Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (57 page)

147
for
because

147
worst
plays on the sense of “worst part,” i.e. vagina

147
filthy
disgusting/infected with venereal disease

147
hold taking
stand up to evaluation/withstand sex (because it is diseased)

148
doubt me
fear, suspect

149
idle
light, trifling

149
banquet
light meal, or fruit and sweetmeats served after the main meal

149
attends
awaits

150
dispose yourselves
take your places

156
crossing
opposing, thwarting

156
humour
mood

157
well
plainly, bluntly

158
crossed
have his debts crossed out/paid

158
an
if only

159
had … behind
i.e. was not wary

160
for his mind
as a result of his (generous) disposition

167
advance
enhance in value (by wearing)

169
so … gifts
already so obliged to you for other gifts

173
fairly
kindly/courteously, graciously

175
Vouchsafe
permit

175
near
closely, seriously

177
provided
prepared

180
free
generous, open

181
trapped
harnessed

183
worthily entertained
received in a manner appropriate to their worth

187
brace
pairs

189
fair
courteous/generous/just

192
coffer
money chest

193
know his purse
i.e. pay attention to his finances

193
yield me this
allow me, give me the opportunity

195
make … good
put his wishes into effect

196
state
estate, wealth

199
put … books
mortgaged to them

200
would
I wish

203
Than … exceed
than to feed such friends as are worse than enemies

206
bate
diminish

210
gave good words
praised

211
bay courser
reddish-brown horse

213
in that
for liking it, and thus implying that I wanted it

215
affect
desire, like

216
weigh … own
consider my friend’s desires to be the same as my own

217
call to
visit

219
several visitations
your collective and individual visits

221
deal
give

224
living
income/existence

226
pitched field
battlefield with armies drawn up for action

227
defiled
plays on
pitched
as “covered with pitch (a black tar-like substance)”; “file” picks up on the sense of “troop formation”

228
virtuously bound
powerfully bound/bound by your virtue

230
endeared
indebted/bound by affection/increased in value

231
All to you
i.e. the obligation is all mine

234
Ready for
at the service of

235
coil
confusion, fuss

236
serving
delivering

236
becks
bows

237
legs
limbs/bows

238
dregs
impurities, corruption

239
false
insincere, dishonest

243
I’ll
I’ll have

244
rail upon
abuse, rant at, insult

245
fear me
fear

246
paper
i.e. promissory notes, written securities

247
vainglories
showy events

248
an … once
if you begin to abuse good company

249
come … music
i.e. change your tune, speak more positively

251
So
so be it

252
thou … then
you will not have the opportunity later

253
heaven
salvation (achieved by listening to good advice)

255
counsel
advice

Act 2 Scene 1

2.1
Location: a senator’s house, Athens

1
late
recently

3
motion … waste
in the process of reckless extravagance

4
hold
last, be sustained

9
foals
brings forth more horses (gifts from Timon)

9
straight
immediately/strong

10
porter
i.e. gatekeeper who keeps out visitors

11
still
always

13
sound … safety
probe his finances and find them to be secure/declare his financial situation to be secure

13
ho!
exclamation to attract attention

17
importune
urge, ask persistently

17
ceased
stopped

18
slight
dismissive, casual

18
when … hand
i.e. with courteous words and gestures

21
uses
needs (perhaps with a suggestion of “financial interest owed”)

21
serve my turn
provide for myself/meet the financial claims on me

22
own
own money

22
days and times
i.e. the deadlines for payment

23
fracted
broken

24
smit
impacted on, damaged

26
relief
i.e. request for repayment

27
tossed and turned
hit back (a tennis metaphor)

28
supply
financial provision

29
importunate
persistent, urgent

29
aspect
facial expression

31
feather … wing
i.e. when every creditor is paid what they are due/when everything is back in its rightful place

32
gull
unfledged bird/dupe, fool

33
flashes
shines brightly/temporarily displays

33
phoenix
mythical Arabian bird that was consumed by fire every five hundred years, then resurrected from the ashes; only one existed at a time

36
have … in
i.e. make sure the (missed) repayment dates are included

Act 2 Scene 2

2.2
Location: outside Timon’s house, Athens

2
know
learn, be told

2
maintain
afford, stand the cost

3
riot
reveling, extravagance

4
resume
assumes

5
what … continue
how the future will be provided for/what the consequences will be

5
Never … kind
never was there a mind so unwise in order to be so kind

7
till feel
i.e. until he experiences the consequences

8
round
plain-spoken, severe

14
discharged
paid

15
fear it
doubt that that will happen

16
train
retinue

17
forth
go out (hunting)

19
dues
debts

20
Whence are you?
Where are you from?

24
To … month
i.e. from day to day for a month

25
awaked … occasion
prompted by urgent circumstances

26
call … own
call in what is owed to him

27
with … suit
you will act in accordance with your other noble qualities

30
repair
return

36
wants
needs/shortages

37
forfeiture
penalty of forfeiting the security for the loan (e.g. land and property)

41
breath
breathing space

42
keep on
go on ahead

43
wait upon
follow

45
How goes
what is going on in

45
encountered
confronted/assaulted

46
demands
legal claims

47
detention
withholding

48
Against my honour
contrary to my reputation, damaging my honor

50
unagreeable to
unsuitable for

55
draw near
i.e. follow me

55
Fool
professional jester

60
dost
do, i.e. are you

61
Dost … shadow?
Are you talking to yourself?

61
dialogue with
speak to

61
shadow
mirror image

64
There’s … back
(to Varro’s servant) you have been labeled “fool”/(to Apemantus) the fool is behind you, follows you (perhaps with homosexual connotations, picked up in Apemantus’ reply with
stand’st
—“have an erection”—and
on him
)

65
No … single
that cannot be as you, a fool, are standing alone

67
He
(it is) he who

67
usurers
moneylenders

68
bawds
pimps, go-betweens

68
want
financial need/sexual desire

75
Gramercies
great thanks

76
e’en
even now

76
setting on
putting on to the fire to boil (possibly plays on the sense of “sexually arousing”)

76
scald
remove the feathers of/infect with venereal disease/treat for venereal disease (by inducing sweating)

77
Corinth
i.e. a brothel (the Greek port of Corinth was notorious for prostitution)

82
rod
punishment cane

82
answer
reply to/punish

85
superscription
address

91
whelped
born as a puppy

91
famish
die by starvation

93
outrunn’st grace
i.e. run away from the advice that might save you (Apemantus shifts the sense of
gone
to “damned”)

96
If … home
i.e. if Timon is at home, there is a fool at his house

98
would
if only, we wish

98
served
provided for, advantaged (Apemantus plays on the phrase “to serve a trick”)

103
to
as

104
one
i.e. a usurer (plays on the sense of “pimp, procuress/one who regularly “uses” men, i.e. has sex with them)

104
fool
perhaps with a suggestion of “sexual plaything” (fools were proverbially well endowed)

107
sadly
i.e. because they have spent their money or contracted venereal disease (the Fool continues to joke that the house is a brothel)

108
render
give

109
whoremaster
user of prostitutes

110
which … esteemed
despite which you shall be no less well regarded (i.e. he is poorly regarded already)

115
stones
testicles

116
artificial one
philosopher’s stone, which could supposedly turn base metals into gold (mythological)

117
goes … down
walks about/gains and loses an erection/has sex

117
fourscore
eighty

122
become
done credit to

125
lover … woman
i.e. people who are traditionally foolish

127
walk near
remain nearby

128
marvel
wonder

130
rated … means
estimated my expenditure according to what my resources would allow