6 sound measure the depth of
8 Haply perhaps/hopefully
9 there's i.e. in the sea there is
11 mattock agricultural tool similar to a pick, used to break up hard ground 13 Pluto's region the classical underworld, over which Pluto ruled 19 What time when
19 suffrages votes
22 man-of-war warship
23 her i.e. Astraea, Greek goddess of justice
24 pipe for look in vain for, whistle for
25 heavy case sad state of affairs
26 distract deranged, mad
28 carefully attentively/with solicitude
29 feed his humour indulge, humor him
30 careful comforting/costing trouble
32 Join ... Goths a line is missing before this in the early texts; it was probably something like "But let us live in hope that Lucius will"
33 wreak vengeance
36 her i.e. Astraea
39 for as for
41 perforce of necessity
41 stay wait
43 burning lake both Acheron and the fiery Phlegethon were rivers in the classical underworld 46 Cyclops one-eyed giant
48 wrung racked/wrenched/pressed down upon
49 sith since
50 move provoke/rouse/appeal to
51 for to to
52 gear business
53 "Ad ... Martem" "To Jove," "To Apollo," and "To Mars" (Latin) 57 You ... wind i.e. you might as well shoot against the wind as appeal to Saturninus 58 loose let fly
59 Of on
64 said done
65 Virgo the constellation of the virgin, associated with Astraea; shooting an arrow into her lap is sexually suggestive 65 Give it Pallas shoot the arrow labeled "Pallas" (i.e. Pallas Athene, also associated with virginity) 70 Taurus constellation of the bull
72 galled grazed
72 Aries constellation of the ram
73 horns the signs of cuckoldry (i.e. having an unfaithful wife); Marcus imagines Aaron giving them to Saturninus 74 villain servant/doer of wicked deeds
77 there it goes a hunter's cry of encouragement
77 Clown a rustic/the actor who played low-comic parts 78 post messenger
81 gibbet-maker the Clown has misheard or misunderstood the word Jupiter
81 taken them down i.e. taken down the gallows (because the execution has been postponed) 87 carrier messenger (the Clown responds to the literal sense of "bearer") 91 press aspire
92 tribunal plebs malapropism for "tribuni plebis"--the tribunes in their capacity as magistrates protecting the plebeians in law 93 take up amicably settle (a legal dispute; the pigeons are to serve as a peace offering) 94 emperial's malapropism for "emperor's"
96 oration petition
99 with a grace courteously, pleasingly, with propriety (the Clown understands "along with a prayer before meals") 101 ado fuss
104 Hold stop, wait
104 charges expenses
106 supplication written request
111 look for expect
112 bravely in good style
113 let me alone leave it to me
Act 4 Scene 4
4.4 Location: action continues, but shifting to interior of palace
2 overborne oppressed
3 for the extent in return for his exercising
5 mightful mighty
7 passed happened/been legally determined
8 even in accordance
11 wreaks acts of vengeance
18 blazoning proclaiming/displaying
19 humour whim, caprice
24 she i.e. justice
33 meanest lowest
35 High-witted clever, sharp
35 gloze use fair, false words
35 withal along with the rest
40 forsooth in truth
42 good e'en good evening (i.e. any time after noon)
45 must I am I to
47 By'r lady by Our Lady (i.e. the Virgin Mary)
47 brought up raised (plays on the sense of "given utterance to a report or legal claim") 47 neck plays on the sense of "the laying of a charge at law"
48 end i.e. death (plays on the sense of "completion of a legal case") 51 device trick/plot
56 shape privilege create immunity from prosecution
57 slaughterman executioner
58 frantic mad
58 holp'st helped
62 gathered head raised an army
62 power army
63 bent ... spoil determined on destruction
64 amain in full force/at full speed
64 conduct leadership
67 Coriolanus Roman war hero who, having been exiled from Rome, joined forces with his former enemy to march against the city, events that are dramatized in Shakespeare's Coriolanus
69 nip me cut off my growth/blight me with frost
74 walked ... man i.e. gone among his citizens in disguise 75 wrongfully wrongfully done
80 thy name i.e. Saturninus, with its suggestion of Saturn, supposedly King of Rome in the golden age 82 suffers allows
83 is not careful does not care
85 stint stop
86 giddy fickle in allegiance/intoxicated with the thought of revolt 90 honey-stalks clover flowers, the overeating of which causes sheep to become bloated and die 92 rotted destroyed/corrupted by the rot, a disease that affects sheep 95 smooth flatter
100 parley peace negotiations during which hostilities are suspended 101 appoint arrange
104 stand in insist upon
106 effectually adequately, to the purpose
108 temper work on
112 successantly at once/one after the other
Act 5 Scene 1
5.1 Location: somewhere near Rome Drum drummer 1 Approved tried and tested
5 as ... witness as noble as your titles proclaim you to be
7 scathe harm
9 slip offspring (literally, a cutting from a plant)
13 bold confident
15 master in Shakespeare's time, queen bees were assumed to be masculine 19 lusty vigorous
22 earnestly with sincere feeling
26 controlled calmed
27 tawny brown-skinned
28 bewray betray
28 brat not necessarily contemptuous
33 rates berates, scolds
39 use ... man deal with the man as you think necessary
42 pearl ... eye proverbial: "a black man is a pearl in a fair woman's eye"
43 fruit i.e. the baby
44 wall-eyed with glaring eyes
50 sire father
51 sprawl convulse in the throes of death
52 withal with, moreover
66 Complots conspiracies
66 mischief wickedness
67 Ruthful ... performed lamentable to hear about, yet done in order to excite pity 75 for because
77 popish i.e. deceptive, superstitious (Protestant term; anachronistic in this context) 80 bauble professional fool's baton with a carved head at one end 86 discover reveal
89 luxurious lecherous, lascivious
91 To compared to
94 trimmed plays on the sense of "had sex with"
96 washed ... trimmed i.e. like dead meat
97 Trim fine
100 codding lecherous (from "cod," i.e. "testicle") 101 As ... set i.e. their mother's lecherousness guaranteed theirs, as certain cards are guaranteed to win a game 102 bloody bloodthirsty
103 dog ... head in bull-or bear-baiting, dogs were admired for attacking head-on 105 trained lured, as to a snare
109 Confederate in a conspiracy
112 cheater person who cheats/escheator (i.e. officer who looks after property forfeited to the crown) 115 pried me peered, spied
123 as ... is "to blush like a black dog" was proverbial for having a brazen face 131 forswear myself swear falsely/break my word
147 presently instantly
159 for since
161 your hostages i.e. such hostages as you may require Act 5 Scene 2
5.2 Location:
Rome (outside Titus' house) 1 sad habiliment somber clothing
5 keeps dwells, remains (possibly playing on the sense of "watches/lies in wait") 7 Tell I will tell
8 confusion ruin, overthrow
8 Aloft or within he is either on the upper stage or in the "discovery space"
10 ope open
11 sad decrees grave resolutions
14 bloody lines writing describing bloody deeds (but with the suggestion that the lines have been, metaphorically, written in his own blood) 15 executed plays on the sense of "killed"
17 grace adorn, augment/give plausibility to
18 Wanting ... action lacking a hand to accompany my words with gestures 19 odds of advantage over
23 trenches i.e. wrinkles
24 heavy sorrowful/burdensome
32 wreakful vengeful
38 couch lie hidden
39 dreadful inspiring fear and dread
46 surance assurance, guarantee
49 globes planets (or a printer's error for "globe")
50 proper palfreys handsome horses
51 hale haul
52 murder i.e. murderers
53 car chariot
56 Hyperion the Greek sun god
57 downfall descent; perhaps an additional allusion to the story of Hyperion's son Phaethon, who, attempting to drive the chariot of the sun, was unable to control the horses and crashed into the sea 59 So provided that
59 Rapine Rape
63 of on
65 worldly mortal
70 closing agreeing (may play on the sense of "embracing")
71 forge invent
76 sure securely
77 practice plot
77 out of hand immediately/spontaneously
78 giddy unstable, excitable, inconstant
80 ply my theme work at my exercise
82 Fury avenging goddess
85 fitted fitted out
87 wags makes the slightest movement/goes anywhere (plays on the sense of sexual motion) 90 convenient fitting, suitable
93 deal with set to work upon (i.e. kill)
101 hap chance
106 proportion physical shape, appearance
107 up and down in every respect
115 solemn stately, ceremonial
124 repair make his way
136 but Lucius i.e. but that revenge which Lucius shall enact 139 governed ... jest managed the exploit we planned
140 smooth ... fair flatter and humor him
141 turn return
161 cry cry out
162 forbear stop
163 therefore precisely for that reason
170 spring i.e. Lavinia
180 martyr kill with great violence
187 paste usually, a mixture of flour and water
188 coffin pie crust (puns on the usual sense of the word) 189 pasties meat pies (baked without a dish)
190 strumpet whore, harlot
190 unhallowed unholy, wicked
191 increase offspring
193 surfeit feed to excess/become sick from overeating
195 progne Progne (or Procne), wife of Tereus, revenged his rape of her sister, Philomel, by killing her son Itys and serving him to his father in a pie 199 temper moisten
201 officious diligent in duties
203 Centaurs' feast the wedding feast of Pirithous the Lapith and Hippodamia ended in a bloody battle between the Lapithae and the Centaurs (half-men, half-horses) when one of the Centaurs launched an attack on the women present by attempting to violate the bride 205 gainst before/in anticipation of the time when
5.3 Location: action continues; the scene then moves into the house
3 ours with thine i.e. our minds accord with yours
9 ambush men lying in wait to attack
17 firmament sky
18 boots profits, avails
19 break the parle open the negotiations
21 careful afflicted with care/considerate
21 Hautboys oboe-like instruments
28 cheer food/hospitality
33 beholding indebted
36 Virginius the centurion Virginius killed his daughter Virginia to prevent her being raped by Appius Claudius; in some versions of the story he killed her because she had been raped 41 Because so that
42 still continually
44 lively striking/living, active
44 warrant authoritative witness/conclusive proof/sanction/document licensing execution 48 unkind cruel
52 outrage violent action
61 daintily with delicate attention to the palate
66 meed for meed measure for measure
71 mutual unified, mutually supporting
73 bane murderer/poison
75 forlorn outcast
77 frosty signs i.e. white hair
77 chaps wrinkles/cracked skin
80 erst formerly/once
80 ancestor i.e. Aeneas did
83 baleful deadly
84 subtle cunning
84 Greeks ... Troy i.e. by gaining entry through hiding in the wooden horse 85 Sinon the man who tricked the Trojans into accepting the horse 86 engine instrument of warfare (i.e. the Trojan horse)
88 compact composed
96 auditory assembly of listeners, audience
100 fell fierce, cruel
101 cozened cheated
102 fought ... out fought to the end for Rome's cause
104 unkindly unnaturally
112 advent'rous willing to incur risk
113 vaunter boaster
129 aught anything
131 poor ... Andronici the few remaining members of the Andronicus family 133 ragged rough
149 give me aim stand by and observe (archery metaphor: the person who "gave aim" stood by the target and reported the results of the shots) 151 aloof aside
152 obsequious pertaining to obsequies, i.e. funeral rites 152 trunk body, corpse
157 tenders offers (as one would discharge a financial obligation; also with connotations of tenderness) 165 Meet fitting
169 associate accompany
179 famish starve
182 doom sentence
195 heinous wicked
202 heavy haps sorrowful fortunes
List of Parts
captain military leader, general
Act 1 Scene 1
1.1 Location: outside Timon's house, Athens
1.1 Mercer dealer in silk, whose occupation could be indicated by costume; Folio stage direction is "and Mercer" but "both" at line 10 suggests he is synonymous with the Merchant who speaks with the Jeweller 1.1 several different
3 long for a long time
3 How ... world? i.e. how are things with you (the Painter responds to a more literal sense) 4 wears wears away, decays
4 grows gets older
6 rarity exceptional, striking event
6 strange strange occurrence
7 record memory/recorded history
7 not matches cannot equal
8 bounty liberality, generosity, goodness
8 spirits i.e. the other people onstage
9 conjured summoned with an incantation
9 attend be present (in response to a summons)/serve, wait upon 12 fixed certain
13 breathed accustomed (through exercise)
14 continuate continual
15 passes surpasses, excels
18 touch the estimate meet the designated price
19 we i.e. poets
19 recompense payment
20 happy fortunate (in having a worthwhile subject)
21 aptly readily/rightfully, fittingly/with appropriate language 22 form shape, appearance
23 rich valuable
23 water transparency, luster
24 rapt engrossed/emotionally carried away
24 dedication in the hope of securing patronage poets often dedicated their work to noblemen 26 idly casually, effortlessly
30 Provokes itself occurs spontaneously (unlike flint which has to be struck to create a spark) 30 current i.e. of wa
ter
30 flies flees from, rushes past
31 bound bank
31 chafes moves against/seethes at/erodes
33 Upon ... presentment immediately after its presentation (to Timon) 36 comes off turns out
37 indifferent average
38 this ... standing the grace of the painted figure conveys the dignity of the man himself 40 How big how powerfully/what a great
41 Moves comes alive
41 To ... interpret one might readily imagine the words of this silent facial expression 43 pretty clever, artful
43 mocking imitation
44 touch brushstroke/artistic detail
46 tutors nature i.e. teaches nature what it should be like 46 artificial strife i.e. the efforts of art to outdo nature 47 livelier more lifelike/more energetic
48 followed sought after
51 confluence meeting point of rivers
53 beneath world earth (below heaven)
54 entertainment welcome/treatment
54 drift i.e. poetic flow
55 particularly i.e. on specific individuals or details 56 wax i.e. a malleable substance (used to coat writing tablets)/growth 56 levelled specifically aimed
57 comma punctuation mark/phrase
59 tract trace
60 How ... you? What do you mean?/How shall I interpret your poem?
61 unbolt reveal, explain
62 conditions social ranks/dispositions
63 glib smooth, oily
63 slipp'ry fickle, treacherous
64 grave wise/dignified
64 austere stern
64 quality rank/character
64 tender down offer (plays on the sense of "lay down in payment") 66 hanging i.e. like clothing
67 Subdues makes subservient
67 properties appropriates
67 his ... tendance loving and attending on him
68 glass-faced mirror-faced (i.e. flattering)
70 abhor loathe
70 drops ... knee i.e. bows
71 returns goes home
72 nod i.e. acknowledging nod
75 Feigned imagined, depicted poetically
76 ranked ... deserts filled with rows of people of all types of worth 77 sphere i.e. the earth
78 propagate multiply, increasestates fortunes/circumstances/status 79 lady i.e. Fortune
80 personate represent
80 frame disposition/form, appearance
81 wafts beckons
82 Whose refers to Fortune
82 present ... rivals current favor immediately turns all his rivals into slaves and servants 84 conceived to scope devised to the purpose
87 against in the face of
89 our condition i.e. in paint
90 hear me on listen further
91 fellows equals
91 of late recently
92 value merit/status
93 his ... tendance fill his halls with their attentive presence 94 sacrificial worshipping/self-sacrificing
95 stirrup i.e. as they help him onto his horse 95 through ... air i.e. make themselves dependent on him even for the air they breathe 97 marry by the Virgin Mary
99 Spurns down rejects, kicks down the mountain
102 declining falling
105 quick sudden/sharp (plays on the sense of "living"; to be "quick with child" was to be pregnant) 106 pregnantly compellingly
107 mean low, inferior, ignorant