It shows but little love or judgment in him: 10 Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,

Thrice give him over; must I take the cure upon me?

He has much disgrac'd me in 't; I'm angry at him,

That might have known my place. I see no sense for 't,

But his occasions might have woo'd me first; For, in my conscience, I was the first man That e'er received gift from him:

And does he think so backwardly of me now, That I'll requite it last? No:

So it may prove an argument of laughter

20

To the rest, and I 'mongst lords be thought a fool.

I'd rather than the worth of thrice the sum,

He had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake; I'd such a courage to do him good. But now return,

And with their faint reply this answer join; Who bates mine honour shall not know my coin. Exit. Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic; he crossed himself by 't: and I cannot think but in the end the villanies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked, like those that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire : Of such a nature is his politic love.

34

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled Save only the gods. Now his friends are dead, Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their wards

Luc. Serv.

So is theirs and ours.

Enter PHILOTUS.

|

Your lord sends now for money.

Hor.
Most true, he does.
Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,
For which I wait for money.

Hor. It is against my heart.
Luc. Serv.

20

Mark, how strange it shows, Timon in this should pay more than he owes : And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels, And send for money for 'em.

Hor. I'm weary of this charge, the gods can witness:

I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worth than stealth. First Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns; what's yours?

Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine.

First Var. Serv. "Tis much deep and it should seem by the sum,

Your master's confidence was above mine;
Else, surely, his had equall'd.

Enter FLAMINIUS.

Tit. One of Lord Timon's men.

30

Luc. Serv. Flaminius! Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?

Flam. No, indeed, he is not.

Tit. We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.

Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent. Exit. 40

Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled.

Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his steward muffled so?

He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.
Tit. Do you hear, sir?

Second Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,-
Flav. What do ye ask of me, my friend?
Tit. We wait for certain money here, sir.
Flav.

If money were as certain as your waiting,
"Twere sure enough.

Ay,

Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills When your false masters eat of my lord's meat? Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts, And take down the interest into their gluttonous

maws.

Phi. Good day at once. Luc. Serv. Welcome, good brother. What do you think the hour? Phi.

Luc. Serv. So much? Phi.

Luc. Serv.

Labouring for nine. Is not my lord seen yet? Not yet..

52

Be 't not in thy care; go,

Luc. Serv. Many do keep their chambers are not sick:

An if it be so far beyond his health,
Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts,
And make a clear way to the gods.
Ser.

Good gods!
Tit. We cannot take this for answer, sir.
Flam. Within. Servilius, help! my lord! my
lord!

Enter TIMON, in a rage; FLAMINIUS following. Tim. What are my doors oppos'd against my passage? 80

Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?
The place which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

to the girdle.

Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord,

Tim. Cut my heart in sums.
Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my lord.
Tim. Five thousand drops pays that. What
yours? and yours?
First Var. Serv. My lord,-
Second Var. Serv. My lord,-

Tim. Tear me, take me; and the gods fall upon you! Exit. 100 Hor. Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money: these debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em. Exeunt.

Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.

Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves:

Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The Same. The Senate-house. The Senate sitting.

First Sen. My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault 's

Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die; Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy. Second Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him.

Enter ALCIBIADES, attended.

Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

First Sen. Now, captain?

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues;
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that without heed do plunge into 't.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,
Of comely virtues;

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice,
An honour in him which buys out his fault,
But with a noble fury and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe;

And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

First Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox.
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:
Your words have took such pains as if they
labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, and set quarrelling

30

Upon the head of valour; which indeed
Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born.
He's truly valiant that can wisely suffer
The worst that man can breathe, and make his
wrongs

His outsides, to wear them like his raiment, carelessly.

And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,
To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!
Alcib. My lord,—

First Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear;

To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

40

Aleib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I speak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threats? sleep upon 't,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats
Without repugnancy? If there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, women are more valiant
That stay at home, if bearing carry it,
And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon
Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,
If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords!

552

As you are great, be pitifully good:
Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;
But in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.
To be in anger is impiety;

But who is man that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

Second Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alcib.

In vain! his service done

At Lacedæmon and Byzantium
Were a sufficient briber for his life.

First Sen. What's that?

61

Alcib. I say, my lords, he has done fair service,
And slain in fight many of your enemies.
How full of valour did he bear himself
In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!
Second Sen. He has made too much plenty
with 'em ;

He's a sworn rioter; he has a sin that often
Drowns him and takes his valour prisoner;
If there were no foes, that were enough
To overcome him; in that beastly fury
He has been known to commit outrages
And cherish factions; 'tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul and his drink dangerous.
First Sen. He dies.

70

Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war. My lords, if not for any parts in him,

SCENE VI.-The Same. A Room of State in TIMON'S House.

Music. Tables set out: Servants attending. Enter divers Lords, Senators, and Others, 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: 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.

10

time,

80

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

Second Sen. How!

Alcib. Call me to your remembrances. Third Sen.

91

What!

100

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

First Sen. If, after two days' shine, Athens contain thee,

Attend our weightier judgment. And, not to swell our spirit,

He shall be executed presently. Exeunt Senators. Alcib. 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?

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.

Tim. 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.

80

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 fees, O gods! the senators of Athens, together with the common lag 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 warm water. Some speak. What does his lordship mean? Some other. I know not.

100

Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law. Maid, to thy master's bed;
Thy mistress is o' the brothel! Son of sixteen,
Pluck the lin'd 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 yet confusion live! Plagues, incident to

men,

20

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 the Athenian bosoms, and their crop
Be general leprosy! Breath infect breath,
That their society, as their friendship, may
Be merely poison! 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
The unkindest beast more kinder than mankind.

all

The 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!

I'll ever serve his mind with my best will; Whilst I have gold I'll be his steward still.

50

Exit.

SCENE II.-Athens. A Room in TIMON's House. Enter FLAVIUS, with two or three Servants. First Serv. Hear you, Master steward! where's

Flav.

Good fellows all,
The latest of my wealth I'll share amongst you.
Wherever we shall meet, for Timon's sake
Let's yet be fellows; let's shake our heads, and
say,

As 'twere a knell unto our master's fortunes,
'We have seen better days.' Let each take some;
Giving them money.
Nay, put out all your hands. Not one word more:
Thus part we rich in sorrow, parting poor.

They embrace, and part several ways,
O! the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us.
Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,
Since riches point to misery and contempt ? 32
Who'd be so mock'd with glory? or so live
But in a dream of friendship?

40

To have his pomp and all what state compounds
But only painted, like his varnish'd friends?
Poor honest lord! brought low by his own heart,
Undone by goodness. Strange, unusual blood,
When man's worst sin is he does too much good!
Who then dares to be half so kind again?
For bounty, that makes gods, does still mar men.
My dearest lord, bless'd, to be most accurs'd,
Rich, only to be wretched, thy great fortunes
Are made thy chief afflictions. Alas! kind lord ;
He's flung in rage from this ingrateful seat
Of monstrous friends;

Nor has he with him to supply his life,
Or that which can command it.

Tim. O blessed breeding sun! draw from the earth

Rotten humidity; below thy sister's orb
Infect the air! Twinn'd brothers of one womb,
Whose procreation, residence, and birth,
Scarce is dividant, touch them with several
fortunes;

The greater scorns the lesser: not nature,
To whom all sores lay siege, can bear great for-
tune,

But by contempt of nature.

Raise me this beggar, and deny 't that lord;
The senator shall bear contempt hereditary,
The beggar native honour.

It is the pasture lards the rother's sides,
The want that makes him lean.

who dares,

10

Who dares,