Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (49 page)

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Act 1 Scene 1

1.1
Location: Rome
(
outside the senate house or Capitol
)

1.1
Flourish
trumpet fanfare accompanying the arrival or departure of a person or people of rank

1.1
Tribunes
officials appointed to protect the interests and rights of the people

1.1
aloft
i.e. on the upper staging level or gallery

1.1
Saturninus
a name suggestive of a saturnine temperament, i.e. gloomy, sullen, sluggish

1.1
Drum and Colours
drummers and flag bearers

1
patricians
Roman noblemen

1
patrons
protectors, supporters

4
successive
hereditary

5
that
of he who

6
diadem
crown

7
honours
respect due to rank/reputation/dignity

11
gracious
popular/worthy of favor

12
Keep
guard

12
Capitol
hill on which the temple of Jupiter stood; used in the play as the location of the senate house (the seat of government)

13
suffer not
do not permit

14
virtue consecrate
worth consecrated

15
continence
self-restraint

16
desert
merit, worth

16
pure election
free choice (as opposed to automatic inheritance by the eldest son)

19
empery
status of emperor/absolute dominion

21
A special party
i.e. elected representative (a tribune)

21
voice
vote/consensus

23
surnamèd
given the honorary name

23
Pius
i.e. dutiful, patriotic, just (embodying the virtues of Rome’s legendary founder, Pius Aeneas)

24
deserts
worthy deeds, actions deserving reward

27
accited
summoned

29
That
he who

30
yoked
conquered

38
flourishing
vigorous, thriving, eminent

39
honour … succeed
the honorable name of the candidate you wish to succeed worthily to the empery (i.e. “your own honor” as the speech is addressed to Saturninus and Bassianus, each of whom wants the empery)

42
pretend
claim

44
suitors
petitioners

45
deserts
deservings, rights

46
fair
courteously, in a balanced manner

47
affy
trust

51
all
entirely

56
forward in
active in supporting

61
confident and kind
trustful and well-disposed

63
competitor
fellow candidate

65
Patron
protector/pattern

65
champion
defender

68
circumscribèd
confined

68.1
Tamora
her name may be an allusion to Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae, who carried out a bloody revenge on Cyrus of Persia after he had attacked her lands and killed her son; it perhaps suggests “amor” (Latin for “love”) and the object of her desire, the “Moor”

68.1
Aaron
“aron,” which is how the name is spelled in the earliest (Quarto) text, is the name of a bitter herb

68.1
Moor
person of either African or Middle Eastern origin; a term often used to refer to someone from Barbary, in north Africa

70
weeds
garments

71
bark
small ship

72
lading
cargo (i.e. fresh goods picked up after the discharge of the original load)

73
anchorage
anchors

77
Thou
i.e. Jupiter Capitolinus, guardian of the city

78
Stand gracious to
look favorably on

80
King Priam
King of Troy and father of fifty sons, nearly all of whom were slain in the Trojan war

83
latest
last

84
With
i.e. let Rome reward with

85
given me leave
allowed me (i.e. as they have been defeated)

86
unkind
lacking in natural family feeling

86
careless
negligent, having no care

88
Styx
river forming the boundary to the classical underworld, which could only be crossed by souls whose bodies had been properly buried

90
wont
accustomed

93
cell
storehouse

95
more
again

97
hew
hack

98
Ad manus fratrum
“to the hands of our brothers” (Latin)

100
That so
so that

100
shadows
ghosts

101
prodigies
ill omens/unnatural events

104
gracious
favored/merciful

105
rue
feel pity for

106
passion
grief

109
Sufficeth not
is it not enough

110
triumphs
victorious processions into Rome

121
Patient
calm

127
straight
straight away

129
clean
totally

131
Scythia
ancient region extending over much of eastern Europe and Asiatic Russia, notorious for its barbarous inhabitants

132
Oppose
compare

135
withal
as well

136
Queen … tent
Hecuba, the wife of King Priam of Troy, took revenge for the death of her son Polydorus by blinding his murderer, the
Thracian
King Polymestor

137
sharp
severe/merciless

141
quit
requite, repay

144
entrails
bowels, intestines

147
’larums
trumpet calls

149
latest
final

153
envy
malice

158
fame
honor/renown

159
tributary
paid as a tribute/like tributary rivers

160
obsequies
commemorative rites

166
cordial
medicine which invigorates the heart

168
And … praise
i.e. may you outlive even eternal fame, on account of your virtue

171
gentle
kind/noble

174
your … all
i.e. the living and the dead share the same honor

176
triumph
ceremonial victory celebration

177
aspired
risen

177
Solon’s happiness
the ancient Greek philosopher and lawgiver Solon observed that man is only securely happy when dead

178
bed
i.e. the grave

181
tribune … trust
trusted representative

182
palliament
candidate’s gown (George Peele is the only writer in English to use this word, evidence strongly suggesting his authorship of this scene)

185
candidatus
“candidate” (literally “one clad in a white robe”)

187
fits
befits, suits

192
set abroad
generate

197
right and service
defending the just cause

201
obtain and ask
obtain if you ask

206
would
I wish

211
wean … themselves
reconcile them to not getting their own way

216
meed
reward

218
voices … suffrages
votes

221
gratulate
express joy at, salute

222
admits
acknowledges (as lawful successor)

223
suit
formal request

224
create
appoint

226
Titan
Roman sun god

236
in … deserts
as part-payment of the reward you deserve

237
gentleness
kindness/nobility

238
an onset
a start

242
Pantheon
circular temple dedicated to all the gods

243
motion
proposal

245
hold me
consider myself

245
of
by

252
ensigns
symbols, tokens

256
unspeakable
inexpressible

257
fealty
obligation of allegiance

259
for
because of

259
state
high rank

260
use
treat (with possible anticipatory play on the sense of “have sex with”)

261
hue
appearance/complexion

264
cheer
facial expression

267
Rest
rely

268
he comforts
he who comforts

271
sith
since

272
Warrants
justifies/acts as a pledge for/authenticates

278
withal
moreover

279
reason
justified course of action

280
‘
Suum cuique
’
“to each his own” (Latin)

283
avaunt
be gone

284
surprised
ambushed, captured unexpectedly

293
Lucius, help
Lucius may reenter or may have remained at the rear of Bassianus’ party

295
quarrel
(hostile) cause

296
Nor
neither

303
by leisure
barely (i.e. I will not be quick to)

306
Was none
was there no one

306
stale
laughingstock (especially a ridiculed lover)/person used as a tool for a sinister purpose

311
changing piece
fickle woman (
piece
is derogatory)

312
flourished
brandished

314
bandy
brawl

315
ruffle
fight

318
Phoebe
or Diana, Roman goddess of the moon, chastity, and hunting

319
overshine
outshine

319
gallant’st
finest looking

326
tapers
candles

327
Hymenaeus
god of marriage

335
Pantheon
to the Pantheon

338
Whose … conquerèd
i.e. who has wisely overcome her misfortune by accepting Saturninus