William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (432 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare

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FIRST SENATOR

He dies.

ALCIBIADES Hard fate! He might have died in war.

My lords, if not for any parts in him—
Though his right arm might purchase his own time
And be in debt to none—yet more to move you,
Take my deserts to his and join ’em both.
And for I know
Your reverend ages love security,
I’ll pawn my victories, all my honour to you
Upon his good returns.
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war receive’t in valiant gore,
For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

FIRST SENATOR

We are for law; he dies. Urge it no more,
On height of our displeasure. Friend or brother,
He forfeits his own blood that spills another.

ALCIBIADES

Must it be so? It must not be.
My lords, I do beseech you know me.

SECOND SENATOR
How?

ALCIBIADES

Call me to your remembrances.

THIRD SENATOR What?

ALCIBIADES

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.

FIRST SENATOR

Do you dare our anger?

’Tis in few words, but spacious in effect:
We banish thee for ever.

ALCIBIADES

Banish me?

Banish your dotage, banish usury
That makes the senate ugly.

FIRST SENATOR

If after two days’ shine

Athens contain thee, attend our weightier judgement;
And, not to swell your spirit, he shall be
Executed presently.

Exeunt Senators ⌈and attendants⌉

ALCIBIADES

Now the gods keep you old enough that you may live
Only in bone, that none may look on you!
I’m worse than mad. I have kept back their foes
While they have told their money and let out
Their coin upon large interest—I myself,
Rich only in large hurts. All those for this?
Is this the balsam that the usuring senate
Pours into captains’ wounds? Banishment!
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banished.
It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,
That I may strike at Athens. I’ll cheer up
My discontented troops, and lay for hearts.
’Tis honour with most lands to be at odds.
Soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods.

Exit

3.7
Enter divers of Timon’s friends,
⌈
amongst
⌉
them Lucullus, Lucius, Sempronius, and other Lords and Senators,⌉ at several doors

FIRST LORD The good time of day to you, sir.

SECOND LORD I also wish it to you. I think this honourable lord did but try us this other day.

FIRST LORD Upon that were my thoughts tiring when we encountered. I hope it is not so low with him as he made it seem in the trial of his several friends.

SECOND LORD It should not be, by the persuasion of his new feasting.

FIRST 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.

SECOND LORD In like manner was I in debt to my importunate business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am sorry when he sent to borrow of me that my provision was out.

FIRST LORD I am sick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go.

SECOND LORD Every man hears so. What would he have borrowed of you?

FIRST LORD A thousand pieces.

SECOND LORD A thousand pieces?

FIRST LORD What of you?

SECOND LORD He sent to me, sir—

⌈Loud music.⌉ Enter Timon and attendants

Here he comes.

TIMON With all my heart, gentlemen both; and how fare you?

FIRST LORD Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship.

SECOND LORD The swallow follows not summer more willing than we your lordship.

TIMON
(aside)
Nor more willingly leaves winter, such summer birds are men.—Genttemen, our dinner will not recompense this long stay. Feast your ears with the music a while, if they will fare so harshly o’th’ trumpets’ sound; we shall to’t presently.

FIRST LORD I hope it remains not unkindly with your lordship that I returned you an empty messenger.

TIMON O sir, let it not trouble you.

SECOND LORD My noble lord—

TIMON Ah, my good friend, what cheer?

⌈
A table and stools are
⌉
brought in

SECOND 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.

TIMON Think not on’t, sir.

SECOND LORD If you had sent but two hours before—

TIMON Let it not cumber your better remembrance.—Come, bring in all together.

⌈Enter Servants with covered dishes⌉

SECOND LORD All covered dishes.

FIRST LORD Royal cheer, I warrant you.

THIRD LORD Doubt not that, if money and the season can yield it.

FIRST LORD How do you? What’s the news?

THIRD LORD Alcibiades is banished. Hear you of it?

FIRST and SECOND LORDS Alcibiades banished?

THIRD LORD ’Tis so, be sure of it.

FIRST LORD How, how?

SECOND LORD I pray you, upon what?

TIMON My worthy friends, will you draw near?

THIRD LORD I’ll tell you more anon. Here’s a noble feast toward.

SECOND LORD This is the old man still.

THIRD LORD Will’t hold, will’t hold?

SECOND LORD It does; but time will—and so—

THIRD LORD I do conceive. 64

TIMON Each man to his stool with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress. Your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place. Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks.

They sit

You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness. For your own gifts make yourselves praised; but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough that one need not lend to another; for were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the gods. Make the meat be beloved more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains. If there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be as they are. The rest of your foes, O gods—the senators of Athens, together with the common tag of people—what is amiss in them, you gods, make suitable for destruction. For these my present friends, as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them; and to nothing are they welcome.—Uncover, dogs, and lap.

The dishes are uncovered, and seen to be full of steaming water
⌈
and stones
⌉

SOME LORDS What does his lordship mean?

OTHER LORDS I know not.

TIMON

May you a better feast never behold,
You knot of mouth-friends. Smoke and lukewarm water
Is your perfection. This is Timon’s last,
Who, stuck and spangled with your flattery,
Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces
Your reeking villainy.

⌈
He throws water in their faces
⌉

Live loathed and long,

Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites,
Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time’s flies,
Cap-and-knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks!
Of man and beast the infinite malady
Crust you quite o’er.

⌈
A Lord is going
⌉

What, dost thou go?

Soft, take thy physic first. Thou too, and thou.

⌈
He beats them
⌉

Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.

Exeunt Lords, leaving caps and gowns

What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast
Whereat a villain’s not a welcome guest.
Burn house! Sink Athens! Henceforth hated be
Of Timon man and all humanity!

Exit

Enter the Senators and other Lords

FIRST LORD How now, my lords?

SECOND LORD

Know you the quality of Lord Timon’s fury?

THIRD LORD

Push! Did you see my cap?

FOURTH LORD I have lost my gown.

FIRST LORD He’s but a mad lord, and naught but humours sways him. He gave me a jewel th’other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat. Did you see my jewel?

⌈THIRD⌉ LORD Did you see my cap?

⌈SECOND⌉ LORD

Here ’tis.

FOURTH LORD Here lies my gown.

FIRST LORD Let’s make no stay.

SECOND LORD

Lord Timon’s mad.

THIRD LORD I feel’t upon my bones.

FOURTH LORD

One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.

Exeunt

4.1
Enter Timon

TIMON

Let me look back upon thee. O thou wall
That girdles in those wolves, dive in the earth,
And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent!
Obedience fail in children! Slaves and fools,
Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench
And minister in their steads! To general filths
Convert o‘th’ instant, green virginity!
Do’t in your parents’ eyes. Bankrupts, hold fast!
Rather than render back, out with your knives,
And cut your trusters’ throats. Bound servants, steal!
Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law. Maid, to thy master’s bed!
Thy mistress is o’th’ brothel. Son of sixteen,
Pluck the lined crutch from thy old limping sire;
With it beat out his brains! Piety and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
Domestic awe, night rest, and neighbourhood,
Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,
Degrees, observances, customs, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries,
And let confusion live! Plagues incident to men,
Your potent and infectious fevers heap
On Athens, ripe for stroke! Thou cold sciatica,
Cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt
As lamely as their manners! Lust and liberty,
Creep in the minds and marrows of our youth,
That ‘gainst the stream of virtue they may strive
And drown themselves in riot! Itches, blains,
Sow all th’Athenian bosoms, and their crop
Be general leprosy! Breath infect breath,
That their society, as their friendship, may
Be merely poison!

⌈
He tears off his clothes
⌉

Nothing I’ll bear from thee

But nakedness, thou detestable town;
Take thou that too, with multiplying bans.
Timon will to the woods, where he shall find
Th‘unkindest beast more kinder than mankind.
The gods confound—hear me you good gods all—
Th’Athenians, both within and out that wall;
And grant, as Timon grows, his hate may grow
To the whole race of mankind, high and low.
Amen.

Exit

4.2
Enter Flavius, with two or three Servants

FIRST SERVANT

Hear you, master steward, where’s our master?
Are we undone, cast off, nothing remaining?

FLAVIUS

Alack, my fellows, what should I say to you?
Let me be recorded: by the righteous gods,
I am as poor as you.

FIRST SERVANT Such a house broke,

So noble a master fall’n? All gone, and not
One friend to take his fortune by the arm
And go along with him?

SECOND SERVANT As we do turn our backs