The Tragedy of Richard the Third,
with the Landing of Earl Richmond, and the Battle at Bosworth Field.
ACT FIRST
Scene One
[London. A Street]
Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester, solus.
Rich. Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. 4
Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings;
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. 8
Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now,—instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,—
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber 12
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
But I, that am not shap'd for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;
I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty 16
To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
1, 2 winter . . . York; cf. n.
6 monuments: memorial trophies
7 alarums: calls to arms
8 measures: solemn dances
9 front: forehead
10 barbed: i.e. having the breasts and flanks armed, properly 'barded'
11 fearful: timorous
12 He capers; cf. n.
13 lute: a stringed instrument
14 sportive: amorous
15 amorous; cf. n.
17 ambling: walking affectedly
