The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

HORTENSIUS’ SERVANT

  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 worse than stealth.

  VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT

  Yes; mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours?

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT Five thousand, mine.

  VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT

  ’is much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum

  Your master’s confidence was above mine,

  Else surely his had equalled.

  Enter Flaminius

  TITUS’ SERVANT One of Lord Timon’s men.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Flaminius! Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord 36

  Ready to come forth?

  FLAMINIUS No, indeed he is not.

  TITUS’ SERVANT We attend his lordship.

  Pray signify so much.

  FLAMINIUS I need not tell

  Him that; he knows you are too diligent.

  Enter Flavius, muffled in a cloak

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Ha, is not that his steward muffled so?

  He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.

  TITUS’ SERVANT (to Flavius) Do you hear, sir?

  VARRO’S SECOND SERVANT (to Flavius) By your leave, sir.

  FLAVIUS What do ye ask of me, my friend?

  TITUS’ SERVANT

  We wait for certain money here, sir.

  FLAVIUS Ay,

  If money were as certain as your waiting,

  ‘Twere sure enough.

  Why then preferred you not your sums and bills

  When your false masters ate of my lord’s meat?

  Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts,

  And take down th’int’est into their glutt’nous maws.

  You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up.

  Let me pass quietly.

  Believe’, my lord and I have made an end.

  I have no more to reckon, he to spend.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Ay, but this answer will not serve.

  FLAVIUS

  If ‘twill not serve ’tis not so base as you,

  For you serve knaves.

  Exit

  VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT How? What does his cashiered worship mutter?

  VARRO’S SECOND SERVANT No matter what; he’s poor, and that’s revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? Such may rail against great buildings.

  Enter Servilius

  TITUS’ SERVANT O, here’s Servilius. Now we shall know some answer.

  SERVILIUS If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some other hour, I should derive much from’t; for, take’t of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to discontent. His comfortable temper has forsook him. He’s much out of health, and keeps his chamber.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Many do keep their chambers are not sick,

  And if it be so far beyond his health

  Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts

  And make a clear way to the gods.

  SERVILIUS Good gods!

  TITUS’ SERVANT

  We cannot take this for an answer, sir.

  FLAMINIUS (Within)

  Servilius, helpl My lord, my lord!

  Enter Timon in a rage

  TIMON

  What, are my doors opposed against my passage?

  Have I been ever free, and must my house

  Be my retentive enemy, my jail?

  The place which I have feasted, does it now,

  Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Put in now, Titus.

  TITUS’ SERVANT My lord, here is my bill.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT

  Here’s mine.

  ⌈HORTENSUS’ SERVANT⌉ And mine, my lord.

  VARRO’S ⌈FIRST and⌉ SECOND SERVANTS And ours, my lord.

  PHILOTUS’ SERVANT All our bills.

  TIMON

  Knock me down with ’em, cleave me to the girdle.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT Alas, my lord.

  TIMON Cut my heart in sums. 90

  TITUS’ SERVANT Mine fifty talents.

  TIMON

  Tell out my blood.

  LUCIUS’ SERVANT Five thousand crowns, my lord.

  TIMON

  Five thousand drops pays that. What yours? And yours?

  VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT My lord—

  VARRO’S SECOND SERVANT My lord—

  TIMON

  Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you.

  Exit

  HORTENSIUS’ SERVANT 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

  3.5 Enter Timon and Flavius

  TIMON

  They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves.

  Creditors? Devils!

  FLAVIUS My dear lord—

  TIMON What if it should be so?

  FLAVIUS My lord—

  TIMON

  I’ll have it so. My steward!

  FLAVIUS Here, my lord.

  TIMON

  So fitly? Go bid all my friends again:

  Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius—all luxors, all.

  I’ll once more feast the rascals.

  FLAVIUS O my lord,

  You only speak from your distracted soul.

  There is not so much left to furnish out

  A moderate table.

  TIMON Be it not in thy care.

  Go, I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide

  Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide.

  Exeunt ⌈severally⌉

  3.6 Enter three Senators at one door

  FIRST SENATOR

  My lords, you have my voice to’t. The fault’s bloody.

  ’Tis necessary he should die.

  Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

  SECOND SENATOR Most true; the law shall bruise ’im.

  ⌈Enter Alcibiades at another door, with attendants⌉

  ALCIBIADES

  Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

  FIRST SENATOR Now, captain.

  ALCIBIADES

  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 stepped into the law, which is past depth

  To those that without heed do plunge into’t.

  He is a man, setting his feat 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 touched 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 proved an argument.

  FIRST SENATOR

  You undergo too strict a paradox,

  Striving to make an ugly deed look fair.

  Your words have took such pains as if they laboured

  To bring manslaughter into form, and set quarrelling

  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!

  ALCIBIADES

 
; My lord—

  FIRST SENATOR You cannot make gross sins look clear.

  To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

  ALCIBIADES

  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,

  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 SENATOR You breathe in vain.

  ALCIBIADES In vain?

  His service done at Lacedaemon and Byzantium

  Were a sufficient briber for his life.

  FIRST SENATOR

  What’s that?

  ALCIBIADES Why, I say, my lords, he’s 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 SENATOR

  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 inferred to us

  His days are foul and his drink dangerous.

  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