For this one wish, That you had power and wealth | Debts wither them: Be men like blasted woods, [free: Curses, stay not; fly, whilst thou'rt blest and Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. [exeunt. ACT V. SCENE 1. THE SAME. BEFORE TIMON'S CAVE. Enter Poet and Painter. Timon behind, unseen. 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 is 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 suin. Poet. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends. 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 pur. poses with what they travel 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. Poet. I must serve him so too; tell him of an intent that's coming toward him. Pain. Good as the best. Promising is the very art 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. To promise is most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will, or testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it. Tim. Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so bad as 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. Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do 80, I have gold for thee. Poet. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, When we may profit meet, and come too late. When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple [gold, Than where swine feed! 'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men? 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. Pain. He, and myself, Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend, nor I. [terfeit Tim. Good honest men!-Thou draw'st a counBest in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best; Thou counterfeit'st most lively. Pain. So, so, my lord. [tion, Tim. Even so, sir, as I say:-And, for thy fic. [to the Poct. Why, thy verses swell with stuff so fine and smooth, Both. Beseech your honour, Tim. You'll take it ill. [knave, | On special dignities, which vacant lie Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. Both. Do we, my lord? [semble, Pain. I kuow none such, my lord. [gold, Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you Rid me these villains from your companies: Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught, Confound them by some course, and come to me, I'll give you gold enough. Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Tim. You that way, and you this, but two in company: Each man apart, all single and alone, [to Painter. SCENE II. THE SAME. Enter Flavius and two Senators. Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross: A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal Tim. You witch me in it; Surprise me to the very brink of tears :— 1 Sen. Therefore, so please thee to return with 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Against the walls of Athens. 1 Sen. Therefore, Timon,[thus,Tim. Well, sir, I will; therefore I will, sir; If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, Flav. It is in yain that you would speak with Let Alcibiades know this of Timon, Timon; For he is set so only to himself, [Athens, That-Timon cares not. But if he sack fair And take our goodly aged men by the beards, That nothing but himself, which looks like man, Giving our holy virgins to the stain 1 Sen. Bring us to his cave: It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, 2 Sen. At all times alike. Men are not still the same. 'Twas time, and griefs, Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war; [it, I cannot choose but tell him, that I care not, While you have throats to answer: for myself, The former man may make him: bring us to him, But I do prize it at my love, before Flav. Here is his cave. Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! Enter Timon. The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you Flav. Stay not, all's in vain. Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph, 1 Sen. We speak in vain. Tim. But yet I love my country; and am not 1 Sen. That's well spoke. Tim. Commend me to my loving countrymen,— 1 Sen. These words become your lips as they pass through them. 2 Sen. And enter in our ears, like great triIn their applauding gates. [umphers Tim. Commend me to them; And tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs, That mine own use invites me to cut down, From high to low throughout, that whoso please Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, 1 Sen. His discontents are unremoveably Coupled to nature: [exit. 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring Enter Senators, from Timon. [riding [pect. 3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him exThe 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 IV. THE WOODS. TIMON'S CAVE, AND A TOMB-STOne seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking Timon. Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span: With all licentious measure, making your wills Our sufferance vainly. Now the time is flush, 1 Sen. Noble, and young, When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, 2 Sen. So did we woo Transformed Timon to our city's love, By humble message, and by promis'd means; 1 Sen. These walls of ours Were not erected by their hands, from whom should fall For private faults in them. 2 Sen. Nor are they living, 1 Sen. All have not offended; 2 Sen. What thou wilt, 1 Sen. Set but thy foot Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope; So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before, 2 Sen. Throw thy glove, Or any token of thine honour else, That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, Alcib. Then there's my glove; Both. 'Tis most nobly spoken. [the Senators descend, and open the gates. Sol. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o’the sea: And, on his grave-stone, this insculpture; which With wax I brought away, whose soft impression Interprets for my poor ignorance. Alcib. [reads] "Here lies a wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft : [caitiff left! Seek not my name. A plague consume you wicked Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: [here thy gait." Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay not These well express in thee thy latter spirits: Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs, Scorn'dst our brain's flow, and those our droplets From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit [which Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Is noble Timon; of whose memory Hereafter more.-Bring me into your city, And I will use the olive with my sword: Make war breed place; make peace stint war; make each Dead Boats. Heigh, my hearts; cheerly, cheerly, my hearts; yare, yare: take in the top-sail: 'tend to the master's whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough! Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others. Alon. Good boatswain, have care. tage! If he be not born to be hanged, our case le miserable. [exeunt. Re-enter Boatswain. Boats. Down with the top-mast; yare; lower, lower; bring her to try with main course. [a cry within.] A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather, or our office. Re-enter Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo. Yet again? what do you here? Shall we give o'er, and drown? Have you a mind to sink? Seb. A pox o'your throat! you bawling, blasphemous, uncharitable dog! Boats. Work you, then. Ant. Hang, cur, hang! you whoreson, insolent noisemaker, we are less afraid to be drowned than Where is thou art. What care To cabin: [aboard. the master? Play the men. Boats. I pray now, keep below. Ant. Where is the master, boatswain? Boats. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour! keep your cabins: you do assist the storm. Gon. Nay, good, be patient. Boats. When the sea is. Hence! these roarers for the name of king? silence trouble us not. Gon. Good; yet remember whom thou hast Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. -Cheerly, good hearts.—Out of our way, I say. [exit. Gon. I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good fate, to his hanging! make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advan Gon. I'll warrant him from drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nut-shell, and as leaky as an unstaunched wench. Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold; set her two courses; off to sea again, lay her off. Enter Mariners, wet. Mar. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost! [exit Boats. What, must our mouths be cold? Gon. The king and prince at prayers! let usi For our case is as theirs. [assist them, Seb. I am out of patience. Ant. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. [lic drowning, This wide-chapped rascal;-would'st thou might'st The washing of ten tides! Gon. He'll be hanged yet; Though every drop of water swear against it. And gape at wid'st to glut him. [a confused noise within.] Mercy on us!-We split we split!-Farewell, my wife and children!Farewell, brother!-We split, we split, we split.— Ant. Let's all sink with the king. Seb. Let's take leave of him. [exit. [arit. |