Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens Read online

  For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure528 --

  Is not thy kindness subtle529, covetous,

  If not a usuring530 kindness, and, as rich men deal gifts,

  Expecting in return twenty for one?

  FLAVIUS No, my most worthy master, in whose breast

  Doubt and suspect533, alas, are placed too late.

  You should have feared false times when you did feast:

  Suspect still comes where an estate is least.

  That which I show, heaven knows, is merely536 love,

  Duty and zeal to your unmatched537 mind,

  Care of your food and living, and, believe it,

  My most honoured lord,

  For540 any benefit that points to me,

  Either in hope541 or present, I'd exchange

  For this one wish: that you had power and wealth

  To requite543 me by making rich yourself.

  TIMON Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly544 honest man,

  Gives gold

  Here, take: the gods out of my misery

  Has sent thee treasure. Go, live rich and happy,

  But thus conditioned: thou shalt build from547 men,

  Hate all, curse all, show charity to none,

  But let the famished flesh slide from the bone

  Ere thou relieve the beggar. Give to dogs

  What thou deniest to men: let prisons swallow 'em,

  Debts wither 'em to nothing, be men like blasted552 woods,

  And may diseases lick up their false bloods.

  And so farewell and thrive.

  FLAVIUS O, let me stay,

  And comfort you, my master.

  TIMON If thou hat'st curses,

  Stay not: fly, whilst thou art blessed and free.

  Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee.

  Timon retires into his cave

  Exit [Flavius]

  [Act 5 Scene 1]

  running scene 13 continues

  Enter Poet and Painter

  PAINTER 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's so full of gold?

  PAINTER Certain. Alcibiades reports it: Phrynia and Timandra

  had gold of6 him. He likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers

  with great quantity. 'Tis said he gave unto his steward a

  mighty sum.

  POET Then this breaking of his has been but a try9 for his

  friends?

  PAINTER Nothing else: you shall see him a palm in Athens11

  again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore 'tis not amiss

  we tender13 our loves to him, in this supposed distress of his:

  it will show honestly in us, and is very likely to load14 our

  purposes with what they travail15 for, if it be a just and true

  report that goes of his having.16

  POET What have you now to present unto him?

  PAINTER Nothing at this time but my visitation18: only I will

  promise him an excellent piece.

  POET I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent20 that's

  coming toward him.

  PAINTER Good as the best. Promising is the very air22 o'th'time:

  it opens the eyes of expectation. Performance is ever the

  duller for his act, and but24 in the plainer and simpler kind of

  people the deed of saying is quite out of use25. To promise is

  most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will26

  or testament which argues a great sickness in his judgement

  that makes it.

  Enter Timon from his cave

  Unobserved by the others

  Aside

  TIMON Excellent workman, thou canst not paint a

  man so bad as is thyself.

  POET I am thinking what I shall say I have provided for

  him: it must be a personating of himself32, a satire against the

  softness of prosperity, with a discovery33 of the infinite

  flatteries that follow youth and opulency.34

  Aside

  TIMON Must thou needs stand for35 a villain in thine

  own work? Wilt thou whip36 thine own faults in other men?

  Do so, I have gold for thee.

  POET Nay, let's seek him:

  Then do we sin against our own estate,39

  When we may profit meet and come too late.

  PAINTER True:

  When the day serves42, before black-cornered night,

  Find what thou want'st by free and offered light. Come.

  Aside

  TIMON I'll meet you at the turn44. What a god's gold,

  That he is worshipped in a baser temple

  Than where swine feed!

  'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark47 and plough'st the foam,

  Settlest48 admired reverence in a slave:

  To thee be worship, and thy saints for aye49

  Be crowned with plagues that thee alone obey.

  Comes forward

  Fit51 I meet them.

  POET Hail, worthy Timon!

  PAINTER Our late53 noble master!

  TIMON Have I once54 lived to see two honest men?

  POET Sir,

  Having often of your open56 bounty tasted,

  Hearing you were retired57, your friends fall'n off,

  Whose thankless natures -- O abhorred spirits! --

  Not all the whips of heaven are large enough:

  What, to you,

  Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence61

  To their whole being? I am rapt62 and cannot cover

  The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude

  With any size64 of words.

  TIMON Let it go naked, men may see't the better:

  You that are honest, by being what you are,

  Make them67 best seen and known.

  PAINTER He and myself

  Have travelled in the great shower69 of your gifts,

  And sweetly felt it.

  TIMON Ay, you are honest men.

  PAINTER We are hither come to offer you our service.

  TIMON 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.

  TIMON You're honest men. You've heard that I have gold,

  I am sure you have. Speak truth: you're honest men.

  PAINTER So it is said, my noble lord, but therefore78

  Came not my friend nor I.

  TIMON Good honest men.-- Thou draw'st a counterfeit80

  To Painter

  Best in all Athens. Thou'rt, indeed, the best:

  Thou counterfeit'st most lively.82

  PAINTER So, so83, my lord.

  To Poet

  TIMON E'en so, sir, as I say.-- And for thy fiction,84

  Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth85

  That thou art even natural in thine art.86

  But, for all this, my honest-natured friends,

  I must needs say you have a little fault:

  Marry, 'tis not monstrous89 in you, neither wish I

  You take much pains to mend.

  BOTH Beseech your honour

  To make it known to us.

  TIMON You'll take it ill.93

  BOTH Most thankfully, my lord.

  TIMON Will you indeed?

  BOTH Doubt it not, worthy lord.

  TIMON There's never a one of you but97 trusts a knave

  That mightily deceives you.

  BOTH Do we, my lord?

  TIMON Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,100

  Know his gross patchery,101 love him, feed him,

  Keep in your bosom:102 yet remain assured

  That he's a made-up103 villain.

  PAINTER I know none such, my lord.

  POET Nor I.

  TIMON Loo
k you, I love you well. I'll give you gold,

  Rid me these villains from your companies:

  Hang them or stab them, drown them in a draught,108

  Confound them by some course109, and come to me,

  I'll give you gold enough.

  BOTH Name them, my lord, let's know them.

  TIMON You that way--and you this--but two in company:112

  Each man apart, all single and alone,

  Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.

  If where thou art two villains shall not be,115

  Come not near him116. If thou wouldst not reside

  But where one villain is, then him abandon.

  Throws stones at them

  Hence, pack!118 There's gold: you came for gold, ye slaves.

  To Painter

  You have work for me; there's payment. Hence!

  To Poet

  You are an alchemist120, make gold of that.

  Out, rascal dogs!

  Exeunt [Poet and Painter]

  Timon retires to his cave

  Enter Steward and two Senators

  FLAVIUS It is in vain that you would speak with Timon,

  For he is set so only to himself123

  That nothing but himself which looks like man

  Is friendly with him.

  FIRST SENATOR Bring us to his cave:

  It is our part127 and promise to th'Athenians

  To speak with Timon.

  SECOND SENATOR At all times alike

  Men are not still130 the same: 'twas time and griefs

  That framed him thus: time with his fairer131 hand,

  Offering the fortunes of his former days,

  The former man may make him. Bring us to him,133

  And chance it as it may.134

  FLAVIUS Here is his cave.--

  Peace and content be here! Lord Timon, Timon,

  Look out and speak to friends: th'Athenians

  By two of their most reverend senate greet thee.

  Speak to them, noble Timon.

  Enter Timon out of his cave

  TIMON Thou sun that comforts burn! Speak and be hanged,

  For each true word a blister, and each false

  Be as a cantherizing142 to the root o'th'tongue,

  Consuming it with speaking!

  FIRST SENATOR Worthy Timon--

  TIMON Of none but such as you, and you of Timon.145

  FIRST SENATOR The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon.

  TIMON I thank them, and would send them back the plague

  Could I but catch it for them.

  FIRST SENATOR O, forget

  What we are sorry for ourselves in thee.150

  The senators with one consent151 of love

  Entreat thee back to Athens, who have thought

  On special dignities153 which vacant lie

  For thy best use and wearing.154

  SECOND SENATOR They confess

  Toward thee forgetfulness too general gross;156

  Which now the public body, which doth seldom

  Play the recanter158, feeling in itself

  A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal159

  Of it own fall, restraining160 aid to Timon,

  And send forth us to make their sorrowed render,161

  Together with a recompense more fruitful

  Than their offence can weigh down by the dram:163

  Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and wealth

  As shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs

  And write in thee166 the figures of their love,

  Ever to read them thine.

  TIMON You witch168 me in it,

  Surprise169 me to the very brink of tears;

  Lend me a fool's heart and a woman's eyes,

  And I'll beweep171 these comforts, worthy senators.

  FIRST SENATOR Therefore so please thee to return with us

  And of our Athens, thine and ours, to take

  The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks,

  Allowed175 with absolute power and thy good name

  Live with authority: so soon we shall drive back

  Of Alcibiades th'approaches wild,177

  Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up

  His country's peace.

  SECOND SENATOR And shakes his threat'ning sword

  Against the walls of Athens.

  FIRST SENATOR Therefore, Timon--

  TIMON Well, sir, I will: therefore, I will, sir, thus.

  If Alcibiades kill my countrymen,

  Let Alcibiades know this of Timon:

  That Timon cares not. But if he sack186 fair Athens,

  And take our goodly aged men by th'beards,

  Giving our holy virgins to the stain188

  Of contumelious189, beastly, mad-brained war,

  Then let him know, and tell him Timon speaks it,

  In pity of our aged and our youth,

  I cannot choose but tell him that I care not.

  And let him take't at worst193, for their knives care not

  While you have throats to answer194. For myself,

  There's not a whittle195 in th'unruly camp

  But I do prize it at my love before196

  The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you

  To the protection of the prosperous gods,

  As thieves to keepers.199

  FLAVIUS Stay not, all's in vain.

  TIMON Why, I was writing of my epitaph:

  It will be seen tomorrow. My long sickness

  Of health and living now begins to mend,

  And nothing204 brings me all things. Go, live still,

  Be Alcibiades your plague, you his,

  And last so long enough.206

  FIRST SENATOR We speak in vain.

  TIMON But yet I love my country, and am not

  One that rejoices in the common wreck

  As common bruit210 doth put it.

  FIRST SENATOR That's well spoke.

  TIMON Commend me to my loving countrymen--

  FIRST SENATOR These words become213 your lips as they pass

  through them.

  SECOND SENATOR And enter in our ears like great triumphers215

  In their applauding gates.

  TIMON Commend me to them,

  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 throes220

  That nature's fragile vessel221 doth sustain

  In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them:

  I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath.

  Aside?

  FIRST SENATOR I like this well: he will return again.

  TIMON I have a tree, which grows here in my close225

  That mine own use226 invites me to cut down,

  And shortly must I fell it. Tell my friends,

  Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree228

  From high to low throughout, that whoso please229

  To stop affliction, let him take his haste,230

  Come hither ere my tree hath felt the axe,

  And hang himself. I pray you do my greeting.

  FLAVIUS Trouble him no further: thus you still233 shall find him.

  TIMON Come not to me again, but say to Athens,

  Timon hath made his everlasting mansion235

  Upon the beached verge of the salt flood,236

  Who once a day with his embossed237 froth

  The turbulent surge shall cover: thither come,

  And let my gravestone be your oracle.239

  Lips, let four 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.

  Exit Timon

  Into his cave

  FIRST SENATOR His discontents are unremovably

  Coupled to nature.245


  SECOND SENATOR Our hope in him is dead: let us return,

  And strain247 what other means is left unto us

  In our dear248 peril.

  FIRST SENATOR It requires swift foot.

  Exeunt

  [Act 5 Scene 2]

  running scene 14

  Enter two other Senators with a Messenger

  THIRD SENATOR Thou hast painfully discovered. Are his files1

  As full as thy report?

  MESSENGER I have spoke the least.3

  Besides, his expedition promises4

  Present approach.

  FOURTH SENATOR We stand much hazard6 if they bring not Timon.

  MESSENGER I met a courier, one mine ancient7 friend,

  Whom, though in general part we were opposed,8

  Yet our old love made a particular9 force

  And made us speak like friends. This man was riding

  From Alcibiades to Timon's cave

  With letters of entreaty which imported12

  His fellowship13 i'th'cause against your city,

  In part for his sake moved.14

  Enter the other Senators

  THIRD SENATOR Here come our brothers.15

  FIRST SENATOR No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect.

  The enemy's drum is heard, and fearful scouring17

  Doth choke the air with dust. In, and prepare:

  Ours is the fall, I fear, our foes the snare.19

  Exeunt

  [Act 5 Scene 3]

  running scene 15

  Enter a Soldier in the woods, seeking Timon

  SOLDIER By all description this should be the place.

  Discovers tomb

  Who's here? Speak, ho! No answer? What is this?

  Reads?

  'Timon is dead, who hath outstretched his span.3

  Some beast read this; there does not live a man4.'

  Dead, sure, and this his grave. What's on this tomb

  I cannot read: the character I'll take with wax.6

  Our captain hath in every figure7 skill,

  An aged8 interpreter, though young in days.

  Before proud Athens he's set down by this,9

  Whose fall the mark10 of his ambition is.

  Exit

  [Act 5 Scene 4]

  running scene 16

  Trumpets sound. Enter Alcibiades with his powers before Athens

  ALCIBIADES Sound1 to this coward and lascivious town

  Our terrible2 approach.

  Sounds a parley

  The Senators appear upon the walls [above]

  Till now you have gone on and filled the time

  With all licentious measure, making your wills4

  The scope5 of justice. Till now myself and such

  As slept6 within the shadow of your power

  Have wandered with our traversed arms, and breathed7

  Our sufferance vainly. Now the time is flush8

  When crouching marrow9 in the bearer strong

  Cries of itself 'No more.' Now breathless wrong10

  Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease,

  And pursy insolence shall break his wind12

  With fear and horrid flight.

  FIRST SENATOR Noble and young,

  When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit,15

  Ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear,