159 curiously skillfully
160 woodcock a bird associated with stupidity
161 ambles strolls (as opposed to moving rapidly)
easily in a state of ease/unhurriedly
163 fine excellent (Beatrice’s response plays on the senses of “marvelously” and “slender”)
wit plays on the sense of “penis”
167 wise gentleman either said with irony or meaning “old fool”
hath the tongues can speak foreign languages
169 forswore swore against/denied
170 double twofold/duplicitous
171 transshape transform
172 properest most handsome/finest
177 old man’s daughter i.e. Hero
179 God…garden an allusion both to Benedick hiding in the arbor and to Adam, after his transgression, hiding from God in the Garden of Eden
181 But…man Don Pedro and Claudio recall Benedick’s earlier statement that this is to be his fate if he marries
187 braggarts…blades i.e. as boasters damage or break their swords themselves to make it look as if they have been fighting
188 My lord i.e. Don Pedro
199 hose breeches
200 He…man he (i.e. one who has left off his wit) is then a hero (giant) in the eyes of a fool (ape), but in fact the fool is a learned person (doctor) in comparison to him
202 soft you wait a moment
pluck up rouse/collect yourself
203 sad serious
205 reasons plays on “raisins,” then pronounced in a similar manner
balance scales, which Justice is traditionally depicted as carrying
206 cursing swearing, or Dogberry may mean “accursed”
209 Hearken inquire
211 false report slander/untruths
213 slanders Dogberry means “slanderers”
219 division logical order
222 bound on the way/tied up
answer trial
cunning ingenious/knowledgeable
229 incensed incited
243 semblance image
245 reformed malapropism for “informed”
258 honourable men i.e. Don Pedro and Claudio
265 Impose me to impose on me
274 Possess inform
276 aught at all, to any extent
invention inventiveness/imagination
284 right puns on “rite”
288 dispose you may dispose
293 packed implicated/acting as an accomplice
299 under…black in writing
302 they…it Dogberry’s misunderstanding of the First Watchman’s claim that Deformed wears a lock
304 in God’s name the usual plea of a beggar
312 God…foundation! the usual response of one receiving alms from a charitable foundation
318 give you Dogberry means “ask your”
319 prohibit Dogberry means “permit”
322 look for expect
326 lewd wicked/base
2 the speech of speak with
5 style poetic style (puns on “stile”)
6 come over surpass/surmount (Margaret plays on the sense of “mount sexually”)
comely proper/pleasing
8 keep below stairs remain (unmarried) in the servants’ quarters
10 catches seizes (its prey)
11 foils swords with blunt edges
14 give…bucklers surrender
16 swords with phallic connotations
bucklers small shields with spikes in their centers/vaginas
18 pikes the shield’s spikes/penises
vice screw (with sexual connotations)
21 come a possible pun on “orgasm”
22 The…deserve the lyrics to a well-known Elizabethan song
25 How…singing how much pity I deserve for my poor singing
26 Leander…swimmer Leander regularly swam across the Hellespont to see his lover Hero, until one night he drowned
28 quondam carpet-mongers former ladies’ men
33 innocent simple/ foolish
hard poor/erect (playing on the phallic connotations of horn)
36 festival merry/ lighthearted/celebratory
41 that I came that which I came for
45 noisome noxious
50 subscribe state/declare in writing
53 politic prudent
56 suffer experience/permit (Benedick puns on the senses of “feel pain” and “endure”)
61 friend lover
63 confession statement/declaration/ admission
65 instance saying/argument
66 time…neighbours good old days (when neighbors were friendly)
67 tomb i.e. memorial
monuments memory
68 bells…weeps i.e. the duration of the funeral and mourning period
70 Question you have asked a question, here follows the answer
clamour noise of the bells
71 rheum tears
Don…conscience conscience was often imaged as a gnawing worm
82 old coil great turmoil
87 die puns on the sense of “orgasm”
88 eyes puns on the sense of “vagina”
5 guerdon recompense
6 fame renown/reputation
12 goddess…night Diana, goddess of the moon and of chastity
13 virgin knight i.e. her follower, Hero
26 wheels of Phoebus wheels of the chariot of Phoebus, the sun god
30 weeds clothes
32 Hymen god of marriage
speed’s speed us (i.e. make us prosper)
3 Upon as a result of
debated discussed
6 question questioning/investigation
8 else otherwise
faith i.e. his promise to Beatrice
9 reckoning settling of accounts (i.e. a duel)
17 confirmed countenance resolute appearance/demeanor
20 undo ruin/untie
28 for as for
is is that
38 Ethiope Ethiopian
45 Europa Europe
46 Europa…love in the form of a bull Jove carried off the princess Europa
52 owe you i.e. owe you a response
68 qualify moderate
70 largely in full
73 soft and fair hold on a moment
81 cousin i.e. Hero
87 cousin Beatrice is his niece but cousin could refer to any relative
100 in a consumption wasting away
103 college assembly/fellowship
104 flout mock
106 shall…him i.e. for fear of attracting attention or having his dress sense mocked
110 giddy unstable/flighty
112 like likely
115 cudgelled beaten
116 double-dealer married man/unfaithful husband
119 lighten…heels make our wives’ heels nimble through dancing/make our wives sexually eager
123 sad grave/mournful
no…horn another reference to cuckoldry
128 brave fine