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Line 2041 - 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).

2. How comments are related to predecessors' comments. In the second line of a record, a label "without attribution" indicates that a prior writer made the same or a similar point; such similarities do not usually indicate plagiarism because many writers do not, as a practice, indicate the sources of their glosses. We provide the designation ("standard") to indicate a gloss in common use. We use ≈ for "equivalent to" and = for "exactly alike."

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 2023-2950 ed. Frank N. Clary

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

2041 My operant powers {their} <my> functions leaue to do,

1755 Johnson Dict.

Johnson Dict.

2041 operant] Johnson (1755): “Active; having power to produce any effect. A word not in use .”

1774 capn

capn ≈ Johnson Dict.

2041 operant] Capell (1774, 1:1: glossary): “(H. 70, 1. T. of A. 56, 11.) acting, operating; Fre. also,—active, operative.”

1778 v1778

v1778=Johnson. Dict.; Tim. //, Heywood analogue

2041 operant] Steevens (ed.1778): “Operant is active. Shakespeare gives it in Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)] as an epithet to poison. Heywood has likewise used it in his Royal King and Loyal Subject, 1637: ‘may my operant parts Each one forget their office!’ The word is now obsolete. STEEVENS. “

1784 ays1

ays1=v1788 minus Tim. //, Heywood analogue

2041 operant] Ayscouth (ed. 1784): “Operant is active.”

1785 v1785

v1785 = v1778

1790 mal

mal = v1785

1791- rann

rann ≈ Johnson Dict.

2041 operant] Rann (ed. 1791-): “active.”

1793 v1793

v1793 = v1785

1803 v1803

v1803 = v1793

1813 v1813

v1813 = v1803

1819 cald1

cald1 ≈ v1778 (incl. Tim.//; Heywood analogue)

2041 My operant powers] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “My active energies, or faculty of exertion, cease to perform their offices. Instead of their, the reading of the quartos, the folios have my. Mr. Steevens says, operant is used in Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)] as an epithet to poison: and quotes Heywood’s Royal King and Loyal Subjects, 1637: ‘—may my operant parts Each one forget their office!’ ”

1821 v1821

v1821 = v1813

1822 Nares

Nares ≈ cald1 (Tim. //) minus Heywood analogue

2041 operant] Nares (1822, glossary: operant): “Operative, fit for action. [Hamlet line cited]. ‘—May my operant parts Each one forget their office. Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate with they most operant poison.’ Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)].”

1826 sing1

sing1= rann

2041 operant] Singer (ed. 1826): “i.e. active.”

1850-85 Fish

Fish ≈ Nares (Tim. //) + magenta underlined

2041 operant] Fish (ms. notebook, Folger S.a. 194, p. 202): “In tim. [4.3.25 (1627)]: “Timon. Sauce his palate With thy most operant poison—’ These are the only examples of Shaks. use of that word.”

1856b sing2

sing2 = sing1

1857 fieb

fieb

2041 operant] Fiebig (ed. 1857): “Operant is obsolete instead of active. Shakespeare gives it, in Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)] as an epithet to poison.”

1864a glo

glo ≈ Nares (incl. tim. //)

2024 operant] Clark and Wright (ed. 1864a [1865] 9: glossary, Operant): “adj. active. Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)].”

1869 tsch

tsch: v1778

2041 operant powers] Tschischwitz (ed. 1869): “Operant powers, ein medicinischer Ausdruck für active, das Sh. (nach Steevens) im Tim. als Beiwort des Giftes verwendet.” [Operant powers is a medical expression for active, that Sh. (according to Steevens) uses in the Tim. as an attribute of poison.]

1872 cln1

cln1 ≈ glo(incl. tim. //)

2041 operant] Clark and Wright (ed. 1872): “active. Compare Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)]: ‘Sauce his palate With thy most operant poison.’ cln1: xref.; R3 //

2041 leaue] Clark and Wright (ed. 1872): “leave off, cease. Compare [1.2.155 (339)], and R3 [5.2.4 (2370)]: ‘Where did I leave?’

1877 v1877

v1877: v1778 (incl. tim. //)

2041 operant] Furness (ed. 1877): “Steevens: Active. See its use with ‘poison,’ Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)].”

v1877: Abbott

2041 to do] Furness (ed. 1877): “For instances of the infinitive used as a noun, see Abbott, § 355; also, ‘to feed,’ [3.4.66 (2450)].”

v1877 ≈ cln1 (xref.)

2041 leaue] Furness (ed. 1877): “Clarendon: Leave off, cease. See [1.2.155 (339)]. Also [2.1.50 (944)]; [3.4.66 (2450)].”

1881 hud3

hud3 ≈ cam1 (incl. def. and tim.//)

2041 operant] Hudson (ed. 1881): “Operant for active or operative. So in Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)]: ‘Sauce his palate with thy most operant poison.’“

1889 Barnett

Barnett

2041 Barnett (1889, p. 47): “My working faculties cease from their functions.”

1890 irv2

irv2 ≈ cln1 (incl. tim. //)

2041 operant] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “Compare the one other use in Shakespeare of the word operant, tim. [4.3.25 (1627)]: ‘sauce his palate With thy most operant poison.’“

irv2

2041 leaue] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “leave off, cease.”

1891 dtn

dtn: dyce (for paraphrase); v1877 (for Abbott) for 2041

1899 ard1

ard1 ≈ irv2

2041 leaue] Dowden (ed. 1899): “cease.”

1906 nlsn

nlsn ≈ hud3 minus tim. //

2041 operant] Neilson (ed. 1942, glossary): “active.”

1913 tut2

tut2

2041 their functions . . . do] Goggin (ed. 1913): “’cease to discharge their duties.’”

1931 crg1

crg1 = nlsn

2041 operant] Craig (ed. 1931): “active.”

crg1 = ard1

2041 leaue] Craig (ed. 1931): “cease.”

1939 kit2

kit2: Webster analogue

2041 My operant powers] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “the physical forces that work in the functions of life; my vital forces. Cf. Webster, Appius and Virginia, 5.2.108, 109 (ed. Lucas, II, 222): ‘This sight has stiffened all my operant powers, Ic’d all my blood, benum’d my motion quite.’”

kit2: standard

2041 leaue to do] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “cease to act.”

1942 n&h

n&h = crg1

2041 operant] Neilson & Hill (ed. 1942): “active.”

1971 pel2

pel2

2041 operant powers] Farnham (ed. 1971): “active bodily forces.”

1974 evns1

evns1: standard

2041 operant] Evans (ed. 1974): “active, vital.”

evns1: standard

2041 leaue to do] Evans (ed. 1974): “cease to perform.”

1980 pen2

pen2

2041 operant powers] Spencer (ed. 1980): “vital faculties.”

pen2=evns1 for leaue to do

1982 ard2

ard2 ≈ cald1 minus Tim. // (w/o attrib.); ≈ kit2 (Webster analogue)

2041 operant powers] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “faculties. Cf. Hey wood, Royal King and Loyal Subjects, 1.1.37-8, ‘may my operant parts Each one forget their office’; Webster, Appius and Virginia, 5.2.108, ‘all my operant powers’.”

ard2 ≈ cln1 (for leaue to do)

1984 chal

chal

2041 leaue to do] Wilkes (ed. 1984): “leave to do give up, cease.”

1987 oxf4

oxf4 ≈ cam1 without attribution + magenta underlined

2041 operant] Hibbard (ed. 1987): “ vital, active. Compare Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)], ‘thy most operant poison’. The word seems to be a Shakespearian coinage.”

1988 bev2

bev2 ≈ evns1

2041 operant powers] Bevington (ed. 1988): “vital functions.”

1997 evns2

evns2 = evns1

1998 OED

OED

2041 operant] OED (Sept. 7, 1998): “operant (prnt), a. and sb. [ad. L. operantem, pr. pple. of operari to OPERATE.] A. adj. a. That operates, works, or produces effects; in operation, operative; powerful in effect (obs.). 1602 SHAKS. Ham. [3.2.184 (2052)] My operant Powers my Functions leaue to do. 1607 –– Tim. [4.3.25 (1627)]Sawce his pallate With thy most operant Poyson. 1677 GALE Crt. Gentiles IV. 427 This efficacious medicinal grace..they terme it sometimes..`the operant and cooperant grace’. 1810 COLERIDGE in Lit. Rem. (1838) III. 305 The Roman doctrine, that the priest’s absolution is operant, and not simply declarative. 1894 G. MACDONALD Lilith xvi. (1895) 119 No conscious courage was operant in me.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2 ≈ kit2, pen2, evns1

2041 operant powers] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “vital organs or faculties.”

ard3q2: standard

2041 leave to do] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “cease to perform.”