Page images
PDF
EPUB

More things like men?-Eat, Timon, and abhor Grant, I may ever love, and rather woo them.

Enter Thieves.

1 Thief. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some slender ort of his remainder: The mere want of gold, and the fallingfrom of his friends, drove him into this melancholy. 2 Thief. It is noised, be hath a mass of treasure. 3 Thief. Let us make the assay upon him: if he care not for't, he will supply us easily; if he covetously reserve it, how shall's get it?

2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him,'tis hid. 1 Thief. Is not this he?

Thieves. Where?

2 Thief. 'Tis his description.

3 Thief. He; I know him.

Thieves. Save thee, Timon.
Tim. Now, thieves?

Thieves. Soldiers, not thieves.

Tim. Both too: and women's sons.

Thieves. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of

meat.

Why should you want? Behold the earth hath roots;
Within this mile break forth a hundred springs:
The oaks bear mast, the briars scarlet hips;
The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush
Lays her full mess before you. Want? why want?
Thief. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water,
As beasts, and birds, and fishes.

Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes;

You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con,
That you are thieves profess'd; that you work not
In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft
In limited professions. Rascal thieves,
Here's gold: Go, suck the subtle blood of the grape,
Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth,
And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poison, and he slays
More than you rob: take wealth and lives together;
Do villany, do, since you profess to do't,
Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery :
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun:
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen
From general excrement: each thing's a thief;
The laws, your curb and whip.in their rough power
Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves: away,
Rob one another. There's more gold: Cut throats;
All that you meet are thieves: To Athens, go,
Break open shops; nothing can you steal,
But thieves do fose it; Steal not less, for this
I give you; and gold confound you howsoever!
[TIMON retires to his Cave.
3 Thief. He has almost charmed me from my
profession, by persuading me to it.

1 Thief. 'Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery. 2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade.

1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens: There is no time so miserable, but a man may be true. [Exeunt Thieves.

[blocks in formation]

Those that would mischief me, than those that do!
He has caught me in his eye: I will present
My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord,
Still serve him with my life.-My dearest master!
TIMON comes forward from his Cave.
Tim. Away! what art thou?

Flav.
Have you forgot me, sir?
Tim. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men ;
Then,ifthou grant'st thou art man, I have forgot thee.
Flav. An honest poor servant of yours.
Tim.
Then

I know thee not: I ne'er had honest man
About me, I; all that I kept were knaves,
To serve in meat to villains.
Flav.
The gods are witness,
Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief
For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you.
Tim. What, dost thou weep?-Come nearer;—
then I love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st
Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give,
But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping:
Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with
weeping!

Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, To accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth lasts, To entertain me as your steward still.

Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and now So comfortable? It almost turns My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold Thy face.-Surely, this man was born of woman. Forgive my generous and exceptless rashness, Perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim One honest man,-mistake me not,-but one; No more, I pray,-and he is a steward.How fain would I have hated all mankind, And thou redeem'st thyself: But all, save thee, I fell with curses.

Methinks, thou art more honest now, than wise For, by oppressing and betraying me, Thou mightst have sooner got another service: For many so arrive at second masters, Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true, (For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,) is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,

If not a usuring kindness: and as rich men deal gifts, Expecting in return twenty for one?

Flav. No, my most worthy master, in whose breast Doubt and suspect, alas, are placed too late : You should have fear'd false times, when you did

feast:

Suspect still comes where an estate is least.
That which I show, heaven knows, is merely love,
Duty, and zeal to your unmatched mind,
Care of your food and living: and, believe it,
My most honor'd lord,

For any benefit that points to me,
Either in hope, or present, I'd exchange
For this one wish, That you had power and wealth
To requite me, by making rich yourself.

Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!-Thou singly honest man,
Here, take :-the gods out of my misery
Have sent me treasure. Go, live rich, and happy
But thus condition'd; Thou shalt build from men :8
Hate all, curse all; show charity to none;
But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone,
Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs
What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow
them,

Debts wither them: Be men like blasted woods, And may diseases lick up their false bloods! And so farewell, and thrive.

Flav.

And comfort you, my master. Tim.

O, let me stay,

If thou hat'st Curses, stay not; fly, whilst thou art bless'd and

free:

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

Away from human habitation.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE I.-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 rumor 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 sum. 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 purposes 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 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! paint a man so bad as is thyself.

Thou canst not

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 so. 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.
Pain. True;

When the day serves, before black-corner'd night,
Find what thou want'st, by free and offer'd light.
Come.

Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's
gold,

That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple,
Than where swine feed!

Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I re-
quite you?

Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no.
Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service.
Tim. You are honest men: you have heard that

I have gold:

I am sure you have: speak truth: you are honest

men.

Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend, nor I.

Tim. Good honest men:-Thou draw'st a coun-
terfeit

Best in all Athens; thou art, indeed, the best;
Thou counterfeit'st most lively.

Pain.

So, so, my lord.
Tim. Even so, sir, as I say :-And for thy fiction,
[To the Poet.
Why,thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth,
That thou art even natural in thine art.—
But, for all this, my honest-natur'd friends,
I must needs say, you have a little fault:
Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you; neither wish I,
You take much pains to mend.
Both.

Beseech your honor,
To make it known to us.
You'll take it ill.
Tim.
Both. Most thankfully, my lord.
Tim.

Will you, indeed?

Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord.
Tim. There's ne'er a one of you but trusts a
knave,
That mightily deceives you.

Both.
Do we, my lord?
Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dis-
semble,
Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,
Keep in your bosom: yet remain assur'd,
That he's a made-up villain.2

Pain. I know none such, my lord.
Poet.

Nor I.

Tim. Look 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,
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 m
company:-

Each man apart, all single and alone,
Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.
If, where thou art, two villains shall not be,

[To the Painter.

'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the Come not near him.-If thou wouldst not reside

foam;

Settlest admired reverence in a slave:

To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye
Be crown'd with plagues, that thee alone obey!
'Fit I do meet them.

[Advancing.

Poet. Hail, worthy Timon!
Our late noble master.
Pain.
Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men!
Poet. Sir,

Having often of your open bounty tasted,
Hearing you were retired, 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 influence
To their whole being! I'm rapt, and cannot cover
The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude

With any size of words.

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,
Have travell'd in the great shower of your gifts,
And sweetly felt it.
Tim.

Ay, you are honest men.

Pain. We are hither come to offer you our
service.

The doing of what we said we would do.

[To the Poet. But where one villain is, then him abandon.Hence! pack! there's gold, ye came for gold, ye slaves,

You have done work for me, there's payment:
Hence!
You are an alchemist, make gold of that:
Out, rascal dogs!

[Exit, beating and driving them out.

SCENE II.-The same.

Enter FLAVIUS, and two Senators.
Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with

Timon;

For he is set so only to himself,
That nothing but himself, which looks like man,
Is friendly with him.

1 Sen.

Bring us to his cave:
It is our part, and promise to the Athenians,
To speak with Timon.

2 Sen.

At all times alike
Men are not still the same: 'Twas time, and grief
That framed him thus: time, with his fairer hand
Offering the fortunes of his former days,
The former man may make him: Bring us to nim
And chance it as it may.

A portrait was so called.

A complete, a finished villain.

[blocks in formation]

Worthy TimonTim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon. 2 Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon. Tim. I thank them; and would send them back the plague,

Could I but catch it for them.

O, forget

1 Sen. What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. The senators, with one consent of love, Entreat thee back to Athens; who have thought On special dignities, which vacant lie For thy best use and wearing.

2 Sen.
They confess,
Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross:
Which now the public body,-which doth seldom
Play the recanter,-teeling in itself

A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal
Or its own fall, restraining aid to Timon:
And send forth us, to make their sorrow'd render,3
Together with a recompense more fruitful
Than their oflence can weigh down by the dram;
Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and wealth,
A shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs,
And write in thee the figures of their love,
Ever to read them thine.

Tim.
You witch me in it;
Surprise me to the very brink of tears:
Lend me a fool's heart, and a woman's eyes,
And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy senators.
1 Sen. 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,
Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good name
Live with authority :-so soon we shall drive back
Of Alcibiades the approaches wild;
Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up
His country's peace.

2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Against the walls of Athens. 1 Sen.

Therefore, Timon,

Tim. 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 sack fair Athens,
And take our goodly aged men by the beards,
Giving our holy virgins to the stain
Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd
Then, let him know,-and tell him, Timon speaks it,
In pity of our aged, and our youth,

war;

1 cannot choose but tell him, that-I care not, And let him take't at worst; for their knives care

not

While you have throats to answer: for myself,
There's not a whittle in the unruly camp,
But I do prize it at my love, before

Flav.

The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you
To the protection of the prosperous gods,
As thieves to keepers.
Stay not, all's in vain.
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 piague, you his,

And last so long enough!

1 Sen. We speak in vain. Tim. But yet I love my country; and am not One that rejoices in the common wreck, As common bruit doth put it. 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 triúmphers In their applauding gates.

[blocks in formation]

Commend me to them;

Tim. 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 do them: I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath. 2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, That mine own use invites me to cut down, And shortly must I fell it: Tell my friends, Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree, From high to low throughout, that whoso please To stop affliction, let him take his haste, Come hither, ere my tree hath felt the axe, And hang himself:-1 pray you, do my greeting. Flav. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall

find him.

Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, Timon hath made his everlasting mansion Upon the beached verge of the salt flood; Which 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! [Exit TIMON.

1 Sen. His discontents are unremovably Coupled to nature.

2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, And strain what other means is left unto us In our dear peril.

1 Sen.

It requires swift foot. [Exeunt.
SCENE III.-The Walls of Athens.
Enter two Senators, and a Messenger..

1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discovered; are his files As full as thy report?

Mess.
I have spoke the least:
Besides, his expedition promises
Present approach.

2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon.

Mes. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend;Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd, Yet our old love made a particular force,

And made us speak like friends :-this man was riding

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 mov'd.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE V-Before the Walls of Athens. Trumpets sounded. Enter ALCIBIADES and Forces. 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 • Dreadful.

[blocks in formation]

Transformed Timon to our city's love,
By humble message, and by promis'd means;
We were not all unkind, nor all deserve
The common stroke of war.

1 Sen.

These walls of ours
Were not erected by their hands, from whom
You have receiv'd your griefs: nor are they such,
That these great towers,trophies, and schools should

fall

For private faults in them.

2 Sen.

Nor are they living

Who were the motives that you first went out;
Shame, that they wanted cunning, in excess
Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord,
Into our city with thy banners spread:

By decimation, and a tithed death,

(If thy revenges hunger for that food,

Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope
So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before,
To say, thou'lt enter friendly.

2 Sen.

Throw thy glove;

Or any token of thine honor else,
That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress,
And not as our confusion, all thy powers
Shall make their harbor in our town, till we
Have seal'd thy full desire.

Alcib.
Then there's my glove;
Descend, and open your uncharged ports ;3
Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own,
Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof,
Fall, and no more: and,-to atone your fears
With my more noble meaning,-not a man
Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream
Of regular justice in your city's bounds,
But shall be remedied, to your public laws
"Tis most nobly spoken.
Alcib. Descend, and keep your words.

At heaviest answer.
Both.

[The Senators descend, and open the Gates.
Enter a Soldier.

Sol. My noble general, Timon is dead;
Entomb'd upon the very hem o' the sea;
And on his gravestone, 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 :

Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked cailiffs left!

Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate:

Which nature loathes,) take thou the destin'd tenth; Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay mot

And by the hazard of the spotted die,

Let die the spotted.

All have not offended;

1 Sen.
For those that were, it is not square2 to take,
On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands,
Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:
Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin,
Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall
With those that have offended: like a shepherd,
Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth,
But kill not all together.

2 Sen.
What thou wilt,
Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile,
Than hew to't with thy sword.
1 Sen.

Arms across.

Set but thy foot
Mature. Not regular, not equitable.

here thy gait.

[blocks in formation]

CORIOLANUS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. TITUS LARTIUS,

COMINIUS,

Generals against the Volscians.

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus.

SICINIUS VELUTUS, Tribunes of the People.
JUNIUS BRUTUS,

Young MARCIUS, Son to Coriolanus.

A Roman Herald.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians. Lieutenant to Aufidius.

Conspirators with Aufidius.

A Citizen of Antium. Two Volscian Guards.

VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus.
VIRGILIA, Wife to Coriolanus.
VALERIA, Friend to Virgilia.
Gentlewoman attending Virgilia.

Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ediles,
Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants
to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

SCENE, partly in Rome, and partly in the Territories of the Volscians and Antiates.

[blocks in formation]

2 Cit. 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 too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.Let us evenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes 2 for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

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 soft conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Thin as rakes.

1 Rich.

35

2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say,

he is covetous.

1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he 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 here? To the Capitol.

Cit. Come, come.

1 Cit. 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

With bats and clubs! The matter speak, I pray you. 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 ha nest neighbors, Will you undo yourselves?

1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. Have the patricians of you. Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman state; whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment: For the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it; and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you: and you slander The helms o' the state,who care for you like fathers, When you curse them as enemies.

1 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for

545

« PreviousContinue »