66 Under your patience if I may say so
66 gentle noble
67 horning giving cuckold's horns (i.e. being unfaithful to one's husband) 68 doubted suspected
69 Are singled forth have deliberately separated yourselves (as an animal is from the herd) 69 experiments i.e. sexual exploration
70 Jove supreme Roman god
72 swarth swarthy (i.e. black)
72 Cimmerian one of a people who were supposed to live in darkness (i.e. the dark-skinned Aaron) 75 sequestered separated
75 train retinue
81 Great reason i.e. no wonder
81 rated berated, chastised
83 joy enjoy
84 passing surpassingly
86 slips moral errors/sexual lapses
86 noted notorious, branded with disgrace/the subject of talk 92 'ticed enticed
95 O'ercome overgrown
95 baleful deadly, poisonous
97 fatal ominous
97 raven like the owl, a bird whose call was associated with death 101 toads thought to be poisonous
101 urchins goblins, elves
104 straight straight away
104 suddenly immediately
107 dismal ominous
110 Goth probably pronounced "goat," a proverbially lascivious animal 118 Semiramis Assyrian queen noted for beauty, cruelty, and lust 120 poniard dagger
123 thrash plays on the sense of "have sex"
124 minion hussy
124 stood upon insisted upon, made much of
126 painted i.e. false
128 An if if
131 honey sexual sweets
132 outlive live longer
133 warrant assure, guarantee
134 perforce by force
135 nice-preserved honesty fastidiously maintained chastity 142 dam mother
143 learn teach
145 tyranny violence, cruelty, villainy
146 sons alike identical sons
149 raven a bird of ill omen, associated with (moral) blackness and with "ravening" (ravishing/devouring) 149 lark associated with the brightness of morning and, because of its high flight, heaven 150 it it to be so
152 paws claws
153 forlorn abandoned, destitute
154 birds chicks
156 Nothing ... pitiful if not as kind (as the fostering raven), then at least somewhat pitiful 157 it i.e. pity
166 use treat/employ sexually
172 Fond foolish
173 present immediate
174 womanhood female modesty
174 denies forbids
176 tumble ironically to "tumble" can also mean "to have sex with"
179 fee payment, i.e. sexual entitlement
181 stayed delayed
183 our general name the reputation of womankind
184 Confusion ruin, disorder/shame/mental disturbance
187 make her sure secure her, i.e. ensure she is no threat to us 189 Andronici Latin plural of "Andronicus," i.e. the whole family 189 made away killed
191 spleenful violent, lustful (the spleen was regarded as the seat of strong passions) 191 trull whore
192 better foot before best foot forward
195 dull lacking keenness of perception (associated with a melancholy and foreboding) 198 subtle treacherous, crafty, disguised
199 rude-growing wild, uncultivated
204 object sight
210 unhallowed unholy, wicked
211 surprised bewildered, overcome
211 uncouth unfamiliar
217 compassionate afflicted with sorrow
219 by surmise even to imagine
222 embrewed soaked
223 on a heap prostrate
227 ring ... hole presumably the ring is set with a carbuncle, a gem supposed to emit light 228 monument tomb
229 earthly pale, lifeless
231 Pyramus in the mistaken belief that his lover Thisbe had been killed by a lion, Pyramus committed suicide; discovering this, Thisbe did the same 232 maiden blood his own blood, that of a male virgin/Thisbe's blood (after she had killed herself over his body) 235 fell fierce, cruel
236 Cocytus a river in hell, used here for hell generally
238 wanting lacking
239 womb stomach/uterus
258 out alas alas (out is an intensifier)
260 gride pierced
262 search probe
264 writ document
265 complot plan, plot (with suggestions of "outline of a play" picked up in tragedy) 265 timeless untimely
266 fold hide
268 handsomely conveniently
272 elder tree an ill-omened tree associated with betrayal
274 decreed decided
275 purchase win
279 should was to
281 kind nature
286 wondrous strange/incredible
292 apparent obvious
298 their suspicion the suspicion they are under
305 Fear not fear not for
2.4 ravished raped
3 bewray divulge
5 scrawl gesticulate awkwardly/write untidily
6 sweet water a perfumed preparation similar to rose water
9 cause case, situation
10 knit knot
12 Cousin a term used for any relative
14 strike astrological term referring to the power of a planet to emit a deadly influence 19 circling shadows protective encircling shade
26 Tereus her brother-in-law who raped Philomel
27 detect expose/accuse
30 conduit fountain
31 Titan the sun god
35 rail at berate, rant at
36 stopped shut up
39 tedious laboriously executed
39 sampler piece of embroidery
40 mean method, course of action
51 Cerberus ... feet Orpheus (the Thracian poet) played his lute so sweetly that Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the underworld, fell asleep at his feet 54 meads meadows
Act 3 Scene 1
3.1 Location: Rome (public place) 1 grave fathers dignified and venerable old men
4 my blood i.e. the blood of my sons
4 quarrel cause
5 watched remained awake, on guard
13 languor sorrow, affliction
14 stanch satisfy, quench
15 shame feel shame
17 distil trickle down
17 these ... ruins i.e. his eyes
19 still continually
22 So provided that
24 doom sentence
26 prevailing orators successful in their entreaty
34 mark pay attention to
36 bootless in vain, pointlessly
39 intercept interrupt
42 attired clothed/covered
42 grave somber/deathly
42 weeds garments/wild plants
43 afford offer/supply
51 happy fortunate
64 object sight
71 Nilus the river Nile, known for its annual flooding
71 disdaineth scorns, treats with contempt (i.e. overflows) 74 nursed ... life i.e. in helping to uphold Rome, my hands have contributed to my own grief 76 effectless fruitless
81 martyred mutilated
82 engine instrument
83 blabbed uttered/told what was better kept secret
88 park enclosed hunting ground
90 unrecuring incurable
91 dear puns on deer
94 Environed surrounded
95 waxing swelling
96 Expecting ever always awaiting the time
96 envious malicious
97 brinish briny, salty
101 spurn kick, blow
105 lively living
109 this this time, now
112 honey-dew sweet sticky substance found on the leaves and stems of plants, excreted by aphids but formerly believed to be akin to dew 121 do thee ease comfort you, bring you some relief
126 miry mudd
y
128 clearness i.e. the pure water of the fountain
131 dumb shows mimes; frequently included in early drama
134 device scheme, plan/dramatic performance
139 wot know
140 napkin handkerchief
148 sympathy agreement, union
149 Limbo dwelling place of the unbaptized, on the borders of hell 169 castle helmet, i.e. head/fortress
170 none of both neither of you
179 meet fit
184 spare save, leave unharmed (but Titus privately intends the sense of "do without") 192 that you'll say i.e. you will realize that I have deceived you 193 stay your strife stop arguing
195 warded protected
197 that i.e. burial
198 account of consider/value
200 dear costly/precious
200 mine own what already belonged to me by right
202 Look expect
204 fat nourish/delight
205 fair pale-faced/virtuous
208 ruin i.e. his mutilated body
212 welkin sky
215 with possibilities realistically
218 passions outbursts of feeling
222 o'erflow become flooded
225 coil turmoil
226 her i.e. Lavinia's
228 be moved become choppy/be emotionally affected
231 For why because
231 bowels core, interior
234 stomachs bellies/resentments
239 sports entertainments
240 That so that
242 Aetna volcano in Sicily
245 some deal somewhat
246 flouted mocked
248 shrink wither through blood loss
249 bear his name continue to be called life
252 starved benumbed with cold
254 flattery self-delusion
257 dear grievous
260 control try to restrain
270 tributary paid as a tribute/like tributary rivers
273 threat warn, give ominous indication
274 mischiefs misfortunes/injuries
277 heavy sorrowful
292 pledges those left behind as bail (i.e. his family)
294 tofore formerly
295 nor neither
296 But except
299 Tarquin ... queen the last King of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, was expelled after his son Sextus Tarquinius raped Lucrece; Lucius Junius Brutus led the people in an uprising that saw the establishment of a republic 300 power army
Act 3 Scene 2
3.2 Location: Rome (Titus' house) 3.2 banquet light meal
4 sorrow-wreathen knot Marcus' arms are folded in a gesture denoting grief 5 want lack
6 passionate express with passion
8 tyrannize i.e. thump violently
9 Who which (referring to hand)
12 map image/epitome
13 outrageous violent/excessive
15 sighing each sigh was thought to drain a drop of blood from the heart 19 sink pool or pit for waste water/receptacle
20 fool term of endearment
22 tender young
23 dote act foolish/deranged
27 Aeneas in Virgil's Aeneid, Dido asks Aeneas to tell the story of the fall of Troy, to which he responds that to repeat it would renew his grief 30 still continually
31 franticly frenziedly/foolishly
31 square shape
34 fall to begin eating
38 meshed mashed (i.e. brewed)
39 complainer one who laments
40 action performance/oratorical gesture
40 perfect perfectly acquainted
43 wink close the eyes
45 still constant
46 grandsire grandfather
48 tender young/tender-hearted/sensitive
49 heaviness sorrow
54 Out on thee expression of reproachful indignation
62 buzz lamenting doings tell of sorrowful deeds
66 ill-favoured ugly
71 insult on triumph scornfully over
72 Flattering ... if deluding myself into believing
75 sirrah sir (used to an inferior)
79 wrought on worked on, affected
81 take away clear the table
82 closet private room
83 chanced that occurred
85 dazzle grow blurred
Act 4 Scene 1
4.1 Location: Rome (outside Titus' house) 9 somewhat something
12 Cornelia Roman mother, exemplary for educating her sons, the Gracchi, who became notable political reformers 14 Tully's Orator Cicero's De Oratore, a widely studied treatise on rhetoric 15 plies importunes, behaves insistently toward
20 I ... Troy in Ovid's Metamorphoses, Hecuba became frenzied with grief and eventually turned into a dog 24 fury a fit of madness
27 go accompany us
33 deeper ... skilled i.e. prepared for more advanced reading than Young Lucius' schoolroom texts 35 beguile while away
38 in sequence one after the other
40 fact crime
41 heaves lifts
42 tosseth turns the leaves of
46 culled selected
47 Soft wait a moment/hush
51 annoy mental anguish
52 quotes observes, examines
53 surprised seized, ambushed
55 vast desolate
59 Patterned by that on the pattern of that which
62 tragedies dire events (with a play on the idea of theatrical tragedies) 65 Or ... erst or was it not Saturnine who slunk as Tarquin once did 68 Apollo ... Mercury Apollo was associated with the discovery of the truth, Pallas Athene with the law, Jove with the punishment of crime, and the messenger-god Mercury with carrying forward the will of Jove 71 plain flat, smooth
72 after me following my example
74 shift means, expedient
76 discovered revealed
80 Stuprum "rape" (Latin)
83 Magni ... vides? "Ruler of the great heavens, are you so slow to hear crimes, so slow to see?" (Latin; from Seneca's Hippolytus) 88 exclaims outcries, protests
90 Roman Hector's hope Hector was the greatest of the Trojan warriors, so Lucius is claimed as a Roman equivalent; his son Young Lucius is his hope for the future 91 fere spouse
94 prosecute ... advice pursue by well-considered means
96 reproach shame, disgrace
97 an if
99 dam mother
99 wind get wind of
100 lion i.e. Saturnine
101 playeth ... back rolls playfully/has sex with him
102 do plays on the sense of "have sex (with)"
102 list pleases
103 young inexperienced
104 leaf sheet
105 gad sharp spike, applied to a stylus or pen
107 Sibyl's leaves the Sibyl (female prophet) of Cumae wrote her prophecies on leaves which were sometimes blown away before there was time to read them 111 bondmen slaves
116 fit equip (with arms)
116 withal in addition
123 brave it swagger defiantly, make a show
124 marry by the Virgin Mary
124 be waited on i.e. not ignored as we have been formerly 126 compassion pity
127 ecstasy fit of madness
Act 4 Scene 2
4.2 Location: Rome (exact location unspecified) 6 confound destroy
7 Gramercy great thanks
8 deciphered discovered/interpreted, read (referring to Lavinia's writing of their names) 10 well advised after careful consideration, in his right mind 16 appointed equipped
20 'Integer ... arcu' "The man of upright life and free from crime does not need the javelins or bows of the Moor" (Latin; from Horace's Odes) 23 grammar school textbook (the quotation appears in William Lily's Latin grammar, widely used in schools from 1540 onward) 24 just just so, precisely
26 no sound jest said in irony; the jest could not be sounder 28 That ... quick i.e. the message touches the matter to its very heart, but the boys are so s
tupid that they don't sense it 29 witty clever
29 afoot up and about
30 conceit ingenious conception
31 her unrest Tamora is in labor
32 happy fortunate
36 brave defy, be insolent toward
38 insinuate Demetrius has misinterpreted Titus' message as a strategy for gaining entrance at court 40 friendly kindly (ironic; also plays on the sense of "like a lover") 42 At ... bay cornered thus (hunting metaphor referring to the cornered animal turning to face its pursuers) 42 by turn one after the other (plays on the sense of "with copulation") 42 serve gratify sexually
45 more i.e. more Roman dames
50 Belike probably
54 more puns on Moor
54 ne'er a whit not a bit (perhaps plays on "white")
55 what what do you want
56 undone ruined
67 issue outcome/offspring
70 fair-faced breeders light-skinned mothers
70 clime climate/region, realm
71 thy ... seal i.e. with your mark upon it
74 blowse ruddy fat-faced wench (here applied to the baby as a reaction to the nurse's condemnation of his blackness) 78 done had sex with
80 chance luck
87 broach stick, as on a spit
92 got conceived
95 Enceladus one of the giants who fought the Olympian gods
96 Typhon another giant (and father of monsters) who fought against the gods 97 Alcides Hercules, the Greek hero famed for feats of great strength 97 god of war Mars
99 sanguine red-faced
100 white-limed whitewashed (puns on "white-limbed")
100 ale-house painted crudely painted
105 lave wash
105 flood sea/river
109 this i.e. the baby
112 maugre in spite of
113 smoke i.e. suffer (an image drawn from burning at the stake) 115 escape sexual transgression
117 ignomy ignominy, disgrace
120 close enacts secret actions
121 framed made
121 leer complexion/sly sideways glance
122 slave villain
123 As ... say as if saying
124 sensibly perceptibly/made capable of sensation
125 self-blood selfsame blood
127 enfranchised freed
128 the surer i.e. the mother's
131 Advise thee consider
133 so provided that
135 have ... of watch as a hunter does from the security of a downwind position 140 chafed angry/provoked
148 Weke, weke! Aaron imitates the Nurse's dying cry
150 policy expedience, strategy
152 long-tongued chattering
156 like to her i.e. pale-skinned
157 pack make an arrangement/conspire
158 circumstance details
164 physic medicine (ironic)
165 bestow give
166 grooms fellows/herdsmen/court officials responsible for organizing special events like funerals 167 days time
168 presently immediately
179 shifts expedients/stratagems
181 curds and whey coagulated milk, similar to yogurt
181 suck drink the milk of
182 cabin lodge
Act 4 Scene 3
4.3 Location: Rome (outside the emperor's palace) 3 draw home draw the bow to its fullest extent
3 'tis there straight it will reach its target straight away 4 Terras Astraea reliquit "Astraea [goddess of justice] has left the earth" (Latin; from Ovid's Metamorphoses) 4 be you remembered remember
6 cousins kinsmen