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. 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; Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, 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. Those that would mischief me, than those that do! Flav. I know thee not: I ne'er had honest man Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st 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. For any benefit that points to me, Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!-Thou singly honest man, 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. SCENE I.-Before Timon's Cave. 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. When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple, Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I re- Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. 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- Best in all Athens; thou art, indeed, the best; Pain. So, so, my lord. Beseech your honor, Will you, indeed? Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. Both. Pain. I know none such, my lord. Nor I. Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you Rid me these villains from your companies: Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Each man apart, all single and alone, [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 [Advancing. Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! Having often of your open bounty tasted, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence With any size of words. Tim. Let it go naked, men may see't the better: Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our 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: [Exit, beating and driving them out. SCENE II.-The same. Enter FLAVIUS, and two Senators. Timon; For he is set so only to himself, 1 Sen. Bring us to his cave: 2 Sen. At all times alike A portrait was so called. A complete, a finished villain. 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. A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal Tim. 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; If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, 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, Flav. The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you 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. 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. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discovered; are his files As full as thy report? Mess. 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, 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. Transformed Timon to our city's love, 1 Sen. These walls of ours fall For private faults in them. 2 Sen. Nor are they living Who were the motives that you first went out; By decimation, and a tithed death, (If thy revenges hunger for that food, Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope 2 Sen. Throw thy glove; Or any token of thine honor else, Alcib. At heaviest answer. [The Senators descend, and open the Gates. Sol. My noble general, Timon is dead; Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of 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. 2 Sen. Arms across. Set but thy foot here thy gait. 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. 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. Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ediles, SCENE, partly in Rome, and partly in the Territories of the Volscians and Antiates. 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 |