Cymbeline, with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send

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readingthedictionaryztoa.blogspot.com
glennlouisfeole@gmail.com


     I have finished reading Cymbeline and, as a Father of two daughters, I have slowly, unwillingly come to realize and accept how little control (i.e. zero) I have over whom they pick for marriage.  Yet, it turns out as beautiful as the love between Cymbeline's daughter Imogen and her childhood friend Posthumus Leonatus. 
 
     Here are some of my favorite quotes and vocabulary from Cymbeline.
 
Quotes:
 
"The fire of rage is within him."  The Queen.  I.i.77


"…with mine eyes I’ll drink the words you send."  Posthumus.  I.i.100


"Take it, heart."  Imogen. I.i. 113


"Her beauty and her brain go not together. " Imogen.  First Lord.  I. ii. 29


"I would have broke my eyestrings…to look upon him till the diminution of space…"   Imogen  I. iii. 17

"He was then of a crescent note."  Iachimo.  I.  iv.  2


“The other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods,” Posthumus about Imogen’s virtue and chastity.  I.iv.88,89


“Had I this cheek
To bath my lips upon; this hand, whose touch,
Whose every touch, would force the feeler’s soul
To th’oath of loyalty,” Iachimao to Imogen, I.vi. 99-102


“Tis her breathing that perfumes the chamber thus,” Iachimo about Imogen.  II.ii.18

“As chaste as unsunned snow,”  Posthumus.  II.v.13


“Some griefs are med’cinable; that is one of them, for it doth physic love.” Imogen about  Posthumus’ grief at their separation.  III.ii. 33


“With your stiff age.” Guiderius.  III.iii.32


“When we are as old as you?  When we shall hear
“The rain and wind beat dark December.” Arviragus.  III.iii.36
 
“The innocent mansion of my love, my heart” Imogen.  III.iv.69


“I have not slept one wink”  Pisanio.  III.iv.101


“Love’s reason’s without reason.”  Arviragus.  IV.ii.22


“As gentle as zephyrs blowing below the violet.”   Belarius IV.ii.172


“By med’cine life may be prolonged, yet death
Will seize the doctor too.”  Cymbeline  V.v.29, 30


“Who is’t can read a woman?” Cymbeline  V.v. 48


“She like harmless lighting throws her eye on him…hitting each object with a joy,”  Cymbeline  about Imogen looking at Posthumus  V.v. 394


Vocabulary

crescent

approbation

the Arabian bird (phoenix)

nonpareil

Lud’s Town (London)

false Aeneas

common-kissing Titan (the sun)

zephyr

physic (physician)

obsequies

Hecuba (wife of Priam, king of Troy)

Paragon

Venus

Minerva

Phoebus’ wheel (the sun)

 sanguine

 

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