Poet. Sir, 60 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: 71 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; men. I am sure you have: speak truth; ye're honest Tim. Good honest men! Thou draw'st a Best in all Athens: thou'rt, indeed, the best; Pain. So, so, my lord. Tim. E'en so, sir, as I say. And, for thy Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth Both. To make it known to us. Bring us to his cave: Sec. Sen. 120 At all times alike TIMON comes from his cave. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn! Speak, For each true word, a blister! and each false Consuming it with speaking! Beseech your honour You'll take it ill. Will you, indeed? That mightily deceives you. Both. Do we, my lord? Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dis- Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Pain. I know none such, my lord. Nor I. 100 Poet. Rid me these villains from your companies: Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. company; Sec. Sen. 160 Surprise me to the very brink of tears: And of our Athens, thine and ours, to take Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up Sec. Sen. And shakes his threatening sword Against the walls of Athens. First Sen. If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, Athens, 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, But if he sack fair And strain what other means is left unto us In our dear peril. First Sen. 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, The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you Stay not, all's in vain. 100 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! 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. 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. Mess. 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, 10 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 IV. Before the walls of Athens. Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES with his powers. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our terrible approach. [A parley sounded. Enter Senators on the walls. Till now you have gone on and fill'd the time Our sufferance vainly: now the time is flush, Noble and young, First Sen. When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, Ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear, We sent to thee, to give thy rages balm, To wipe out our ingratitude with loves Above their quantity. Sec. Sen. So did we woo If thy revenges hunger for that food tenth, 30 Seek not my name: a plague consume you wicked caitiff's 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 And by the hazard of the spotted die Let die the spotted. First Sen. All have not offended; ACT I. 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 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? 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. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? Sec. Com. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow! 21 Sec. Com. Why, sir, cobble you. Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? Sec. Com. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men 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? O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 40 50 60 Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears [Exeunt all the Commoners. If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. You know it is the feast of Lupercal. Flav. It is no matter; let no images 70 Sooth. Cæsar! Cas. Who is it in the press that calls on me? 19 Cæs. What say'st thou to me now? speak Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cas. I pray you, do. Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look, 40 Of late with passions of some difference, 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. 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. |