A bit of bardolatry: #1

I thought that from time to time I would drop a few examples of Master Shakespeare's words in here to raise the general level of literacy on this blog (not too difficult!) and to explain why they fascinate and/or delight me.  The first was pointed up by perhaps the very greatest living Shakespearean scholar, John Barton, an original founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company.  He once let drop on a TV programme that this passage was his favourite from the entire Shakespearean oeuvre.  Am I going to give him an argument?  Not likely!

This interchange takes place in Troilus and Cressida (T&C) outside the walls of Troy which is being besieged by the Greeks.  If you have plenty of spare years ahead of you they could be usefully filled with an investigation into which of the several sites hitherto discovered is the actual Troy made famous by Homer - and even more famous by Master Shakespeare.  On the other hand, perhaps you would better spend your time doing the garden!

The passage that so took John Barton's imagination is concerned with "that old common arbitrator, Time".  I remember Barton pointing out that the mysterious concept of 'Time' constantly arises in Shakespeare's works.  He was obviously fascinated with it and you can understand why if you just give it a few moments thought.  In a way Time doesn't exist in the sense that you can't see it or feel it or weigh it or, and, this is crucial, nor can you change it!  It just goes on and on and on, unrelenting, unremitting.  Anyway, in this scene in 'no-man's-land' outside the city walls, two old opponents talk together.  Troy stands behind them in all its might and beauty with great turreted walls and tall, elegant, domed palaces and towers.  One of the men is Prince Hector of Troy, a great warrior; the other is Ulysses, a Greek, too old now for combat but a very seasoned and shrewd politician.  Also, incidentally, a Tory to his finger-tips!  He is given much to say by 'our Will' which may be a clue as to his own political sympathies - maybe! 

ULYSSES 

I wonder now how yonder city stands
When we have here her base and pillar by us. 

HECTOR 

I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead,
Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy. 

ULYSSES 

Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue:
My prophecy is but half his journey yet;
For yonder walls, that pertly front your town,
Yond towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,
Must kiss their own feet. 

HECTOR 

I must not believe you:
There they stand yet, and modestly I think,
The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
A drop of Grecian blood: the end crowns all,
And that old common arbitrator, Time,
Will one day end it. 

ULYSSES 

So to him we leave it.

Every time I see another of those great and ancient palaces in the Middle East being blown up by those Muslim loons, I think of Troy and its seemingly inevitable fate; a fate, by the way, which in the course of relentless Time, will destruct all our great cities.

"But I am bound upon a wheel of fire, / That mine own tears do scald like molten lead"

 

 

Comments

[Whitewall]

It seems to those Muslim loons, Time has no meaning. A finely crafted clock is a mere decoration like a vase or lamp. That it tells the current Time is irrelevant.

[David Duff]

Exactly so, 'Whiters', but alas this madness is not confined to Muslim loons. Who bombed Dresden?

[jimmy glesga]

Fine words Whitewall. You should send them to Washington immediately.

[jimmy glesga]

David, who bombed London, Glasgow, Paisley, CLYDEBANK and elsewhere at random.

[Cuffleyburgers]

Dresden had it coming.

Who deliberately avoided destroying Cologne cathedral and dozens of italian towns.

Damage to monuments by both ides was nearly always genuine collateral damage resulting from justifiable attacks on genuine miltary targets.

[The Jannie]

Every time I've visited Cologne and looked up I've thought "How the hell did they miss THAT?"

[jimmy glesga]

Koln Cathedral is very impressive. According to my German sister in law the front left side of the main entrance was bomb damaged and Hitler ordered that it should not be repaired.
However a German officer had it repaired and saved it from collapsing. If you look closely at the repair you will note the brickwork is different. Apparantly the German officer was shot.