Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

           

And call it excellent: thou wast told thus;

 

-Apemantus

Timon of Athens             Act IV, Scene iii, Line 215

 

Man, there’s a lot going on here. Apemantus, who's listed in the cast of characters as a churlish philosopher (rude in a mean-spirited and surly way: that’s the MW definition of churlish) shows up in the very first scene of the play and starts proving his churlishness right away. He hates everyone. Now, here in Act IV, he’s back and come to check out Timon, because Apemantus has learned that Timon has spurned society. Apemantus doesn’t believe that Timon is truly the man-hater that he himself is. I’m afraid I’m going to have to give you Apemantus’s whole speech:

  This is in thee a nature but infected;

  A poor unmanly melancholy sprung

  From change of fortune. Why this spade? This place?

  This slave-like habit; and these looks of care?

  Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft;

  Hug their diseased perfumes, and have forgot

  That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods, 

  By putting on the cunning of a carper.

  Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive

  By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee,

  And let his very breath, whom thou’lt  observe,

  Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain, 

  And call it excellent: thou wast told thus;

  Thou gravest thine ears like tipsters that bid welcome

  To knaves and all approachers: ‘tis most just

  That thou turn rascal; hadst thou wealth again, 

  Rascals should have’t. Do not assume my likeness.

 

So, what’s he saying? Heck if I know. Actually, the first part of the speech is pretty easy to understand. Apemantus just doesn’t believe that deep down Timon is a man-hater. The second part of the speech seems to be just a continuation of that, basically just telling Timon to be the same as he was before, ending with 'don't try to be like me'.

Yah, Timon of Athens is a pretty good play. It’s somewhat simple, if you want it to be. At its heart it’s a play about real friends as opposed to phony ones, and about society in general. It’s another one of those plays that I think would be well placed in a high school curriculum. Lots of food for thought, or food for discussion, that is very relatable to today's world.

Two reasons for this pic:

Tomorrow is this young lady's birthday (don't worry, I'll post another pic of her tomorrow (If I have time to post tomorrow)).

And, as long as I have her, I will never have to worry about having Timon's fate.