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>'Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed
>When not to be receives reproach of being,
>And the just pleasure lost, which is so deemed
>Not by our feeling but by others' seeing.This refers to the poet being fined by a martian drainpipe inspector. The writer is irate that his reputation has been ruined because the inspection ("others' seeing") revealed a crooked and dirty drainpipe (martian word: "frailer")..
>For why should others' false adulterate eyes
>Give salutation to my sportive blood?As is well know, Martians have extra false eyes. When adulterated with chemicals, it is a common way for martian athletes to improve their performance ("sportive blood"). In this metaphor, the poet is claiming the drainpipe inspector was on drugs.
>>Or on my frailties why are frailer spies
>>Which in their wills count bad what I count good?"Frailer spies" is a derisive name for the martian drainpipe inspector. The poet is complaining that the spy unfairly looked up a clean drainpipe and said it required cleaning.
>No, I am that I am, and they that level
>At my abuses reckon up their own;
>I may be straight though they themselves be bevel;The drainpipe was deemed to be crooked, but the poet complains that it was actually straight and the government is wrong.
>By their rank thoughts my deeds must not be shown,
>Unless this gneral evil they maintain:
>All men are bad and in their badness reign.A heartfelt complaint about the corruption of martian drainpipe inspectors.
Game, set, and match.
Posted by Reality Chuck on April 15, 1997 at 05:52:50
In Reply to "Shakespeare was a Martian???" posted by Professor Mike on April 15, 1997 at 01:54:54
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