The Winter's Tale

Text

Dramatis Personae & Circles

Play Synopsis

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Act V

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WT I.i.1

Enter Camillo and Archidamus

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.1

If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia,

WT I.i.2

on the like occasion whereon my services are now

like (adj.) 1 same, similar, alike, equal See Topics: Frequency count

WT I.i.3

on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference

foot, on 1 in employment, taking place, under way

WT I.i.4

betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

CAMILLO

WT I.i.5

I think this coming summer the King of Sicilia

WT I.i.6

means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly

visitation (n.) 1 visit

WT I.i.7

owes him.

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.8

Wherein our entertainment shall shame

entertainment (n.) 2 pleasant reception, favourable welcome

WT I.i.9

us: we will be justified in our loves. For indeed –

justify (v.) 3 excuse, exonerate, clear

CAMILLO

WT I.i.10

Beseech you –

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.11

Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my

verily (adv.) in truth, truly, indeed See Topics: Swearing

WT I.i.12

knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence, in so

WT I.i.13

rare – I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy

sleepy (adj.) 1 sleep-inducing, soporific

WT I.i.14

drinks, that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience,

insufficience (n.) insufficiency, inadequacy, deficiencies

unintelligent (adj.) oblivious, unaware, ignorant

WT I.i.15

may, though they cannot praise us, as little

WT I.i.16

accuse us.

CAMILLO

WT I.i.17

You pay a great deal too dear for what's given

WT I.i.18

freely.

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.19

Believe me, I speak as my understanding

WT I.i.20

instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

CAMILLO

WT I.i.21

Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia.

WT I.i.22

They were trained together in their childhoods;

WT I.i.23

and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection,

WT I.i.24

which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more

WT I.i.25

mature dignities and royal necessities made separation

WT I.i.26

of their society, their encounters, though not personal,

WT I.i.27

hath been royally attorneyed with interchange of gifts,

attorney (v.) carry out by a substitute, peform by proxy

WT I.i.28

letters, loving embassies: that they have seemed to be

embassy (n.) 1 message [especially via an ambassador]

WT I.i.29

together, though absent; shook hands as over a vast;

vast (n.) 1 great expanse, immense space, waste

WT I.i.30

and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed

WT I.i.31

winds. The heavens continue their loves!

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.32

I think there is not in the world either

WT I.i.33

malice or matter to alter it. You have an unspeakable

matter (n.) 5 reason, cause, ground

WT I.i.34

comfort of your young prince Mamillius. It is a gentleman

WT I.i.35

of the greatest promise that ever came into my note.

note (n.) 1 attention, notice, regard

CAMILLO

WT I.i.36

I very well agree with you in the hopes of him.

WT I.i.37

It is a gallant child; one that indeed physics the subject,

physic (v.) 1 cure, correct, dose with medicine

subject (n.) 1 subjects, people [of a state]

WT I.i.38

makes old hearts fresh. They that went on crutches ere

WT I.i.39

he was born desire yet their life to see him a man.

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.40

Would they else be content to die?

content (adj.) 2 contented, patient, accepting, undisturbed

CAMILLO

WT I.i.41

Yes – if there were no other excuse why they

WT I.i.42

should desire to live.

ARCHIDAMUS

WT I.i.43

If the King had no son, they would desire

WT I.i.44

to live on crutches till he had one.

WT I.i.44

Exeunt

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