Scene III.—

1. [Grey-eyed.] Delius says that grey here and in Much Ado, v. 3. 27 is = "bright blue," and Dyce defines it as "blue, azure"; but there is no reason why the word should not have its ordinary meaning. The grey, as in M.N.D. iii. 2. 419, J.C. ii. 1. 103, and iii. 5. 19 below, is the familiar poetic grey of the early morning before sunrise. Whether ascribed, as here, to the eyes of the Morn, or, as in Milton's Lycidas, to her sandals, does not matter. See also on iii. 5. 8 below.

3. [Flecked.] Spotted, dappled; used by S. nowhere else.

4. [From forth.] Cf. M.W. iv. 4. 53: "Let them from forth a sawpit rush at once," etc. For Titan as the sun-god, cf. V. and A. 177, T. and C. v. 10. 25, Cymb. iii. 4. 166, etc.

7. [Osier cage.] Basket. Dowden suggests that of ours is "possibly not merely for the rhyme's sake, but because the Franciscan had no personal property."

8. [Precious-juiced flowers.] S. here prepares us for the part which the Friar is afterwards to sustain. Having thus early found him to be a chemist, we are not surprised at his furnishing the sleeping-draught for Juliet. Cf. Brooke's poem:—

"What force the stones, the plants, and metals haue to woorke,

And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,

With care I haue sought out, with payne I did then proue;

With them eke can I helpe my selfe at times of my behoue," etc.

9. [The earth,] etc. Cf. Milton, P.L. ii. 911: "The womb of nature, and perhaps her grave." See also Per. ii. 3. 45:—

"Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,

He's both their parent, and he is their grave."

15. [Mickle.] Much, great; a word already half obsolete in the time of S. Cf. C. of E. iii. 1. 45: "The one ne'er got me credit, the other mickle blame," etc. Powerful grace = "efficacious virtue" (Johnson); or = gracious power.

19. [Strain'd.] Wrenched, forced. Cf. M. of V. iv. 1. 184: "The quality of mercy is not strain'd" (that is, excludes the idea of force or compulsion), etc.

23. [Weak.] So all the early eds. except 1st quarto, which has "small." Weak seems the better word as opposed to the following power (Daniel).

25. [With that part.] That is, with its odour. Malone and Clarke take part to be = the sense of smell.

26. [Slays.] The 2d quarto has "staies" (= stops, paralyzes), which some editors prefer.

27. [Encamp them.] For the reflexive use, cf. Hen. V. iii. 6. 180: "we'll encamp ourselves." On the figurative encamp, cf. L.C. 203.

29. [Worser.] Cf. iii. 2. 108 below: "worser than Tybalt's death." Predominant was originally an astrological term. See A.W. i. 1. 211, etc.

30. [Canker.] Canker-worm. Cf. V. and A. 656: "The canker that eats up Love's tender spring;" T.G. of V. i. 1. 43: "in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells," etc.

34. [Good morrow.] Here = good-by.

37. [Unstuff'd.] "Not overcharged" (Schmidt); used by S. only here.

40. [With some.] The editors generally adopt "by some" from the 1st quarto; but with = by is so common in S. that the reading of all the other early eds. may be accepted. See on i. 1. 148 and i. 2. 49 above. Distemperature = disorder. Cf. C. of E. v. 1. 82: "Of pale distemperatures and foes to life."

41, 42. [Or if not so,] etc. Marshall doubts whether S. wrote these lines. Of course, they belong to the first draft of the play.

51. [Both our remedies.] The healing of both of us. Cf. A.W. i. 3. 169: "both our mothers" = the mother of both of us. See also Ham. iii. 1. 42, Cymb. ii. 4. 56, etc.

52. [Lies.] Cf. V. and A. 1128:—

"She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes,

Where lo! two lamps burnt out in darkness lies."

See also Rich. II. iii. 3. 168 and Cymb. ii. 3. 24.

54. [Steads.] Benefits, helps. Cf. Temp. i. 2. 165: "Which since have steaded much;" M. of V. i. 3. 7: "May you stead me?" etc.

55. [Homely in thy drift.] Simple in what you have to say. Cf. iv. 1. 114 below.

56. [Riddling. Cf. M.N.D.] ii. 2. 53: "Lysander riddles very prettily;" and 1 Hen. VI. ii. 3. 57: "a riddling merchant."

61. [When and where and how,] etc. An instance of the so-called "chiastic" construction of which S. was fond. Cf. M.N.D. iii. 1. 113, 114, Ham. iii. 1. 158, 159, A. and C. iii. 2. 15-18, etc.

72. [To season love.] A favourite metaphor with S., though a homely one; taken from the use of salt in preserving meat. For the reference to salt tears, cf. A.W. i. 1. 55, T.N. i. 1. 30, R. of L. 796, L.C. 18, etc.

73. [Sighs.] Compared to vapours which the sun dispels.

74. [Ancient.] Aged; as in ii. 4. 133 below. See also Lear, ii. 2. 67, Cymb. v. 3. 15, etc.

88. [Did read by rote,] etc. "Consisted of phrases learned by heart, but knew nothing of the true characters of love" (Schmidt).

93. [I stand on sudden haste.] I must be in haste. Cf. the impersonal use of stand on or upon = it concerns, it is important to; as in C. of E. iv. 1. 68: "Consider how it stands upon my credit;" Rich. II. ii. 3. 138: "It stands your grace upon to do him right" (that is, it is your duty), etc. Cf. ii. 4. 34 below.