The White Devil Betrayal Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Act.Scene

Quote #4

Flam…Treason's tongue hath a villainous palsy in 't; I will talk to any man, hear no man, and for a time appear a politic madman. (3.2)

Flamineo is worried that people are going to question him about his betrayal ("treason") and murder of Camillo. He doesn't want to be caught in a contradiction or be unable to respond, so he's playing a madman in order to deflect questioning.

Quote #5

Zan. 'Tis Flamineo.
Corn. Will you make me such a fool? here 's a white hand:
Can blood so soon be washed out? (5.4)

Even though physically you can wash your brother's blood off pretty quickly, you can't wash the sin out of your soul so easily—that's what Cornelia is implying. Mom always knows bad.

Quote #6

Giov. Remove these bodies. See, my honour'd lord,
What use you ought make of their punishment.
Let guilty men remember, their black deeds
Do lean on crutches made of slender reeds. (5.6)

Evil is never secure—it's on "slender reeds" because the forces it unleashes will end up destroying it.