490 Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, To accept my grief and whilst this poor wealth lasts To entertain me as your steward still. Tim. Had I a steward So true, so just, and now so comfortable? Forgive my general and exceptless rashness, ACT V. SCENE I. The woods. Before Timon's cave. Enter Poet and Painter; TIMON watching them from his cave. Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where he abides. Poet. What's to be thought of him? does the rumour hold for true, that he's so full of gold? Pain. Certain : Alcibiades reports it; Phrynia and Timandra had gold of him: he likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quantity: 'tis said he gave unto his steward a mighty 500 sum. 510 Methinks thou art more honest now than wise; If not a usuring kindness, and, as rich men deal gifts, Expecting in return twenty for one? Flav. No, my most worthy master; in whose breast Doubt and suspect, alas, are placed too late: You should have fear'd false times when you did feast: 520 Suspect still comes where an estate is least. Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind, For any benefit that points to me, For this one wish, that you had power and wealth Tim. Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly honest man, 530 Here, take: the gods out of my misery But thus condition'd: thou shalt build from men; Debts wither 'em to nothing; be men like blasted woods, And Pain. Nothing else: you shall see him a palm in Athens again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore 'tis not amiss we tender our loves to him, in this supposed distress of his: it will show honestly in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with what they travail for, if it be a just and true report that goes of his having. Poet. What have you now to present unto him? Pain. Nothing at this time but my visitation: only I will promise him an excellent piece. 21 Poet. I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent that's coming toward him. To Pain. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o' the time: it opens the eyes of expectation performance is ever the duller for his act; and, but in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the deed of saying is quite out of use. promise is most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will or testament which argues a great sickness in his judgement that makes it. [Timon comes from his cave, behind. Tim. [Aside] Excellent workman! thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself. Poet. I am thinking what I shall say I have provided for him: it must be a personating of himself; a satire against the softness of prosperity, with a discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency. Tim. [Aside] Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? wilt thou whip thine own faults in other inen? Do so, I have gold for thee. Poet. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Tim. [Aside] I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's gold, That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple 50 'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark and plough'st the foam, Settlest admired reverence in a slave: To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye Hail, worthy Timon! Poet. Having often of your open bounty tasted, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence Tim. Let it go naked, men may see 't the better: You that are honest, by being what you are, Make them best seen and known. 71 He and myself Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts, And sweetly felt it. Pain. Tim. Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you? Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service. Tim. Ye're honest men: ye've heard that I have gold; I am sure you have: speak truth; ye're honest men. 80 Pain. So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore Came not my friend nor I. Tim. Good honest men! Thou draw'st a counterfeit Best in all Athens: thou'rt, indeed, the best; Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth Both. To make it known to us. Tim. 90 Beseech your honour You'll take it ill. Both. Most thankfully, my lord. Will you, indeed? That mightily deceives you. Both. Do we, my lord? 110 Each man apart, all single and alone, [To Painter] You have work'd for me; there's payment for you: hence! [To Poet] You are an alchemist; make gold of that. Sec. Sen. 120 At all times alike Men are not still the same: 'twas time and griefs That framed him thus: time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him. Bring us to him, And chance it as it may. Flav. Here is his cave. 129 Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! Look out, and speak to friends: the Athenians, By two of their most reverend senate, greet thee: Speak to them, noble Timon. TIMON comes from his cave. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn! Speak, and be hang'd: For each true word, a blister! and each false First Sen. What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. The senators with one consent of love Entreat thee back to Athens; who have thought On special dignities, which vacant lie For thy best use and wearing. Sec. Sen. They confess Toward thee forgetfulness too general, gross: Which now the public body, which doth seldom Play the recanter, feeling in itself 150 A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal You witch me in it; Therefore, Timon, 170 Tim. Well, sir, I will; therefore, I will, sir; thus: If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, 220 Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, Timon hath made his everlasting mansion Upon the beached verge of the salt flood; Who once a day with his embossed froth The turbulent surge shall cover: thither come, And let my grave-stone be your oracle. Lips, let sour words go by and language end: What is amiss plague and infection mend! Graves only be men's works and death their gain! Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his reign. [Retires to his cave. First Sen. His discontents are unremoveably Coupled to nature. 230 Sec. Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, That Timon cares not. But if he sack fair And strain what other means is left unto us In our dear peril. First Sen. Athens, And take our goodly aged men by the beards, Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war, I cannot choose but tell him, that I care not, 180 First Sen. These words become your lips as they pass thorough them. Sec. Sen. And enter in our ears like great triumphers In their applauding gates. In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them: I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath. First Sen. I like this well; he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, 210 That mine own use invites me to cut down, It requires swift foot. [Exeunt. Mess. Sec. Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon. Mess. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend; Whom, though in general part we were opposed, †Yet our old love made a particular force, And made us speak like friends: this man was riding From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, ΙΟ Here come our brothers. Enter the Senators from TIMON. Third Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect. The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring Doth choke the air with dust: in, and prepare: Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes the snare. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The woods. Timon's cave, and a rude tomb seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON. Sold. By all description this should be the place. Who's here? speak, ho! No answer! What is this? Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span: I cannot read; the character I'll take with wax: 1 SCENE IV. Before the walls of Athens. Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES with his powers. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our terrible approach. [A parley sounded. Enter Senators on the walls. Till now you have gone on and fill'd the time Our sufferance vainly: now the time is flush, Noble and young, First Sen. When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, Ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear, We sent to thee, to give thy rages balm, To wipe out our ingratitude with loves Above their quantity. Sec. Sen. So did we woo If thy revenges hunger for that food tenth, 30 Throw thy glove, 50 Or any token of thine honour else, Enter Soldier. 60 Seek not my name: a plague consume you wicked caitiffs left! Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by and curse thy fill, but pass and stay not here thy gait.' These well express in thee thy latter spirits: Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs, Which nature loathes-take thou the destined Scorn'dst our brain's flow and those our droplets ACT I. SCENE I. Rome. A street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners. DARDANIUS, PINDARUS, servant to Cassius. CAI.PURNIA, wife to Cæsar. Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, &c. SCENE: Rome: the neighbourhood of Sardis: the neighbourhood of Philippi. as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork. 30 1 Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop today? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, you home: Is this a holiday? what! know you not, Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? Mar. Where is thy leather apron and thy What dost thou with thy best apparel on? II Sec. Com. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? answer me directly. Sec. Com. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? Sec. Com. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend we make holiday, to see Cæsar and to rejoice in his triumph. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels? O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 40 50 60 Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, |