The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare

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. 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.

m. [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.

1 Lord. I hope, it remains not unkindly with your lordship, that I returned you an empty mes

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. 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,2 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.

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

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 me, that my provision was out.

1 Lord. I am sick of that grief too, as I under-are-The rest of your fees, O gods,-the sena tors of Athens, together with the common lag of

stand how all things go.

2 Lord. Every man here's so. What would he people,-what is amiss in them, you gods, make

suitable for destruction. For these my present

have borrowed of you?

| friends,--as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to nothing they are welcome.

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 so

3 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.

water

Is your perfection. This is Timon's last;
Who stuck and spangled you with flatteries,
Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces
[Throwing water in their faces.
Your reeking villany. Live loath'd, and long,
Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites,
Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies,5
Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks !6
Of man, and beast, the infinite malady
Crust you quite o'er!-What, dost thou go?
Soft, take thy physic first-thou too,-and thou:-
[Throws the dishes at them, and drives

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.

Re-enter the Lords, with other Lords and Senators. || SCENE II-Athens. A room in Timon's house.

Enter Flavius, with two or three Servants.

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, That girdlest in those wolves! Dive in the earth, And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent; Obedience fail in children! slaves, and fools, Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench, And minister in their steads! to general filths! Convert o'the instant, green virginity! Do't in your parents' eyes! bankrupts, hold fast; Rather than render back, out with your knives, And cut your trusters' throats! bound servants, steal!

Large handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law! maid, to thy master's bed;
Thy mistress is o'the brothel! son of sixteen,
Pluck the lin'd crutch from the old limping sire,
With it beat out his brains! piety, and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
Domestic awe, night-rest, and neighbourhood,
Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,
Degrees, observances, customs, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries,2
And yet confusion live!-Plagues, incident to men,
Your potent and infectious fevers heap
On Athens, ripe for stroke! thou cold sciatica,
Cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt
As lamely as their manners! lust and liberty3
Creep in the minds and marrows of our youth;
That 'gainst the stream of virtue they may strive,
And drown themselves in riot! itches, blains,
Sow all the Athenian bosoms; and their crop
Be general leprosy! breath infect breath;
That their society, as their friendship, may
Be merely poison! Nothing I'll bear from thee,
But nakedness, thou détestable town!
Take thou that too, with multiplying banns !4
Timon will to the woods; where he shall find
The unkindest beast more kinder than mankind.
The gods confound (hear me, ye good gods all,)
The Athenians both within and out that wall!
And grant, as Timon grows, his hate may grow
To the whole race of mankind, high and low!
Amen.
[Exit.

(1) Common sewers.

(2) i. e Contrarieties, whose. nature it is to waste or destroy each other.

(3) For libertinism. (4) Accumulated curses.

Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd house, 3 Serv. Yet do our hearts wear Timon's livery, That see I by our faces; we are fellows still, Serving alike in sorrow: Leak'd is our bark; And we, poor mates, stand on the dying deck, Hearing the surges threat: we must all part Into this sea of air.

Flav.
Good fellows all,
The latest of my wealth I'll share amongst you.
Wherever we shall meet, for Timon's sake,
Let's yet be fellows; let's shake our heads, and say,
As 'twere a knell unto our master's fortunes,
We have seen better days. Let each take some;
[Giving them money.
Not one word more :
parting poor.
[Exeunt Servants.
O, the fierce5 wretchedness that glory brings us!
Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,
Since riches point to misery and contempt?
Who'd be so mock'd with glory? or to live
But in a dream of friendship?

To have his pomp, and all what state compounds,
But only painted, like his varnish'd friends?
Poor honest lord, brought low by his own heart;
Undone by goodness! Strange, unusual blood,6
When man's worst sin is, he does too much good!
Who then dares to be half so kind again?
For bounty, that makes gods, does still mar men.
My dearest lord,-bless'd, to be most accurs'd,
Rich, only to be wretched;-thy great fortunes
Are made thy chief afflictions. Alas, kind lord!
He's flung in rage from this ungrateful seat
Of monstrous friends: nor has he with him to
Supply his life, or that which can command it.
I'll follow, and inquire him out:
I'll serve his mind with my best will;
Whilst I have gold, I'll be his steward still. [Exit.

Nay, put out all your hands. Thus part we rich in sorrow,

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 fortunes;

(5) Hasty, precipitate.

(6) Propensity, disposition.

(7) i. e. The moon's, this sublunary world.

Ha, you gods! why this? What this, you gods? Why this

Will lug your priests and servants from your sides;
Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads:
This yellow slave

Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd;
Make the hoar leprosy ador'd; place thieves,
And give them title, knee, and approbation,
With senators on the bench: this is it,

That makes the wappen'd4 widow wed again;
She, whom the spital-house, and ulcerous sores
Would cast the gorge at, this embalms and spices
To the April day again.5 Come, damned earth,
Thou common whore of mankind, that put'st odds
Among the rout of nations, I will make thee
Do thy right nature.[March afar off]-Ha! a
drum?-Thou'rt quick,

But yet I'll bury thee: Thou'lt go, strong thief, When gouty keepers of thee cannot stand :Nay, stay thou out for earnest.

[Keeping some gold. Enter Alcibiades, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; Phrynia and Timandra. What art thou there?

Alcib. Speak.

Tim. A beast, as thou art. thy heart, For showing me again the eyes of man! Alcib. What is thy name? Is man so hateful to

thee, That art thyself a man?

Tim. I am misanthropos, and hate mankind. For thy part, I do wish thou wert a dog, That I might love thee something.

Alcib. I know thee well; But in thy fortunes am unlearn'd and strange. Tim. I know thee too; and more, than that I know thee,

not desire to know. Follow thy drum ; With man's blood paint the ground, gules, gules:

(1) But by is here used for without. Seize, gripe.

Tim. How dost thou pity him, whom thou dost
trouble?
The canker gnaw I had rather be alone.
Alcib.
Why, fare thee well:
Here's some gold for thee.
Tim.
Keep't, I cannot eat it.
Alcib. When I have laid proud Athens on a
heap,-

Tim. Warr'st thou 'gainst Athens?
Alcib.
Ay, Timon, and have cause.
Tim. The gods confound them all i'thy conquest;
and

Voic'd so regardfully?

Art thou Timandra?

Tim.
Timan.
Yes.
Tim. Be a whore still! they love thee not, that
use thee;

Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust.
Make use of thy salt hours: season the slaves
For tubs, and baths; bring down rose-cheeked youth
To the tub-fast, and the diet.6

Timan.

Hang thee, monster! Alcib. Pardon him, sweet Timandra; for his wits Are drown'd and lost in his calamities.-I have but little gold of late, brave Timon, The want whereof doth daily make revolt In my penurious band: I have heard, and griev'd, How cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth, Forgetting thy great deeds, when neighbour states, But for thy sword and fortune, trod upon them,Tim. I pr'ythee, beat thy drum, and get thee

gone.

Alcib. I am thy friend, and pity thee, dear

Timon.

Alcib.

Tim. That,

Thee after, when thou hast conquer'd!
Why me, Timon?

By killing villains, thou wast born to conquer My country.

Put up thy gold; Go on,-here's gold,-go on;

(3) No insincere or inconstant supplicant. Gold and freshness of youth. will not serve me instead of roots. (4) Sorrowful.

(5) i. e. Gold restores her to all the sweetness

(6) Alluding to the cure of the lues venerea, then lin practice.

Be as a planetary plague, when Jove
Will o'er some high-vic'd city hang his poison
In the sick air: Let not thy sword skip one:
Pity not honour'd age for his white beard,
He's an usurer: Strike me the counterfeit matron
It is her habit only that is honest,
Herself's a bawd: Let not the virgin's cheek
Make soft thy trenchant! sword; for those milk-
paps,

That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes,
Are not within the leaf of pity writ,

Set them down horrible traitors: Spare not the babe,
Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their
mercy;

Think it a bastard,2 whom the oracle

Hath doubtfully pronounc'd thy throat shall cut,
And mince it sans remorse:3 Swear against ob-
jects;4

Put armour on thine ears, and on thine eyes;
Whose proof, nor yells of mothers, maids, nor babes,
Nor sight of priests in holy vestments bleeding,
Shail pierce a jot. There's gold to pay thy soldiers:
Make large confusion; and, thy fury spent,
Confounded be thyself! Speak not, be gone.
Alcib. Hast thou gold yet? take the gold
thou giv'st me,
Not all thy counsel.

Tim. Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse
upon thee!

Phr. & Timan. Give us some gold, good Timon:
Hast thou more?

Tim. Enough to make a whore forswear her trade,

And to make whores, a bawd. Hold up, you sluts,
Your aprons mountant: You are not oathable,-
Although, I know, you'll swear, terribly swear,
Into strong shudders, and to heavenly agues,
The immortal gods that hear you,-spare your
oaths,

I'll trust to your conditions:5 Be whores still;
And he whose pious breath seeks to convert you,
Be strong in whore, allure him, burn him up;
Let your close fire predominate his smoke,
And be no turn-coats: Yet may your pains, six
months,

Be quite contrary: And thatch your poor thin roofs
With burdens of the dead;-sorne that were hang'd,
No matter :--wear them, betray with them: whore
still;
Paint till a horse may mire upon your face:
A pox of wrinkles !'

Phr.& Timan. Well, more gold;-What then?-
Believ't, that we'll do any thing for gold.

Tim. Consumptions sow

In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins,
And mar men's spurring. Crack the lawyer's voice,
That he may never more false title plead,
Nor sound his quillets6 shrilly: hoar the flamen,
That scolds against the quality of flesh,
And not believes himself: down with the nose,
Down with it flat; take the bridge quite away
Of him, that his particular to foresee,
Smells from the general weal: make curl'd-pate
ruffians bald;
And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war
Derive some pain from you: Plague all;
That your activity may defeat and quell

(1) Cutting.

(2) An allusion to the tale of Edipus. (3) Without pity.

(4) i. e. Against objects of charity and compas

sion.

(5) Vocations, (6) Subtilties. (7) Entomb.

If I thrive well, I'll visit thee again.
Tim. If I hope well, I'll never see thee more,
Alcib. never did thee harm.

Tim. Yes, thou spok'st well of me.
Alcib.
Call'st thou that harm?
Tim. Men daily find it such. Get thee away,
And take thy beagles with thee.
Alcib.
Strike.

We but offend him.

[Drum beats. Exeunt Alcibiades, Phrynia, and Timandra.

Tim. That nature, being sick of man's unkind-
ness,

Should yet be hungry!--Common mother, thou,
[Digging.

Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast,
Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle,
Whereof thy proud child, arrogant man, is puff'd,
Engenders the black toad, and adder blue,
With all the abhorred births below crisp10 heaven
The gilded newt, and eyeless venom'd worm,9
Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate,
Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine;
Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb,
From forth thy plenteous bosom one poor root!
Let it no more bring out ingrateful man!
Ga great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and bears;
Hath to the marbled mansion all above
Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward face
Never presented!-0, a root,-Dear thanks!
Dry up thy marrows, vines, and plough-torn leas;
Whereof ingrateful man, with liquorish draughts,
And morsels unctuous, greases
That from it all consideration slips!
pure mind,

his

Enter Apemantus.
More man? Plague! plague!

Thou dost affect my manners, and dost use them.
Apem. I was directed hither: Men report,
Tim. 'Tis then, because thou dost not keep a dog
Whom I would imitate: Consumption catch thee!
Apem. This is in thee a nature but affected;
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 diseas'd perfumes,11 and have forgot
That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods,
By putting on the cunning of a carper.12
Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive
By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee,
Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain,
And let his very breath, whom thou'lt observe,
And call it excellent: Thou wast told thus ;
Thou gav'st thine ears, like tapsters, that bid wel

come,

To knaves, and all approachers: 'Tis most just,
That thou turn rascal; hadst thou wealth again,

(8) Boundless surface.

(9) The serpent called the blind-worm.
(10) Bent.

(11) i. e. Their diseased perfumed mistresses.
(12) i. e. Shame not these woods by finding fault,

Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; If not, I would it were.

Apem. What would'st thou have to Athens? Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have. Apem. Here is no use for gold.

Tim. The best, and truest: For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Apem. Where li'st o'nights, Timon? Tim. Under that's above me. Where feed'st thou o'days, Apemantus?

Apem. Where my stomach finds meat; or, rather, where I eat it.

Tim. 'Would poison were obedient, and knew my mind!

Apem. Where would'st thou send it?
Tim. To sauce thy dishes.

Apem. The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the extremity of both ends: When thou wast in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity;5 in thy rags thou knowest none, but art despised for the contrary. There's a medlar for thee, eat it.

Tim. On what I hate, I feed not.

Apem. Dost hate a medlar?

Tim. Ay, though it look like thee.

Apem. An thou hadst hated meddlers sooner, thou should'st have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know unthrift, that was beloved after his means?

Tim. Who, without those means thou talkest of, didst thou ever know beloved?

Apem. Myself.

Tim. I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a dog.

Apem. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers?

Tim. Women nearest; but men, men are the things themselves. What would'st thou do with the world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy power?

Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men. Tim. Would'st thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts?

Apem. Ay, Timon.

Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee to attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox would beguile thee: if thou wert the lamb, the fox would eat thee: if thou wert the fox, the lion would suspect thee, when, peradventure, thou wert accused by the ass: if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would torment thee: and still thou livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee,

(4) The cold admonitions of cautious prudence. (5) For too much finical delicacy,

« Anterior Continuar »

Libros

The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Accurately Printed from ..., Volumen2