settings
Great Expectations vocabulary
361 vocabulary words, including people, places, music, artists, etc.
help & settings
[x]
-
Timon of Athens
-
► definition
Definition:a citizen of Athens whose reputation for misanthropy grew to legendary status. According to the historian Plutarch, Timon lived during the era of the Peloponnesian War (431 BC – 404 BC). According to Lucian, Timon was the wealthy son of Echecratides who lavished his money on flattering friends. When his funds ran out, the friends deserted him Timon of Athensand Timon was reduced to working in the fields. One day, he found a pot of gold and soon his fair-weather friends were back. This time, he drove them away with dirt clods.Both Aristophanes and Plato Comicus mention Timon as an angry despiser of mankind who held Alcibiades in high regard because he correctly believed Alcibiades would someday harm Athens.text: from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike
image: by Isaac Taylor, public domain
► uses
Uses:
Who more envious than Timon, denouncing all human society?
John Lyly. Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578)
---
The coroner, in Mr. Wopsle's hands, became Timon of Athens; the beadle, Coriolanus. He enjoyed himself thoroughly, and we all enjoyed ourselves, and were delightfully comfortable. In this cosey state of mind we came to the verdict Wilful Murder.
Charles Dickens. Great Expectations (1861)
help with search