Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (56 page)

236
plain-dealing
honest behavior/forthright lechery

237
doit
coin of little value

239
How now
greeting which implies inquiry about well-being

245
poet … liest
the idea of the creative artist as a liar was conventional

248
him
i.e. Timon

250
worthy of
plays on the idea of “of financial value to”

254
E’en
even, i.e. exactly

258
Wherefore?
Why?

259
no angry wit
not enough anger in my wit

262
Traffic
trade, business

262
confound
ruin

265
What
whose

266
horse
horsemen

267
of companionship
one party, together

268
entertain
welcome

268
give them guide
show them

271
of your sights
to see you

273
So, so, there!
a comment on the greetings that are under way (“Well, look at that”), exclamation of observation/commentary on the greetings

274
contract and starve
shrink and wither

275
small
hardly any

275
sweet
smooth, falsely pleasant

276
strain
race

276
bred out
degenerated

278
saved my longing
i.e. satisfied my desire to see you

279
hungerly
hungrily

279
your sight
the sight of you

281
Ere
before

281
depart
part

281
bounteous
abundant

282
different
various

282
in
go in

285
That … still
it is always that time

286
omitt’st
neglect

288
meat
food

297
unpeaceable
quarrelsome

297
spurn
kick

298
fly
flee, run away from

298
o’th’ass
of the donkey/idiot

299
opposite to
antagonistic toward/the reverse of

300
outgoes
exceeds

302
Plutus
the wealthy Greek god of the underworld

303
steward
servant in charge of all domestic affairs

303
meed
gift

306
All … quittance
repayment with interest

Act 1 Scene 2

1.2
Location: the banqueting room in Timon’s house

1.2
Hautboys
oboe-like instruments

1.2
States
senators

1.2
dropping
moodily, unenthusiastically/casually

3
long peace
i.e. death

6
free
generous

7
service
respect, homage

11
ever
always

12
he … receives
biblical: “if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye?” (Luke 6:34), “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

13
that game
i.e. appearing freely generous yet permitting repayment

14
faults … fair
“rich men have no faults” (proverbial)

17
Ceremony
respectful courtesy, formal conduct

18
set … on
give a fair appearance to, smooth over

18
faint
half-hearted/trivial

18
hollow
insincere

19
Recanting goodness
goodness that will be withdrawn

19
ere
before

20
none
i.e. no ceremony

23
confessed
acknowledged, granted (Apemantus shifts the sense to “heard the confession of a criminal”)

24
Hanged
“confess and be hanged” (proverbial)

28
Fie
exclamation of disgust or reproach

28
churl
peasant/villain (i.e. ungracious, contemptible)

28
humour
mood, temperament (the four humors were bodily fluids thought to govern health and disposition)

29
become
befit, suit

30
Ira … est
“Anger is a brief madness” (Latin)

31
yond
yonder, that

33
affect
like/seek out

35
apperil
peril, risk

36
observe
scrutinize people and make comments on them

36
on’t
of it

37
heed
notice

38
would
wish to

38
power
i.e. to silence you

38
meat … silent
i.e. as you eat

40
’twould … thee
i.e. the food is a benefit to be enjoyed by Timon’s flatterers; not being one, Apemantus would choke on it

41
eats
i.e. prey upon, consume the wealth of

42
dip … blood
may allude to the Last Supper of Christ and his disciples: “he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me” (Matthew 26:23)

43
all … up
the maddest thing of all is that he encourages them

46
without knives
in Shakespeare’s day guests brought their own knives to dinner

47
Good … meat
i.e. because less would be eaten

48
example
precedent, previous evidence

49
pledges … him
i.e. drinks a toast to his life

50
divided draught
shared cup (
divided
may also suggest deception)

51
huge
powerful, high-ranking

52
spy … notes
i.e. see his
windpipe
dangerously exposed as his head tilts back

52
notes
distinctive signs (plays on the sense of “musical notes,” with the
windpipe
as an instrument)

53
harness
armor

54
in heart
heartily, in friendship

54
health
toast/shared cup

56
brave
fine

56
keeps … well
i.e. does not miss an opportunity

56
tides
time/movement of the sea

57
Those … ill
“to drink health is to drink sickness” (proverbial)

57
health
toast/physical healthiness

57
state
estate, wealth/physical condition

59
sinner
i.e. cause of sin

60
i’th’mire
stuck in the mud, i.e. in trouble

61
odds
difference

62
proud
lavish/arrogant

62
grace
prayer said before a meal

63
pelf
wealth/spoils, booty

65
fond
foolish

67
harlot
prostitute

69
keeper
jailer

71
fall to’t
start eating

72
root
i.e. vegetables

73
dich
do it

74
field
battlefield

76
breakfast of enemies
i.e. cutting enemies up on the battlefield

78
So
provided that

78
new
freshly

81
bid … ’em
invite me to eat them

83
use our hearts
make use of the affection that we have for you

84
zeals
loyalties, devotion

85
perfect
satisfied, complete

88
else
otherwise

88
charitable
loving

89
from
from among, out of

90
told … you
described you more expansively/estimated you more highly

91
confirm
corroborate, approve

93
needless
pointless, not needed

98
do benefits
give gifts/help

98
properer
more fittingly/more our own

99
riches … friends
wealth of friendship/wealth belonging to our friends

100
commanding
having at one’s disposal

101
made … born
destroyed before birth, i.e. expressed in tears, which seem sorrowful

102
faults
errors; plays on the sense of “cracks (to let in water)”

104
Thou … drink
Apemantus wryly implies that Timon’s weakness enables his flatterers to take advantage of him

105
like
same

106
sprung up
welled up, like a spring/grew

107
a bastard
illegitimate, i.e. insincere

109
Much!
exclamation of disbelief or sarcasm

109.1
tucket
trumpet call

110
trump
trumpet

111
Please
if it please

111
most … admittance
who wish to enter; may possibly play on sense of “who are desirous to be received sexually”;
wills
sexual desires,
office
duty/sexual role,
pleasures
also resonate sexually

114
forerunner
herald

115
which … pleasures
whose job it is to announce their wishes

116
Cupid
Roman god of love, usually depicted as a winged, blindfolded boy

116
masque
courtly entertainment involving dancing and elaborate costumes

120
gratulate
greet

120
plenteous bosom
generous heart

121
There
refers to Timon’s generosity (
plenteous bosom
), and the banqueting
table
it has provided

121
all
i.e. and the other three senses

122
only … but
come solely

123
kind
friendly/gracious

125
ample
amply

125
Amazons
legendary race of female warriors

126
Hoyday
exclamation of surprise

126
sweep
magnificent dancing motion

128
Like
similar, comparable

128
glory
vainglory, empty pride

129
As … root
as can be seen by comparing this splendor (of banquet and masque) with a simple diet

129
pomp
ceremony, splendor

130
disport
amuse

131
spend
express/use up/waste

131
drink
toast/swallow, consume

132
Upon whose age
old age/decline in fortune

132
void
vomit

133
envy
malice

134
depravèd
defamed, slandered/morally corrupt

135
spurn
insult, rejection

136
Of … gift
(that has been) given by their friends

139
adoring of
revering of, expressing respect toward

139
lofty strain
elevated, grand tune

140
done … grace
added charm to our enjoyments, honored our revels

141
Set … on
i.e. lent elegance to

142
kind
gracious

144
mine own device
a masque commissioned and invented by me/a masque designed for me

146
take … best
evaluate us as highly as it is possible (Apemantus plays on the sexual sense of “take,” i.e. “have sex with”)