Page:Two Gentlemen of Verona (1924) Yale.djvu/96



In the First Folio the Dramatis Personæ ('The names of all the Actors') appear at the end of the play.

 Leander. A youth who nightly swam across the Hellespont to visit his beloved Hero. One night he was drowned in his attempt; whereupon Hero also leaped to her death in the Hellespont. Cf. III. i. 119, 120.

 shipp'd. Although it may be shown that in Shakespeare's time there was probably some sort of water-route between Verona and Milan, we may assume that the dramatist is merely casual here, having vaguely in mind a departure by sea from London rather than pretending to accuracy in Italian geography and topography.

 shipped sheep. It appears that in pronunciation these two words were sufficiently similar to allow a pun. Cf. note on I. i. 54.

 laced mutton. Apparently a play upon the words 'lost' and 'laced' in this speech is intended. Presumably the similarity between the two words in pronunciation was greater than now.

 Marry. A mild interjection, originally the name of the Virgin Mary used as an oath or invocation.

 destin'd to a drier death on shore. A reference to the proverbial notion, 'He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned.'

 Sir Eglamour. This personage is not to be confused with Silvia's friend, who appears later.

 stomach. A play upon the two meanings, 'anger' and 'appetite.'

 meat maid. Probably a quibble, 'meat' being pronounced like 'mate.'