Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (59 page)

30
politic
cunning

30
crossed
thwarted

32
set him clear
make even the devil seem innocent

32
fairly
virtuously/cleanly

33
foul
wicked/dirty

33
Takes … wicked
imitates virtuous behavior in order to be wicked

34
zeal
religious devotion

34
set … fire
i.e. begin wars in the name of religion

37
dead
i.e. to him

38
wards
locks

39
Many
for many

40
sure
securely (from arrest for debt)

41
liberal
over-generous

42
keep his house
stay indoors

Act 3 Scene 4

3.4
Location: Timon’s house, Athens

8
at once
to all of you

10
the hour
is the time

11
Labouring for
getting on for, approaching

12
much
i.e. late

15
on’t
at it

15
wont
accustomed

15
shine
rise (like the sun)

16
waxed
grown

17
prodigal
wasteful

18
like the sun’s
i.e. reaching a peak, and then declining

22
am of
share

23
t’observe
to note and interpret

27
For … money
i.e. the money he owes me was spent on the jewels

28
heart
feelings/wish

29
Mark
note, listen to

29
shows
appears

31
e’en … ’em
it is as if your lord demands money to pay for the jewels that were a gift to him

33
charge
employment

35
stealth
stealing

38
much deep
very great (amount)

39
confidence
intimacy, trusted friendship

39
mine
i.e. my master’s

40
his had equalled
his loan would have been as great as that of your master

45
attend
wait for

45
signify so much
make this known

47
diligent
dutiful/officious

49
in a cloud
troubled/muffled up

53
certain
certain sums of (in his reply Flavius plays on the sense of “secure, assured”)

57
preferred
brought forward, presented

58
false
disloyal

59
fawn
show delight/grovel

60
take down
swallow

60
maws
throat/stomachs

61
stir me up
provoke me

63
made an end
parted company

64
reckon
add up

65
serve
do, suffice (Flavius plays on the sense of “do a servant’s duty”)

66
base
dishonorable/low-born

68
cashiered
dismissed (from service)

68
worship
used ironically

70
broader
more plainly

71
rail
rant

74
repair
return

75
take’t … soul
believe me

76
wondrously
extraordinarily

76
comfortable
cheerful

77
forsook
abandoned

77
keeps
remains in

80
if … health
if he is so ill

82
make … gods
i.e. not risk punishment after death for leaving debts behind him

82
clear
unhindered/innocent

86
passage
passing through/moving

87
free
unrestrained/generous

88
retentive
confining

91
Put in
present your bill

97
Knock … ’em
Timon plays on the fact that
bill
also means “long-handled weapon”

97
cleave
split

97
girdle
belt

99
sums
amounts of money

101
Tell
count

106
fall upon
attack, punish

107
throw … at
i.e. give up on

108
desperate
irrecoverable/mad, reckless

Act 3 Scene 5

3.5
Location: inside Timon’s house
(
though the action is continuous from the previous scene
)

1
put … me
taken my breath away

4
What … so?
Timon begins to plan the mock banquet

8
fitly
conveniently

8
bid
invite, summon

9
luxurs
lechers, debauched men

12
distracted
agitated/confused, maddened

15
Be … care
do not worry about it

Act 3 Scene 6

3.6
Location: the senate house, Athens

1
voice
vote

1
fault’s
crime’s

2
Bloody
bloodthirsty, vicious

3
emboldens
encourages

4
bruise
crush

7
virtues
i.e. your virtuous selves

11
hot blood
anger

12
stepped into
i.e. incurred the penalties of (the image is of entering water)

12
past depth
too deep, out of their depth

13
heed
care, thought

14
fate
his ill-fated deed

15
comely
decent, becoming

16
soil
tarnish

16
fact
crime

17
which buys out
redeems

18
fair
noble/just

19
touched
hit, wounded/infected, defiled

19
touched to death
fatally damaged

21
sober
serious/reasonable, controlled

21
unnoted
hardly noticeable

22
behave
control, manage

23
but … argument
carried a point in a debate

24
undergo
undertake

24
strict
forced

27
form
acceptable practice/lawful procedure

28
Upon the head
into the category

28
which
i.e. quarrelling

29
misbegot
illegitimately conceived

31
suffer
endure

32
breathe
utter/take in

33
his wrongs
the wrongs done to him

33
his outsides
i.e. external to him, not essential

34
raiment
clothing

34
carelessly
casually

35
prefer
promote, present

37
wrongs
wrongs done to us

37
kill
to kill

38
for ill
an evil cause

40
gross
obvious/wicked

40
clear
innocent

41
bear
tolerate, endure

42
under favour
with your kind permission

43
captain
soldier

44
fond
foolish

47
repugnancy
resistance

48
what … Abroad?
i.e. why do soldiers go and fight

50
bearing
plays on the senses of “childbearing” and “bearing the weight of a man during sex”

50
carry it
win the day (continues to play on senses relating to pregnancy and sex)

52
irons
fetters, shackles

56
gust
outburst, battering blast

57
by mercy
if seen mercifully

60
Weigh
consider, judge

61
breathe
speak

63
Lacedaemon
Sparta (city in southern Greece)

63
Byzantium
Istanbul (city in Turkey)

64
briber
giver of bribes

70
made … ’em
dealt wounds out rather too plentifully

71
sin … him
i.e. drunkenness

74
in … fury
i.e. when drunk

76
cherish factions
encourage dissent

76
inferred
alleged/implied

80
parts
good qualities

81
right … time
military feats should have bought him the right to live out his natural life

83
deserts
merits

83
to
in addition to

84
for
because

85
security
safety/guaranteed return on a loan

86
pawn
pledge, mortgage

87
Upon … returns
as a means of guaranteeing his repayment of your mercy

89
in valiant gore
i.e. by dying in battle

92
On … our
at the risk of our highest

95
know
recognize, acknowledge

101
sue
plead

101
grace
favor

104
spacious in effect
has considerable implications/leads to exile in the wide world

107
dotage
foolishness

109
shine
sunshine

110
Attend … judgement
expect a more severe punishment

110
not … spirit
so as not to make us more angry

111
presently
immediately

113
Only in bone
as living skeletons

115
told
counted

115
let out
lent

118
balsam
healing ointment

118
usuring
practicing usury, inflicting cost for one’s own profit

120
ill
unwelcome

121
worthy
worthy of, befitting

121
spleen
rage (the spleen was thought to be the seat of extreme emotion)

123
lay for
waylay/endeavor to get (plays on sense of “wager, bet”)

123
hearts
affections, followers (plays on sense of “suit of cards”)

124
at odds
in a state of conflict (sustains the gambling image)

125
brook
tolerate

Act 3 Scene 7

3.7
Location: Timon’s house, Athens

3.7
divers
various

3
try
test

4
tiring
exhausting themselves/feeding (as a bird of prey tugs at flesh)

5
encountered
met

5
low
financially dire

6
several
various

7
persuasion
suggestion, evidence

10
many my near
my many pressing obligations

11
conjured
summoned, entreated

13
in debt
obliged, committed to

13
importunate
urgent

15
provision was out
financial means were exhausted

16
of
on account of