How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #10
DAUPHIN
I, by the honor of my marriage bed,
After young Arthur claim this land for mine.
And, now it is half conquered, must I back
Because that John hath made his peace with Rome?
Am I Rome's slave? What penny hath Rome borne?
What men provided? What munition sent,
To underprop this action? Is 't not I
That undergo this charge? Who else but I,
And such as to my claim are liable,
Sweat in this business and maintain this war?
Have I not heard these islanders shout out
'Vive le Roi" as I have banked their towns?
Have I not here the best cards for the game
To win this easy match played for a crown?
And shall I now give o'er the yielded set?
No, no, on my soul, it never shall be said. (5.2.94-109)
Well, maybe there are limits to the Church's power, too. Yes, the words spoken by Pandolf can inspire Louis to raise an army and march against England. But it isn't the words that will lay siege to the English towns; it's Louis's army that will. And, Louis seems to be saying, once that expedition is under way, it takes on a momentum of its own and can't be stopped by mere words. Reading these lines together with the other quotes in this section, it looks like King John doesn't have a simple message about power. Power isn't all about military strength, and it isn't all about words; it's something extremely subtle and hard to grasp.