Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (62 page)

293
yet
still

295
prodigal
spendthrift, wasteful person

298
leave
permission

299
That
I wish that, if only

301
mend
improve

304
botched
poorly repaired, patched up (as you will remain in your own company)

305
would it were
wish it were
botched
(i.e. I wish you would continue to be discontent on your own/I wish you would leave me alone)

306
to
sent to, conveyed

310
truest
most honest

311
does … harm
i.e. is not used to bribe and corrupt

312
a-nights
at night

313
that’s
that which is

320
humanity
i.e. human experience

321
gilt
gold, money/lavish adornments

322
curiosity
fastidiousness, delicate refinement

324
medlar
apple-like fruit eaten when rotten/meddler, one who interferes/slang term for the vagina, hence also “whore”/ person who has lots of sex (“to meddle” also meant “to copulate”)

328
An th’hadst
if you had

330
unthrift
wasteful

330
after his means
for what he had/after he had spent everything

334
thou … dog
i.e. only a dog would love you

342
confusion
destruction, overthrow

345
beastly
beast-like/irrational/low, disgusting

346
t’attain to
gain, achieve

346
beguile
deceive, outwit

348
peradventure
as chance would probably have it

349
dullness
slowness/stupidity

350
still thou livedst
you would always live

353
unicorn … thee
supposedly the fierce unicorn could be goaded into charging at a tree, where it would become trapped by embedding its horn in the trunk

354
conquest
i.e. victim

357
german
closely related

357
spots
markings/crimes

357
spots … life
i.e. you would be blamed for the crimes of your relations

358
thy … remotion
your safety would rely on removing yourself elsewhere

361
thy … transformation
what you would lose if you became an animal

363
hit upon it
done so, pleased me

367
Yonder … painter
in fact they do not appear until the beginning of Act 5; either Shakespeare did not correct his former intention to have the characters enter here, or Apemantus is speaking generally and simply means that the men are on their way

368
give way
leave

372
cap
top, foremost (playing on the literal sense of “fool’s headgear”)

375
stand by
i.e. are compared to

378
I’ll
I would

379
tongue
i.e. speech

380
issue
offspring

381
Choler … alive
the fact that you are alive kills me with anger

391
But even
except

391
mere necessities
absolute fundamentals (basic means to survive, but the dominant sense here is “inevitabilities such as death”)

392
presently
immediately

395
That
so that

395
in
through

396
dear
costly/beloved

397
natural
blood-related

397
sire
father

398
Hymen
Greek and Roman god of marriage

398
Mars
Roman god of war

401
Dian
i.e. Diana, Roman goddess of hunting and chastity

402
sold’rest
unites

402
impossibilities
incompatible things

403
with every tongue
in every language/with the tongue of every person

404
touch
touchstone

405
Think
believe that

406
confounding odds
ruinous conflict

406
beasts … empire
animals will rule

413
Thy back
i.e. turn around and go away

415
quit
finished with, rid of him

416
Banditti
outlaws, bandits

418
ort
scrap, leftover

418
remainder
remaining wealth

418
mere want
utter lack

419
falling-from
falling away, abandonment

421
noised
rumored

422
assay
test/attack

423
reserve
withhold

424
shall’s
shall we

430
save thee
God save thee (a standard greeting)

433
Both too
you are both of these

434
want
lack

435
want … meat
lack much food/desire elaborate food

438
mast
acorns

438
hips
rose-hips

440
mess
serving of food

444
eat
i.e. prey upon the wealth of

444
con
offer

445
professed
by trade/declared

446
shapes
guises

447
limited
officially regulated (the sense of “restricted” contrasts with
boundless
)

448
suck … o’th’grape
i.e. drink wine

448
subtle
cunning

449
seethe
boil/dissipate

450
scape hanging
i.e. by dying of drink-induced
fever
instead

453
protest
profess

454
example you
give you precedent through examples

455
attraction
power to draw up

456
arrant
absolute

458
resolves
melts

460
composture
compost

462
your … whip
i.e. that restrain and punish you

463
Has unchecked theft
possess limitless power to steal (or possibly “have failed to limit theft”)

467
Steal … howsoe’er
if you steal less because I give you this gold, may gold destroy you in any case

469
Has
he has

471
in … of
out of hatred for

472
mystery
profession

473
as
as I would

476
true
honest

478
yond
yonder, that

478
ruinous
ruined

479
monument
memorial

480
wonder
extraordinary example

480
evilly bestowed
bestowed upon evil people/badly bestowed

485
rarely
splendidly

485
guise
fashion, custom

488
that … do
who make it plain that they intend me harm, rather than those who do harm and pretend friendship

489
Has … eye
he has seen me

491
Still
always

499
knaves
servants/rogues

502
undone
ruined

504
disclaim’st
renounce

505
Flinty
hard-hearted, stony

505
give
weep

506
thorough
through

508
know
recognize, acknowledge

510
entertain
receive/employ

512
comfortable
comforting

516
exceptless
universal, making no exceptions

517
perpetual sober
eternally grave, moderate

518
but
only

520
fain
willingly

522
fell
cut down

524
oppressing
distressing/persecuting/overwhelming

525
service
servant’s post

527
Upon … neck
i.e. by standing on and oppressing their previous master

528
though … sure
however sure I am

529
subtle
devious

530
usuring
charging interest

533
suspect
suspicion

536
merely
purely, only

537
unmatchèd
unequaled

540
For
as for

541
hope
i.e. the future

543
requite
repay

544
singly
uniquely

547
thus conditioned
on this condition

547
from
away from

552
blasted
withered

Act 5 Scene 1

6
of
from

9
breaking
bankruptcy

9
try
test

11
palm … highest
“the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree” (Psalms 92:12)

13
tender
offer

14
show … us
show us to be honest

14
load
reward

15
travail
labor/travel

16
having
possessions, wealth

18
visitation
visit

20
intent
planned work, project

22
Good … best
perfect, excellent

22
air
style, fashion

24
for his act
when put into practice

24
but
except

25
the … saying
carrying out a promise

25
use
custom

26
performance … it
acting on a promise is as sure a sign of unhealthy judgment as writing a will is a sign of bodily illness

32
personating of himself
representation of him (in his current circumstances)

33
discovery
revealing

34
opulency
affluence

35
stand for
model as

36
whip
punish

39
Then … late
we damage our own fortunes if we arrive too late to benefit from Timon’s wealth

42
serves
is available

44
meet … turn
play you at your own game/meet you at the turning (Timon may have been concealed by a stage pillar and is about to emerge as if from around a corner)

47
thou
i.e. gold

47
rigg’st the bark
sets the rigging on a ship

48
Settlest
establishes

49
thy saints
may your devotees

49
aye
ever

51
Fit
aptly, at the right time

53
late
former

54
once
really

56
open
generous

57
retired
withdrawn

61
influence
astrological influence over human destiny (an invisible substance thought to stream from stars and planets supposedly governed one’s fate)

62
rapt
absorbed by emotion

64
size
quantity/glue applied to canvas before painting

67
them
ungrateful men

69
shower
heavenly downfall (continues astrological imagery)