ACT V. SCENE I. The same. Before Timon's Cave. 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 sun. 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 ainiss 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 purposes with what they travel for, if it be a just and true report that goes of his having. Poct. 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 air 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 is thyself. Pet. 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. Tm. Must thon needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so, I have gold for thee. Puet. Nay, let's seek him: When the day serves, before black-corner'd Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! [men? Tim. Let it go naked, men may see't the Pain. He, and myself, Have travell'd in the great shower of your And sweetly felt it. [gifts, Tim. Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. [I requite you? -Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you [that I have gold; Tim. You are honest men: Yon have heard I am sure you have: speak truth: you are {therefore service. honest men. Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but Came not my friend, nor I. [counterfeitt Tim. Good honest men:-Thon draw'st a Best in all Athens: thon art, indeed, the best; Thon counterfeit'st most lively. Pain, That thou at even natural in thine art.- • The doing of that we said we would do. + A portrait was so called. dissemble, Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Pain. I know none such, my lord. Nor I. Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give yon gold, Rid me these villains from your companies: Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Enter TIMON. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn!-- For each true word, a blister! and each false Worthy Timon 0, forget What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. fin company-Together with a recompense more fruitful Tim. You that way, and you this, but two [Exit, beating and driving them out. 2 Sen. At all times alike Live with anthority-so soon we shall drive 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Therefore, Timon,— Tm. Well, sir, I will; therefore I will, sir; If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, [Thus,Let Alcibiades know this of Timon, Athens, That-limon cares not. But if he sack fair And take our goodly aged men by the beards Giving our holy virgins to the stain Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war; Then let him know, and tell him Timon Here is his cave.- In pity of our aged and our youth, speaks it, Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! I cannot choose but tell him, that-I care not, Timon! Look out, and speak to friends: The Athe[nians, And let him take't at worst; for their knives care not, By two of their most reverend senate, greet While you have throats to answer: for myself, Speak to them, noble Timon. [thee: There's not a whittle in the only camp, A complete, a finished villain. § Confession. + In 2 jakes. Licensed, uncontrolled. With one united voice of affection ¶ A clasp knife. Lyon 1 Sen. We speak in vain. Mess. friend; [not Timon 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring Mess. I met a courier, one mine ancient [posed, Whom, though in general part we were op Yet our old love made a particular force, And made us speak like friends--this man was [viding From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, With letters of entreaty, which imported His fellowship i'the cause against your city, In part for his sake moved. Enter Senators from TIMON. 1 Sen. Here come our brothers. 3 Sen. No talk of limon, nothing of him (ing expect.The enemies' drum is beard, and fearful scour Doth choke the ai with dust: in and prepare; Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes, the snare. [Exeunt. and e tomb-stone seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking Timon. 1 Sen. That's well spoke. Tim. Commend me to my loving countrymen,[pass through them. 1 Sen. These words become your lips as they 2 Sen. And enter in our ears like great tri [umphers In their applauding gates. Tem Commend ne to them: SCENE IV. The Woods. Timon's Cave, 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 [wrath. I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' 2.Sen. I like this well, he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, do them: Tim.- Come not to me again: but say to gain! Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his [iurn, And strain what other means are left unto us It requires swift foot. [Exeunt. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are As full as thy report? [his files Sol. By all description, this should be the place (is this? Our captain hath in every figure skill; Forces. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious Our terrible approach. [A parley sounded, The scope of justice; till now, my self, and such breath'd wrong Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease; To wipe out our ingratitude with loves i. c., The gods, who are the anthors of the prosperity of mankind. disease of life begins to promise me a period. highest to lowest. Swollen froth. He means-the Report, rumour. 6 Methodically, from ** Arms across. + Mature ¶ Dreadful. 2 Sen. (If thy revenges hunger for that food, [tenth: All have not offended; 1 Sen. 2 Sen. 1 Sen. Set but thy foot Have seal'd thy fall desire. Then there's my glove; Descend, and open your uncharged ports; Sold. My noble general, Timon is dead; Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched 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: From niggard nature fall, yet rich conerit On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Dead [Exeunt. ↑ Not regular, not equitable. Stop. • Physician. i. e., By promising him a competent subsistence. Unattacked gates. § Reconcile. i.e., Our tears. The play of TIMON is a domestic tragedy, and therefore strongly fastens on the attention of the reader. In the plan there is not much art, but the incidents are natural, and the characters varions and exact. The catastrophe affords a very powerful warning against that ostentations liberality, which scatters bounty, but confers no benefits, and buys flattery, but not friendship. In this tragedy, are many passages perplexed, obscure, and probably corrupt, which I have enneavoured to rectify, or explain with due diligence; but having only one copy, cannot pro mise myself that my endeavours shall be much applauded.-JOHNSON Enter a Company of mutinous Citizens, with Staves, Clubs, and other Weapons. 1 Cit. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish? Cit. Resolved, resolved. I. 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though softconscienced men can be content to say, it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly prond; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, 1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is yon account a vice in him: You must in no chief enemy to the people. Cit. We know't, we know't. 1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict? Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away. 2 Ct. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on would relieve us; If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely; but they think we are 100 dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us reves.ge this with our pikes, cre we become rakes +: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Cains Marcios? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to *he commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has one for his country? • Ricb. way say he is covetous. 1 Ct. If I must not, I need not be barren of acensations; be hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o'the city is risen: Why stay we prating bere? to the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 C. Soft; who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; Would all the rest were so! Men. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you [pray you. With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know, we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, + Thin at raker. |