Luc. Serv. Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him: You must consider, that a prodigal course 'Tis deepest winter in lord Timon's purse; Hor. I am of your fear for that. Most true, he does. Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift, For which I wait for money. Hor. It is against my heart. Luc. Serv. Mark, how strange it shows, Timon in this should pay more than he owes : And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels, And send for money for 'em. Hor. I am weary of this charge,2 the gods can witness : I know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine. 1 Var. Serv. 'Tis much deep; and it should seem Enter Flaminius. Tit. One of lord Timon's men. Luc. Serv. Flaminius! sir, a word: 'Pray, is my lord ready to come forth? Flam. No, indeed, he is not. Tit. We attend his lordship; 'pray, signify so much. Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows, you are too diligent. [Exit Flaminius. Enter Flavius in a cloak, muffled. 1 Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,- Ay, If money were as certain as your waiting, Upon his debts, and take down th' interest but wrong, (1) i. e. Like him in blaze and splendour. (2) Commission, employment. Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know And, if it be so far beyond his health, Good gods! Tit. We cannot take this for an answer, sir. Flam. [Within.] Servilius, help!-my lord! my lord! Enter Timon, in a rage; Flaminius following. Tim. What, are my doors oppos'd against my passage? Have I been ever free, and must my house Tit. My lord, here is my bill. Hor. Serv. And mine, my lord. Tim. Be't not in thy care; go, I charge thee; invite them all: let in the tide Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide. [Exeunt. SCENE V-The same. The Senate-House. The senate sitting. Enter Alcibiades, attended. 1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die : 2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him. Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate! 1 Sen. Now, captain? Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues; Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice; And with such sober and unnoted passion2 1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox,4 The worst that man can breathe; and make his 1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear. Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I speak like a captain. Why do fond men expose themselves to battle, (1) i. e. Putting this action of his, which was predetermined by fate, out of the question. (2) i. e. Passion so subdued, that no spectator could note its operation. (3) Manage, govern. (4) You undertake a paradox too hard. (5) What have we to do in the field. Such valour in the bearing, what make we And th' ass, more captain than the lion; the felon, As you are great, be pitifully good : Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood? But who is man, that is not angry? In vain? his service done done fair service, And slain in fight many of your enemies : | In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds? Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war. My lords, if not for any parts in him (Though his right arm might purchase his ow time, And be in debt to none,) yet, more to move you, 1 Sen. We are for law, he dies; urge it no no more, On height of our displeasure: Friend, or brother, He forfeits his own blood, that spills another. Alcib. Must it be so? it must not be. My lords, I do beseech you, know me. 2 Sen. How? (7) Homicide in our own defence, by a merciful interpretation of the law, ble.' (8) For dishonoured. considered justifia (9) i. e. Not to put ourselves in any tumor of rage. Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough; that|| you may live Only in bone, that none may look on you! I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes, While they have told their money, and let out Their coin upon large interest; I myself, Rich only in large hurts;-All those, for this? Is this the balsam, that the usuring senate Pours into captains' wounds? ha! banishment? It comes not ill; I hate not to be banish'd; It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury, That I may strike at Athens. I'll cheer up My discontented troops, and lay for hearts,1 'Tis honour, with most lands to be at odds; Soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods. [Exit. SCENE VI-A magnificent room in Timon's house. Music. Tables set out: Servants attending. Enter divers Lords, at several doors. 1 Lord. The good time of day to you, sir. 2 Lord. I also wish it to you. I think, this honourable lord did but try us this other day. 1 Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we encountered: I hope, it is not so low with him, as he made it seem in the trial of his several friends. 2 Lord. It should not be, by the persuasion of his new feasting. 1 Lord. I should think so: He hath sent me an earnest inviting, which many my near occasions did urge me to put off; but he hath conjured me beyond them, and I must needs appear. 2 Lord. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of that my provision was out. me, Tim. Think not on't, sir. 2 Lord. If you had sent but two hours before,→→ Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance.3-Come, bring in all together. 2 Lord. All covered dishes! 1 Lord. Royal cheer, I warrant you. 3 Lord. Doubt not that, if money, and the season, can yield it. 1 Lord. How do you? What's the news? 3 Lord. Alcibiades is banished: Hear; you of it? 1 & 2 Lord. Alcibiades banished! 3 Lord. 'Tis so, be sure of it. 1 Lord. How? how? 2 Lord. I pray you, upon what? Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near? 3 Lord. I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble feast toward. 2 Lord. This is the old man still. 3 Lord. Will't hold? will't hold? 2 Lord. It does: but time will--and so3 Lord. I do conceive. Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another: for, were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty the gods. Make the meat be beloved, more than be without a score of villains: If there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be—as they 1 Lord. I am sick of that grief too, as I under-are--The rest of your fees, O gods,-the senastand how all things go. tors of Athens, together with the common lag4 of 2 Lord. Every man here's so. What would he people,-what is amiss in them, you gods, make have borrowed of you? 1 Lord. A thousand pieces. 2 Lord. A thousand pieces! 1 Lord. What of you? 3 Lord. He sent to me, sir,-Here he comes. Enter Timon, and attendants. Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both :-And how fare you? 1 Lord. Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship. 2 Lord. The swallow follows not summer more willing, than we your lordship. Tim. [Aside.] Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer-birds are men.-Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompense this long stay: feast your ears with the music awhile; if they will fare so harshly on the trumpet's sound: we shall to't presently. suitable for destruction. For these my present friends,--as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to nothing they are welcome. Uncover, dogs, and lap. [The dishes uncovered are full of warm water. Some speak. What does his lordship mean? Some other. I know not. Tim. May you a better feast never behold, You knot of mouth-friends! smoke, and lukewarm water Is your perfection. This is Timon's last; [Throwing water in their faces. 1 Lord. I hope, it remains not unkindly with your lordship, that I returned you an empty Tim. Ah, my good friend! what cheer? [The banquet brought in. 2 Lord. My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of shame, that, when your lordship this other day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a beggar. (1) We should now say-to lay out for hearts; i. e. the affections of the people. (2) To tire on a thing meant, to be idly employed on it. VOL. II. them out. Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast, Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest. Burn, house; sink, Athens! henceforth hated be Of Timon, man, and all humanity! [Exit. (3) i. e. Your good memory. (4) The lowest. (5) Flies of a season. (6) Jacks of the clock; like those at St. Dun stan's church, in Fleet-street. 20 Re-enter the Lords, with other Lords and Senators. || SCENE II.-Athens. A room in Timon's house. 1 Lord. How now, my lords? 2 Lord. Know you the quality of lord Timon's fury? 3 Lord. Pish! did you see my cap? 4 Lord. have lost my gown. 3 Lord. He's but a mad lord, and nought but humour sways him. He gave me a jewel the other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat :-Did you see my jewel? 4 Lord. Did you see my cap? 2 Lord. Here 'tis. 4 Lord. Here lies my gown. 1 Lord. Let's make no stay. 2 Lord. Lord Timon's mad. 3 Lord. I feel't upon my bones. 4 Lord. One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I-Without the walls of Athens. Enter Timon. Tim. Let me look back upon thee, O thou wall, Large handed robbers your grave masters are, (1) Common sewers. [Exit. (2) i. e Contrarieties, whose. nature it is to waste or destroy each other. (3) For libertinism. (4) Accumulated curses. Enter Flavius, with two or three Servants. 1 Serv. Hear you, master steward, where's our master? Are we undone? cast off? nothing remaining? Flav. Alack, my fellows, what should I say to you? Let me be recorded by the righteous gods, 1 Serv. Such a house broke! So noble a master fallen! All gone! and not One friend, to take his fortune by the arm, And go along with him! 2 Serv. As we do turn our backs With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty, Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd house. Flav. Good fellows all, Nay, put out all your hands. Let each take some; [Giving them money. Not one word more : parting poor. [Exeunt Servants. To have his pomp, and all what state compounds, I'll serve his mind with my best will; SCENE III.-The woods. Enter Timon. Tim. O blessed breeding sun, draw from the earth Rotten humidity; below thy sister's orb7 Infect the air! Twinn'd brothers of one womb,Whose procreation, residence, and birth, Scarce is dividant,-touch them with several for tunes; (5) Hasty, precipitate. (7) i. e. The moon's, this sublunary world. In purity of manhood stand upright, Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate Ha, you gods! why this? What this, you gods?|| Will lug your priests and servants from your sides; Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd; But yet I'll bury thee: Thou'lt go, strong thief, But then renew I could not, like the moon; Alcib. Maintain my opinion. Noble Timon, None, but to Alcib. For thou'rt a man! Tim. Art thou Timandra? Yes. Tim. Be a whore still! they love thee not, that use thee; Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust. Timan. [Keeping some gold. Enter Alcibiades, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; Phrynia and Timandra. Alcib. Speak. What art thou there? Tim. A beast, as thou art. The canker gnaw I had rather be alone. (2) Seize, gripe. Alcib. Why, fare thee well: Keep't, I cannot eat it. Here's some gold for thee. Tim. Alcib. When I have laid proud Athens on a heap, Thee after, when thou hast conquer'd! Alcib. Tim. That, Why me, Timon? By killing villains, thou wast born to conquer Put up thy gold; Go on,-here's gold,-go on ; (5) i. e. Gold restores her to all the sweetness (3) No insincere or inconstant supplicant. Gold and freshness of youth. will not serve me instead of roots. (4) Sorrowful. (6) Alluding to the cure of the lues venerea, then lin practice. |