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 Pain. He and myself Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts, And sweetly felt it. 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; Pain. So, so, 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 cavé. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn! Speak, and be hang'd: For each true word, a blister! and each false First Sen. Worthy Timon,Tim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon. First Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon. Tim. I thank them; and would send them back the plague, Could I but catch it for them. O, forget 140 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 Tim. 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 And let him take't at worst; for their knives care not, While you have throats to answer: for myself, There's not a whittle in the unruly camp But I do prize it at my love before The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you To the protection of the prosperous gods, As thieves to keepers. Stay not, all's in vain. 190 Flav. Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph; It will be seen to-morrow: my long sickness Of health and living now begins to mend, And nothing brings me all things. Go, live still; Be Alcibiades your plague, you his, And last so long enough! First Sen. We speak in vain. men, 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. Tim. Commend me to them, 200 And tell them that, to ease them of their griefs, Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain 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. SCENE II. Before the walls of Athens. Enter two Senators and a Messenger. First Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd: are his files As full as thy report? Mess. I have spoke the least: Besides, his expedition promises Present approach. 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: Some beast rear'd this; there does not live a man. Dead, sure; and this his grave. What's on this tomb I cannot read; the character I'll take with wax: Our captain hath in every figure skill, An aged interpreter, though young in days: Before proud Athens he's set down by this, | Whose fall the mark of his ambition is. [Exit. 10 SCENE IV. Before the walls of Athens. Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES with his powers. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our sufferance vainly: now the time is flush, Noble and young, If thy revenges hunger for that food tenth, 30 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 which SCENE I. Rome. A street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners. PINDARUS, servant to Cassius. CALPURNIA, 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 Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to- 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. 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? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! 40 you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 50 60 Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look, Flav. It is no matter; let no images Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, SCENE II. A public place. 79 Flourish. Enter CÆSAR; ANTONY, for the Casca. Cæs. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Cal. Here, my lord. Cas. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, Ant. Sooth. Cæsar! ΙΟ [Flourish. Casca. Bid every noise be still: peace yet Cæs. Who is it in the press that calls on me? What man is that? A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Bru. 19 Cæs. Set him before me; let me see his face. Cæs. What say'st thou to me now? speak Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cas. Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried Bru. No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself, And it is very much lamented, Brutus, That you would have me seek into myself 60 Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to And since you know you cannot see yourself 70 [Flourish, and shout. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. |