i'm reading a book which is a collection of Shakespeare's most famous lines (which incidentally includes a list of some phrases which are often miscredited to him, eg "All that glisters is not gold" and "Et tu, Brute?" ), in which there is a brief discussion/interpretation following each phrase.

one such phrase, "Tis better to be vile" is addressed:


'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 out feeling, but by others' seeing.
For why should others' false adulterate eyes
Give salutation to my sportive blood?

i understand and agree with the interpretation that the Bard's intent is akin to of troy's"You might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb--" sentiment, but i'm not sure i agree with the author's interpretation of the final line. He suggests that "give salutation to" means "to judgmentally address themselves to", but somehow that doesn't sound right.

Could these lines could be translated to "Why should others' opinions cause me to choose to give up ('say goodbye to', 'give salutation to') my 'sportive blood' [in this case, clearly his passion]. must 'salutation' always be interpreted as a greeting, rather than a farewell?


TIA
~b