The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 15.0126  Monday, 19 January 2004

From:           Mel Leventhal <
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Date:           Thursday, 15 Jan 2004 23:41:32 EST
Subject: 15.0106 Lusty Apes in Hell?
Comment:        Re: SHK 15.0106 Lusty Apes in Hell?

According to R.W. Dent, it was proverbial in the 16th Century.

Dent dates the rape notion to Peele's,  The Arraignment of Paris, 1581:
"All that be Dians maides are vowed to halter [hang or lead to the
gallows] apes in hell. . . . Leade apes who list [lust].  See R. W.
Dent, Proverbial Language in English Drama Exclusive of Shakespeare,
(1984), Appendix A, p. 494; and R.W. Dent, Shakespeare's Proverbial
Language,  (1981) Appendix A, p. 163, noting that Shakespeare used the
proverb, as you have stated, in both Shrew and Ado.

I believe that Morris Palmer Tilley's dictionary of proverbs (1950) --
the groundbreaking work upon which Dent and others build -- also
includes this proverb.

Mel Leventhal

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