Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 22 (broom, tiff, loathsome, snakes, hercles, dismal…). Matches are highlighted.
the entrails of the earth, And Eastern whirlwinds in the hellish shades: Some foul contagion of infected heavens Blast all the trees; and in their cursed tops The dismal night-raven and tragic Owl Breed, and become forerunners of my fallen. No: you shall see me do the More: Master, lend me your scarf a little.
Full speech
Do not we serve a notable Shark? Timoria. Timoria. Veni. Who calls out murder? Lady, was it you? Nay, and thou dalliest, then I am thy Foe, And Fear shall force, what Friendship cannot win; Thy Death shall bury what thy life conceals, Villain! thou diest, for more respecting her, than me. Yet speak the truth, and I will guerdon thee: But if thou dally once again, thou diest. You, Master Minos, hark hither a little. Exeunt. Why then lament therefore: damned be thy Guts unto King Pluto's hell, and Princely Erebus; for Sparrows must have food. Where art thou Boy? where is Calipolis? Fight earth quakes, in the entrails of the earth, And Eastern whirlwinds in the hellish shades: Some foul contagion of infected heavens Blast all the trees; and in their cursed tops The dismal night-raven and tragic Owl Breed, and become forerunners of my fallen. No: you shall see me do the More: Master, lend me your scarf a little.
Plot summary
Plot — Poetaster, or The Arraignment
Ovid’s father wants him to be a lawyer, but he prefers poetry. He attends an assignation of poets and their loves at Albius’ house. Crispinus, wishing to cuckold the jeweller, observes how taken his wife Chloé is with poets, and determines to become a poet himself. He forces his company on Horace, who escapes when an apothecary tries to arrest Crispinus for debt. Tucca intervenes to save him, and arranges for him to contribute to the controversial play satirizing poets which the players, anxious to attract audiences after a poor winter’s playing season, have hired Demetrius to write. Julia hosts a drunken banquet at court for the poets and ladies, who all dress as gods and goddesses, hiring appropriate props from the players, including a crown and sceptre. Lupus hears about this and, mistakenly believing that treason is plotted, brings the Emperor to interrupt the banquet. Appalled at the poets’ impiety and abuse of their talents, and at his daughter’s wantonness, Augustus banishes Ovid and imprisons Julia. A poetry reading by Virgil is interrupted by Lupus, who thinks he has detected more treason, and is exposed as a fool. Crispinus and Demetrius are tried for defamation of Horace and found guilty. Horace gives Crispinus a purge, and he vomits his obscure vocabulary. 1601 B-Text After the play has finished, two critics visit the author in his study and debate the play’s origins and the controversy over its personal satire; the author proposes that his next play will be a tragedy.