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One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 3.6
SPEAKER: Fourth Lord
CONTEXT:
FIRST LORD
He’s but a mad lord, and nought but humour sways him.
He gave me a jewel th’ other day, and now he has
beat it out of my hat: did you see my jewel?
THIRD LORD
Did you see my cap?
SECOND LORD
Here ’tis.
FOURTH LORD
Here lies my gown.
FIRST LORD
Let’s make no stay.
SECOND LORD
Lord Timon’s mad.
THIRD LORD
I feel ‘t upon my bones.
FOURTH LORD
One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.

DUTCH:
Juweelen gaf hij gist’ren, heden steenen.

MORE:
Burgersdijk notes:
Juweelen gaf hij gist’ren, heden steenen. In het op blz 477 vermelde stuk liggen er als artisjokken beschilderde steenen in de schotels en begroet Timon met deze zijn gasten.

Topics: madness

Categories: madness, Timon of Athens|

Men must learn now with pity to dispense; for policy sits above conscience

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 3.2
SPEAKER: First Stranger
CONTEXT:
FIRST STRANGER
For mine own part,
I never tasted Timon in my life,
Nor came any of his bounties over me,
To mark me for his friend; yet, I protest,
For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue
And honourable carriage,
Had his necessity made use of me,
I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have returned to him,
So much I love his heart: but, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispense;
For policy sits above conscience.

DUTCH:
Doch dit ervaar ik:
Meêdoogen, o! die zwakheid zij vergeten,
Want slimheid zetelt hooger dan ‘t geweten.

MORE:
Tasted=Received anything from
Bounties=Gifts
Protest=Declare, attest
Carriage=Conduct
Policy=Prudence, management
Sits above=Prevails over
Compleat:
Tasted=Geproefd
Bounty=Goedertierenheid, mildheid
Protest=Betuigen, aantuigen, aankondigen
Carriage=Gedrag, aanstelling, ommegang, handel en wandel
Policy=Behendigheid

Topics: money, poverty and wealth, value, conscience

Categories: conscience, money, Timon of Athens, value|

Let’s shake our heads, and say, … ‘We have seen better days.’

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 4.2
SPEAKER: Flavius
CONTEXT:
FLAVIUS
All broken implements of a ruined house.
THIRD SERVANT
Yet do our hearts wear Timon’s livery;
That see I by our faces; we are fellows still,
Serving alike in sorrow: leaked is our bark,
And we, poor mates, stand on the dying deck,
Hearing the surges threat: we must all part
Into this sea of air.
FLAVIUS
Good fellows all,
The latest of my wealth I’ll share amongst you.
Wherever we shall meet, for Timon’s sake,
Let’s yet be fellows; let’s shake our heads, and say,
As ’twere a knell unto our master’s fortunes,
‘We have seen better days.’ Let each take some;
Nay, put out all your hands. Not one word more:
Thus part we rich in sorrow, parting poor.

DUTCH:
Als waar’ ‘t een doodsgelui om ‘s meesters lot:
„Wij kenden beet’re dagen.”

MORE:
To mean coming on hard times, fortunes being in decline/Shakespeare probably didn’t invent the phrase (Sir Thomas Moore, Play, 1590)

Implements=Instruments, objects
Livery=Uniform
Fellows=Comrades
Barque=Ship
Dying=Sinking
Knell=Toll of a bell
Compleat:
Implements=Gereedschap, huisraad
Livery=een Lievry
Fellow=Medgezel
Bark=Scheepje
Knell=De doodklok

Topics: ruin, money, poverty and wealth, equality

Categories: equality, poverty and wealth, ruin, Timon of Athens|

Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 3.3
SPEAKER: Servant
CONTEXT:
SERVANT
Excellent! Your lordship’s a goodly villain. The
devil knew not what he did when he made man
politic; he crossed himself by ‘t: and I cannot
think but, in the end, the villainies of man will
set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to
appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked,
like those that under hot ardent zeal would set
whole realms on fire: Of such a nature is his
politic love.
This was my lord’s best hope; now all are fled,
Save only the gods: now his friends are dead,
Doors, that were ne’er acquainted with their wards
Many a bounteous year must be employed
Now to guard sure their master.
And this is all a liberal course allows;
Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.

DUTCH:
Dit is de vrucht
Van mildheid; wie, hoe rijk, zijn geld niet telt,
Niet huishoudt, houdt het huis eens zonder geld.

MORE:
Politic=Scheming, cunning
Crossed=Frustrated, thwarted
Clear=Pure, innocent
Copies=Imitates
Wards=Bolts
Liberal course=Excess generosity
Compleat:
Politick=Burgerlyk, staatkundig; (cunnning)=Slim, schrander, doorsleepen
To cross=Tegenstreeven, dwars voor de boeg komen, dwarsboomen, wederestreeven, kruisen
Copy=Afschrift, dubbeld, kopy
He is of a liberal temper=Hy is goed geefs

Burgersdijk notes:
Beveil’gen binnenshuis. Naar aloud Engelsch rechtsgebruik werd iemand door zijn huis beschermd en mocht daar niet wegens schulden in hechtenis genomen worden.

Topics: good and bad, manipulation, ruin, friendship

Categories: friendship, good and bad, ruin, Timon of Athens|

These debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em

PLAY: Timon of Athens
ACT/SCENE: 3.4
SPEAKER: Hortensius
CONTEXT:
HORTENSIUS
‘Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps
at their money: these debts may well be called
desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em.
TIMON
They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves.
Creditors? devils!

DUTCH:
Waarachtig, ik merk, dat onze meesters hun mutsen
naar hun geld kunnen gooien; die schulden kan men
wel wanhopig noemen, want een radelooze is ze schuldig.

MORE:
Proverb: He may cast his cap after him for every overtaking him

Throw their caps=Give up
Desperate=Irremediable
Put my breath from=Deprived me of air
Compleat:
Desperate=Wanhopende
To cast one’s cap at one=Zich verwonnen bekennen

Topics: proverbs and idioms, debt/obligation, money, ruin

Categories: money, proverbs and idioms, ruin, Timon of Athens|

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