michael Angelo: the Renaissance artist of the Sistine chapel
lightens: flashes from the explosion
pangs: statesmen struggle with life and death issues
hood: concealment, protection
That: that she does
christen'd: baptized by the church as legitimate; she appears to make light of religious ceremony
ceremony: to instate him as a soldier (we never see the consequences of this action; Webster inserts it to show that state business continues while this personal tragedy plays out).
Duke of Malfi: the only time this older son is mentioned in the play
honesty: chastity, but spoken sarcastically
audit-time: suggesting that Antonio made enough money to be counted a gentleman, even though not born one
presently: immediately
fort-bridge: drawbridge
