Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens Read online

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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 surnamed 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 circumscribed 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 su
rprised 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 ... conquered i.e. who has wisely overcome her misfortune by accepting Saturninus 340 bid invited

  341 wont accustomed

  342 challenged accused

  349 becomes is fitting

  353 re-edified rebuilt, restored

  354 servitors servants/soldiers

  359 bretheren brothers

  360 TITUS' TWO SONS i.e. Quintus and Martius, though the theater audience never hears their names 362 vouch maintain, assert

  363 in my despite in contemptuous disregard of me/as an act of malice toward me 366 crest helmet (perhaps, anachronistically, with heraldic connotations) 368 repute consider

  374 speed succeed/be satisfied

  377 Suffer allow

  381 The ... funerals the Greek warrior Ajax, in a frenzy of rage because the dead Achilles' armor had been awarded to Odysseus rather than himself, killed a flock of sheep in the maddened belief that they were Greek generals; he committed suicide in shame, but received a proper burial after Odysseus (Laertes' son) persuaded the Greeks that he deserved one 381 advice deliberation

  387 dismall'st most ominous

  391 trophies memorials to a military victory

  394 dumps melancholy mood, dejection

  395 subtle cunning, wily

  397 is is so

  398 device scheming

  399 beholding beholden, indebted

  402 played your prize won your bout (fencing term)

  407 rape seizure (of Lavinia)

  411 that that which

  412 'Tis good very well

  413 sharp curt, short, dismissive (but with sinister play on the sense of "violent") 415 Answer be answerable for (it)

  419 opinion reputation

  423 controlled checked, thwarted

  423 frankly freely, unconditionally

  427 leave to plead i.e. leave off pleading on behalf of 428 those i.e. Titus' sons and brother

  433 indifferently impartially

  436 put it up submit to it

  437 forfend forbid

  438 author to dishonour responsible for dishonoring

  439 undertake vouch

  441 fury ... griefs genuine fury attests to the truth of his grief 443 vain suppose needless supposition

  446 Dissemble disguise

  449 survey consideration, examination

  452 at entreats to entreaty

  452 let me alone leave it to me

  454 raze erase, obliterate

  456 sued pleaded

  460 Take up bid to rise

  465 incorporate in formally admitted to by legal procedure/part of the body of 466 happily fortunately, opportunely

  471 For as for

  479 Tend'ring while having regard for

  480 protest declare, affirm

  488 churl ungenerous person

  489 friend (generous) patron/lover

  493 love-day day for amicable reconciliation/day for lovemaking 494 an if

  495 hart male deer

  496 bonjour "good day" (French)

  497 gramercy "great thanks" (from the French grand merci) Act 2 Scene 1

  1 Olympus the mountain home of the Greek gods

  3 of from

  6 gilt covered with gold, i.e. shone over

  7 Gallops gallops through

  7 glistering glittering

  8 overlooks looks down on

  10 wit intelligence/ingenuity; it also has sexual connotations of "genitals" in certain contexts 14 mount her pitch rise to the highest point of her flight (falconry term; mount has sexual connotations) 14 in triumph as a victorious conqueror (who would return to Rome leading his chained prisoners behind his chariot) 16 charming spell-casting

  17 Prometheus ... Caucasus in punishment for stealing fire from the gods, Prometheus was chained to a rock in the Caucasus mountains where he had his liver perpetually gnawed by an eagle 18 weeds garments

  18 idle worthless/weary

  21 wanton frolic lasciviously

  21 queen puns on "quean" (i.e. prostitute)

  22 Semiramis Assyrian queen famed for beauty, cruelty, and lust 23 siren bewitching creature (part-woman, part-bird, though often confused with the mermaid); her enchanting singing lured sailors to shipwreck 23 braving challenging one another, behaving with bravado 26 want lack

  26 edge sharpness; there seems to be a sexual play around "wit" here 27 graced favored

  28 aught anything

  28 affected loved

  29 overween presume

  30 bear me down subdue me

  30 braves bravado, boasts

  34 serve plays on the sense of "have sex"

  35 approve prove

  37 Clubs, clubs! rallying cry to summon apprentices armed with clubs to suppress a riot 38 unadvised ill-advisedly

  39 dancing-rapier sword worn only for ornament when dancing

  40 friends relatives

  41 Go to expression of impatient dismissal

  41 lath stage sword made of wood

  45 brave defiant, insolent

  47 near ... draw in Elizabethan England, it was illegal to draw weapons near a royal residence 49 wot know

  54 put up sheathe your swords

  64 brabble brawl, quarrel

  64 undo ruin

  66 jet encroach

  67 loose unchaste, promiscuous

  70 controlment restraint

  72 ground basis (puns on the musical sense of "base melody, on which variations are developed") 73 knew she if she knew

  75 meaner humbler, lower-ranking

  79 brook tolerate

  81 device scheme, intention

  82 deaths perhaps plays on secondary meaning of death as "sexual orgasm"

  82 propose be ready to meet

  85 mak'st ... strange do you find it so odd

  91 shive slice

  93 Vulcan's badge i.e. the cuckold's horns traditionally supposed to be worn by a man with an unfaithful wife (Vulcan's wife Venus slept with Mars) 95 court it play the courtier/woo

  97 struck ... nose killed a deer and smuggled it away without the gamekeeper noticing (struck a doe plays on the sense of "had sex with a woman or whore"; doe female fallow deer) 99 snatch seizure of the prey/hasty sexual act (the modern "quickie") 100 serve your turns serve your purposes/render sexual service (Chiron plays on this sense in his reply) 102 hit it hit the point exactly/shot the prey (in his reply, Aaron shifts the sense to "penetrated the vagina") 104 ado fuss/copulating

  106 square for quarrel over

  109 so provided that

  110 join ... jar join forces to obtain what you quarrel over 111 policy cunning/strategy

  112 affect aim at

  113 as ... may achieve in the way you would like you must accomplish any way you can 115 Lucrece virtuous Roman wife who killed herself after being raped by Tarquin 117 ling'ring languishment protracted love-sorrow

  119 solemn ceremonial

  120 troop gather, assemble

  122 plots spots (perhaps suggestive of the sense of "schemes") 123 kind nature

  124 Single select, isolate (an animal from the herd)

  124 dainty choice/pleasing to the palate/delicately pretty 125 strike her home fatally wound the deer/penetrate the vagi
nal target 126 stand perhaps with connotations of penile erection

  127 sacred devoted (to villainy)/ accursed

  130 file our engines sharpen our stratagems

  131 square yourselves thwart yourselves with quarreling

  133 house of Fame house of whispering, gossip, and rumor (described in Ovid's Metamorphoses and Chaucer's House of Fame) 135 dreadful inspiring awe and fear

  136 strike take action/attack/penetrate sexually

  136 turns plays on the sense of "sexual acts"

  138 treasury with the slang sense of "vagina"

  140 Sit ... nefas "be it right or wrong" (Latin)

  142 Per ... vehor "I am carried through the Stygian regions, through the realm of the shades"--i.e. "I am in hell" (Latin, adapted from Seneca's Hippolytus) Act 2 Scene 2

  2.2 Location: Rome (outside the emperor's palace). Hitherto, the style of the play has been mainly that of Peele; henceforth, it is mainly that of Shakespeare

  1 up afoot

  3 Uncouple release the hounds (who were fastened in couples)

  3 bay deep prolonged barking of hunting hounds

  5 hunter's peal horn-blowing to rouse the hounds

  7 charge responsibility

  7 Wind blow a blast on

  14 lustily heartily

  16 how what

  23 chase royal hunting grounds

  24 promontory mountain ridge

  Act 2 Scene 3

  2.3 Location: a forest near Rome

  3 inherit possess

  5 coin create (literally, stamp metal to form a coin)

  6 beget conceive, create

  9 alms ... chest i.e. this gold from Tamora's treasury

  10 wherefore why

  11 boast show

  21 conflict sex

  22 wand'ring ... Dido while on his sea-wanderings after the fall of Troy, Aeneas landed in Carthage and fell in love with Queen Dido; when out hunting they were caught in a storm and took refuge in a cave where they made love (celebrated in Virgil's Aeneid) 23 happy fortuitous

  24 counsel-keeping secret-keeping

  30 Venus Roman goddess of love

  31 Saturn the planet's influence was supposed to make men sullen and melancholy 31 dominator dominant planet

  32 deadly-standing death-dealing

  37 venereal erotic, lustful (from Venus)

  41 hopes hopes for

  43 Philomel Tereus raped Philomel and cut her tongue out to prevent her naming him as the perpetrator; she revealed his identity by weaving an account of what had happened 46 Take it up take it

  49 parcel part

  49 hopeful hoped-for/promising

  53 cross antagonistic, quarrelsome

  56 unfurnished ... troop not equipped with a suitable escort

  57 Dian Diana, Roman goddess of hunting and chastity

  57 habited dressed

  59 general participated in by all

  60 Saucy insolent

  60 controller critic/official responsible for household finances (i.e. one of lower status) 62 presently immediately

  63 Actaeon having seen Diana bathing naked, Actaeon was punished by being turned into a stag and hunted by his own hounds

  64 drive rush