QUOTES FROM THE BARD

I am not of that feather to shake off ny friend when he must need me

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Timon
CONTEXT:
TIMON
Imprisoned is he, say you?
MESSENGER
Ay, my good lord: five talents is his debt,
His means most short, his creditors most strait:
Your honourable letter he desires
To those have shut him up; which failing,
Periods his comfort.
TIMON
Noble Ventidius! Well;
I am not of that feather to shake off
My friend when he must need me. I do know him
A gentleman that well deserves a help:
Which he shall have: I’ll pay the debt,
and free him.
MESSENGER
Your lordship ever binds him.
TIMON
Commend me to him: I will send his ransom;
And being enfranchised, bid him come to me.
‘Tis not enough to help the feeble up,
But to support him after. Fare you well.

DUTCH:
Voorwaar, ik ben de man niet, die een vriend,
Die mij behoeft, ooit afschudt. En ik ken hem,
Als alle hulp volwaardig. Zij gewordt hem;
Ik zal zijn schuld voldoen en maak hem vrij.


MORE:
Talent=Unit of weight to measure precious metal value, currency
Periods=Puts an end to
Strait=Strict
Which failing=Without which
Feather=Mood
Binds=Makes indebted
Commend=Send my greetings
Enfranchised=Released
Compleat:
Talent=Een talent; pond
To bring to a period=Tot een eynde brengen
Strait=Eng, naauw, bekrompen, strikt
To bind=Binden, knoopen, verbinden.
To bind with benefits=Verbinden of verpligten door weldaaden
To commend=Pryzen, aanbeloolen, aanpryzen
To enfranchise=Tot eenen burger of vry man maaken, vryheyd vergunnen

Topics: friendship, debt/obligation, wisdom, loyalty

Tis not enough to help the feeble up; but to support him after

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Timon
CONTEXT:
TIMON
Imprisoned is he, say you?
MESSENGER
Ay, my good lord: five talents is his debt,
His means most short, his creditors most strait:
Your honourable letter he desires
To those have shut him up; which failing,
Periods his comfort.
TIMON
Noble Ventidius! Well;
I am not of that feather to shake off
My friend when he must need me. I do know him
A gentleman that well deserves a help:
Which he shall have: I’ll pay the debt,
and free him.
MESSENGER
Your lordship ever binds him.
TIMON
Commend me to him: I will send his ransom;
And being enfranchised, bid him come to me.
‘Tis not enough to help the feeble up,
But to support him after. Fare you well.

DUTCH:
Breng hem mijn groet; ik zend het geld terstond;
Zoodra hij vrij is, moet hij tot mij komen.
‘t Is niet genoeg, wie zwak is op te helpen;
Men moet hem verder steunen. — Vaar gij wel.

MORE:
Talent=Unit of weight to measure precious metal value, currency
Periods=Puts an end to
Strait=Strict
Which failing=Without which
Feather=Mood
Binds=Makes indebted
Commend=Send my greetings
Enfranchised=Released
Compleat:
Talent=Een talent; pond
To bring to a period=Tot een eynde brengen
Strait=Eng, naauw, bekrompen, strikt
To bind=Binden, knoopen, verbinden.
To bind with benefits=Verbinden of verpligten door weldaaden
To commend=Pryzen, aanbeloolen, aanpryzen
To enfranchise=Tot eenen burger of vry man maaken, vryheyd vergunnen

Topics: friendship, debt/obligation, wisdom

Things of like value differing in the owners are prized by their masters

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Jeweller
CONTEXT:
JEWELLER
What, my lord! dispraise?
TIMON
A more satiety of commendations.
If I should pay you for’t as ’tis extolled,
It would unclew me quite.
JEWELLER
My lord, ’tis rated
As those which sell would give: but you well know,
Things of like value differing in the owners
Are prized by their masters: believe’t, dear lord,
You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
TIMON
Well mocked.
MERCHANT
No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue,
Which all men speak with him.
TIMON
Look, who comes here: will you be chid?

DUTCH:
De prijs is, heer,
Zooals een koopman zou betalen. Doch
Gij weet, naar de bezitters stijgt of daalt
Der dingen waarde. Ja, zoo gij ‘t juweel
Wilt dragen, beste heer, dan wordt het eed’ler.

MORE:
Proverb: The worth of a thing is as it is esteemed (valued)

Dispraise=Censure
Satiety=Excess
Extolled=Praised
Unclew=Unravel, ruin (a clew was a ball of thread)
Rated=Valued
Mend=Increase the value
Chid=Reprimanded
Compleat:
Dispraise=Mispryzen, hoonen, verachten, laaken
Satiety=Zotheyd, verzaadigdheyd
To extoll=Verheffen, pryzen, looven
Clew=Een kluwen
To rate=Waardeeren, schatten, op prys stellen
Mend=Beteren, verbeteren
Chide=Kyven, bekyven

Topics: flattery, business, value, proverbs and idioms

He speaks the common tongue which all men speak with him

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Jeweller
CONTEXT:
JEWELLER
What, my lord! dispraise?
TIMON
A more satiety of commendations.
If I should pay you for’t as ’tis extolled,
It would unclew me quite.
JEWELLER
My lord, ’tis rated
As those which sell would give: but you well know,
Things of like value differing in the owners
Are prized by their masters: believe’t, dear lord,
You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
TIMON
Well mocked.
MERCHANT
No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue,
Which all men speak with him.
TIMON
Look, who comes here: will you be chid?

DUTCH:
Neen, beste heer, hij zegt slechts
Wat heel de wereld zegt.

MORE:
Proverb: The worth of a thing is as it is esteemed (valued)

Dispraise=Censure
Satiety=Excess
Extolled=Praised
Unclew=Unravel, ruin (a clew was a ball of thread)
Rated=Valued
Mend=Increase the value
Chid=Reprimanded
Compleat:
Dispraise=Mispryzen, hoonen, verachten, laaken
Satiety=Zotheyd, verzaadigdheyd
To extoll=Verheffen, pryzen, looven
Clew=Een kluwen
To rate=Waardeeren, schatten, op prys stellen
Mend=Beteren, verbeteren
Chide=Kyven, bekyven

Topics: flattery, business, value, proverbs and idioms

He that loves to be flattered is worthy o’th’ flatterer

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 1.1
SPEAKER: Apemantus
CONTEXT:
APEMANTUS
Art not a poet?
POET
Yes.
APEMANTUS
Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou
hast feigned him a worthy fellow.
POET
That’s not feigned; he is so.
APEMANTUS
Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy
labour: he that loves to be flattered is worthy o’
the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

DUTCH:
Ja, hij is u waardig, en waardig, dat hij u voor uw
werk betaalt; hij, die zich gaarne laat vleien, is zijn
vleier waardig. 0 hemel, ware ik eens een groot heer!

MORE:
Proverb: Painters and poets have leave to lie
Proverb: He that loves to be flattered is worthy of the flatterer

Feigned=Misrepresented
That I were=If only I were
Compleat:
To feign=Voorwenden, veinzen; beraadslaan

Topics: proverbs and idioms, invented or popularised, insult, flattery

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