Such valour in the bearing, what make we Abroad? why then, women are more valiant, That stay at home, if bearing carry it; Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius; ali: I'll once more feast the rascals. Flav. O my lord, You only speak from your distracted soul; There is not so much left, to furnish out A moderate table. 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 Alciabades, 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; For pity is the virtue of the law, And none but tyrants use it cruelly. It pleases time, and fortune, to lie heavy Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice; And with such sober and unnoted passion2 1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox, The worst that man can breathe; and make his Alcib. My lord, 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. (4) You undertake a paradox too hard. (3) Manage, govern. (5) What have we to do in the field. And th' ass, more captain than the lion; the felon, As you are great, be pitifully good: Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood? To be in anger, is impiety; But who is man, that is not angry? 2 Sen. You breathe in vain. In vain? his service done At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium, Why, I say, my lords, h'as done fair service, And slain in fight many of your enemies: Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war. (Though his right arm might purchase his own time, And be in debt to none,) yet, more to move you, 1 Sen. We are for law, he dies; urge it no more, 2 Sen. How? Alcib. Call me to your remembrances. 3 Sen. What? Alcib. I cannot think, but your age has forgot me ; It could not else be, I should prove so base, To sue, and be denied such common grace: My wounds ache at you. 1 Sen. Do you dare our anger? 'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect; We banish thee for ever. Alcib. Banish me? Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough; that Only in bone, that none may look on you! I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes, [Exit. SCENE VI-A magnificent room in Timon's 2 Lord. I also wish it to you. I think, this honourable lord did but try us this other day. 2 Tim. Think not on't, sir. Act III. 2 Lord. If you had sent but two hours before,Tim. Let it not cumber your better remem brance.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? 2 Lord. This is the old man still. Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be 1 Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to when we encountered: I hope, it is not so low with let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first him, as he made it seem in the trial of his several place: Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. 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 with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make You great benefactors, sprinkle our society yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake that one need not lend to another: for, were your importunate business, but he would not hear my be without a score of villains: If there sit twelve in debt to my the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty the gods. Make the meat be beloved, more than excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my provision was out. 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 sena stand how all things go. 2 Lord. Every man here's so. have borrowed of you? 1 Lord. A thousand pieces. 2 Lord. A thousand pieces! 1 Lord. What of you? tors of Athens, together with the common lag of What would he people-what is amiss in them, you gods, make 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 cars 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 senger. Tim. O sir, let it not trouble you. 2 Lord. My noble lord, 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 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. Tim. May you a better feast never behold, water Who stuck and spangled you with flatteries Your reeking villany. Live loath'd, and long, them out. (3) i. e. Your good memory. (4) The lowest. (5) Flies of a season. (6) Jacks of the clock; like those at St. Dunstan's church, in Fleet-street. 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. I 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, On Athens, ripe for stroke! thou cold sciatica, (1) Common sewers. [Exit. (2) i. e. Contrarieties, whose nature it is to waste or destroy each other. (3) For libertinism. VOL. II. (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, am as poor as you. I 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. [Exeunt Servants. To have his pomp, and all what state compounds, I'll serve his mind with my best will; The greater scorns the lesser Not nature, Raise me this beggar, and denude that lord; The beggar native honour. It is the pasture lards the brother's sides, The want that makes him lean. Who dares, who dares, In purity of manhood stand upright, And say, This man's a flatterer if one be, Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate Ha, you gods! why this? What this, you gods? Why this Will lug your priests and servants from your sides; Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd; a [Keeping some gold. Enter Alcibiades, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; Phrynia and Timandra. Alcib. Speak. thy heart, What art thou there? Alcib. I am thy friend, and pity thee, dear Tim. How dost thou pity him, whom thou dost Tim. A beast, as thou art. The canker gnaw I had rather be alone. 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; I not desire to know. Follow thy drum; (1) But by is here used for without. (2) Seize, gripe. (8) No insincere or inconstant supplicant. will not serve me instead of roots. (4) Sorrowful. Alcib. Why, fare thee well: Keep't, I cannot eat it. Alcib. When I have laid proud Athens on Thee after, when thou hast conquer'd! 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 Gold and freshness of youth. (6) Alluding to the cure of the lues venerea, then in practice. Be as a planetary plague, when Jove Herself's a bawd: Let not the virgin's cheek That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes, Set them down horrible traitors: Spare not the babe, mercy; Think it a bastard, whom the oracle Hath doubtfully pronounc'd thy throat shall cut, Put armour on thine ears, and on thine eyes; Not all thy counsel. Tim. Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse Phr. & Timan. Give us some gold, good Timon: Tim. Enough to make a whore forswear her And to make whores, a bawd. Hold up, you sluts, I'll trust to your conditions; Be whores still; Be quite contrary: And thatch your poor thin roofs Paint till a horse may mire upon your face: The source of all erection.-There's more gold:- Phr. & Timan. More counsel with more money, Tim. More whore, more mischief first; I have given you earnest. Alcib. Strike up the drum towards Athens. Farewell, Timon: If I thrive well, I'll visit thee again. Tim. If I hope well, I'll never see thee more, Tim. Yes, thou spok'st weli of me. Strike. Get thee away, We but offend him. [Drum beats. Exeunt Alcibiades, Phrygia, and Timandra. Tim. That nature, being sick of man's unkind- Should yet be hungry!-Common mother, thou, Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast, More man? Plague! plague! Apem. I was directed hither: Men report, Phr. & Timan. Well, more gold;-What then?-A poor unmanly melancholy, sprung Tim, Consumptions sow In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins, Smells from the general weal: make curl'd-pate And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war From change of fortune. Why this spade? this This slave-like habit? and these looks of care? |