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Line 208 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

1. SMALL CAPS Indicate editions. Notes for each commentator are divided into three parts:

In the 1st two lines of a record, when the name of the source text (the siglum) is printed in SMALL CAPS, the comment comes from an EDITION; when it is in normal font, it is derived from a book, article, ms. record or other source. We occasionally use small caps for ms. sources and for works related to editions. See bibliographies for complete information (in process).

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3. Original comment. When the second line is blank after the writer's siglum, we are signaling that we have not seen that writer's gloss prior to that date. We welcome correction on this point.

4. Words from the play under discussion (lemmata). In the third line or lines of a record, the lemmata after the TLN (Through Line Number] are from Q2. When the difference between Q2 and the authors' lemma(ta) is significant, we include the writer's lemma(ta). When the gloss is for a whole line or lines, only the line number(s) appear. Through Line Numbers are numbers straight through a play and include stage directions. Most modern editions still use the system of starting line numbers afresh for every scene and do not assign line numbers to stage directions.

5. Bibliographic information. In the third line of the record, where we record the gloss, we provide concise bibliographic information, expanded in the bibliographies, several of which are in process.

6. References to other lines or other works. For a writer's reference to a passage elsewhere in Ham. we provide, in brackets, Through Line Numbers (TLN) from the Norton F1 (used by permission); we call these xref, i.e., cross references. We call references to Shakespearean plays other than Ham. “parallels” (//) and indicate Riverside act, scene and line number as well as TLN. We call references to non-Shakespearean works “analogues.”

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Notes for lines 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman

For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.

208 Who impotent and {bedred} <Bedrid> scarcely heares	1.2.29

1832 cald2

cald2: etymologies

208 bedred] Caldecott (ed. 1832): “bedrid [is] Not derived, as it should seem, from the same source as other similar words in our language, priest-ridden, hag-ridden. Benson, A. S. Vocab. gives Bedreda, clinicus, and reda paralyticus. Jamieson, Sc. Dict. Bedrel, adj. Bedrid. corr. perhaps from A. S. Bedrida, id; Tuet. Bedder, clinicus. Germ. Bed-reise. Minshieu, Bedrid, one so sick that he cannot rise, Belg. Bedder. Teut. Bettrisz, Bettrisen.”

1872 cln1

cln1: New Testament

208 impotent] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “invalid. See Acts iv. 9, and xiv. 8”

Ed. note: cln1’s references to the bible indicate that impotent means physically incapable. The latter, for example, reads, “And there was a certain man at Lystram impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked; . . . .” (American Bible Society, King James and Revised Standard Version). The OED indicates that the meaning for impotent meaning weakness of limbs is earlier than that for without sexual efficacy, the 1st ref. to which is after Ham.

cln1: Mr. Earle

208 bedred] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “Mr. Earle gives the following doubtful but ingenious etymology of this word: ‘The Saxons called a sorcerer “dry”: . . . out of this word a verb was made, “be-drian,” to bewitch or fascinate. . . The participle of this verb, “be-drida,” a disordered man, has, by a false light of cross analogy, generated the modern “bed-ridden,” a half-sister of “hag-ridden”.’ (Philology of the English Tongue, p. 22.) The etymology commonly given explains it of one who is carried, or rides on a bed. ‘Bed-rid occurs in [WT 4. 4. 412 (2236)].”

Ed. note: cln1 is correct about the etymology, according to OED.

1873 rug2

rug2: cln1 +

208 bedred] Moberly (ed. 1873): “Mr. Earle (Phil. of the English Tongue, p. 22) explains this word as connected, not with ‘bed,’ but with the Saxon ‘bedrian,’ to bewitchy. If it is rejected, and the connection with ‘ride’ still assumed, we must suppose that from the idea of a ‘ridden’ or trained horse comes the more general one of ‘accustomed to,’ and thence ‘perpetually on,’ the bed.”

1877a v1877

v1877 = cln1; rug2

208 bedred]

1880 meik

meik ≈ cln1 + in magenta underlined

208 impotent] Meikeljohn (ed. 1880): “in the older sense—which is much like our modern word invalid. This meaning is common in our translation of the Bible (which was published in 1611). Thus in Acts iv. 9, we find: ‘The good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole.’”

1885 mull

mull = cln1 without attribution (minus ref. to New Testament)

208 impotent]

1939 kit2

kit2: standard

208 who impotent and bedred] Kittredge (ed. 1939): who refers to Norway; that is, the king of Norway; impotent = "feeble," and bedrid = "confined to his bed—literally, ridden (i.e. carried) on a bed."

1985 cam4

cam4: standard

208 impotent] Edwards (ed. 1985): "helpless, incapacitated."

1987 oxf4

oxf4: standard

208 impotent] Hibbard (ed. 1987): "weak, infirm."

1992 fol2

fol2: standard

208 impotent] Mowat & Werstine (ed. 1992): “helpless“

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2

208 impotent] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “incapable, helpless. The King of Norway refers to his ’sickness, age and impotence’ in his message to the Danish King at [1091].”