If you hate being cursed,
don't stay here; run, while you are blessed and free:
don't associate with any men, and don't let me see you again.
Exit FLAVIUS. TIMON retires to his cave
Enter Poet and Painter; TIMON watching them from his cave
Painter
As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where
he abides.
As far as I remember, his place can't be far
from here.
Poet
What's to be thought of him? does the rumour hold
for true, that he's so full of gold?
What should we think of him? Is the rumour true,
that he is stuffed with gold?
Painter
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.
It's certain: Alcibiades says so; Phrynia and
Timandra had gold from him: he also gave
a large amount to some vagabond soldiers: it's said
he gave a huge sum to his steward.
Poet
Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends.
Then this bankruptcy of his has just been a test for his friends.
Painter
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 travail for, if it be a just true report
that goes of his having.
That's all: you'll see him standing tall in Athens
again, and succeeding with the highest. So
it's not a bad thing to offer him our love, in this
faked distress of his: it will make us look loyal;
it will very likely help us to get the rewards
we want, if what they say about him having
a fortune still is true.
Poet
What have you now to present unto him?
What have you got to give to him?
Painter
Nothing at this time but my visitation: only I will
promise him an excellent piece.
Only my company at this time: but I will
promise to do him an excellent painting.
Poet
I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent
that's coming toward him.
I must do the same, tell him of something
I mean to do for him in the future.
Painter
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.
That's as good as the best thing you could give him.
Making promises is what it's all about these days: it
gets people expectant. Doing something seems dull; and,
except for plain and simple people, doing what one says
one will is quite out of fashion. Promising is very
posh and fashionable: actually doing is like making
a will, a thing which is only done by people who
are very sick.
TIMON comes from his cave, behind
TIMON
[Aside] Excellent workman! thou canst not paint a
man so bad as is thyself.
Excellent workman! You can't paint a
man as bad as you are yourself.
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.
I am thinking of what I will say I have ready for
him: it must be a picture of himself; a satire
against the softness of wealth, showing
all the flatteries that go with youth and riches.
TIMON
[Aside] 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.
Do you need to show yourself as a villain in
your own work? Will you castigate other men
for your own faults? Do so, I have gold for you.
Poet
Nay, let's seek him:
Then do we sin against our own estate,
When we may profit meet, and come too late.
Come on, let's look for him:
it would be a sin against our prospects
to come too late, when there is a profit to be had.
Painter
True;
When the day serves, before black-corner'd night,
Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light. Come.
True;
while the daylight lasts let's find what we're after by the
bright light, before the darkness of night falls. Come on.
TIMON
[Aside] 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!
'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark and plough'st the 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 meet them.
I'll intercept you. What a
god gold is,
who is worshipped in a temple
lower than a pigsty!
You're the one who sets the sails and crosses the sea,
makes a slave admire and worship his master:
let you be worshipped! And let your saints
who only follow you be rewarded with plagues!
I should greet them now.
Coming forward
Poet
Hail, worthy Timon!
Greetings, worthy Timon!
Painter
Our late noble master!
Our former noble master!
TIMON
Have I once lived to see two honest men?
Have I lived 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 am rapt and cannot cover
The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude
With any size of words.
Sir,
having often sampled your great generosity,
hearing you had withdrawn, with your friends abandoning you,
for whose ingratitude–revolting souls that they are!–
There is not enough punishment in heaven:
what! Ingratitude to you,
whose heavenly nobility gave life and meaning
to their whole beings! I'm so moved, I can't
begin to put the scale of their ingratitude
into words.
TIMON
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.
Just speak plainly, men may see it better:
you who are honest, by being who you are,
will show them up for who they are.
Painter
He and myself
Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts,
And sweetly felt it.
Him and I
have walked through the shower of your gifts,
which were a sweet rain.
TIMON
Ay, you are honest men.
Yes, you are honest men.
Painter
We are hither come to offer you our service.
We have come here to offer you our service.
TIMON
Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you?
Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no.
Most honest men! Why, how shall I repay you?
Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? No.
Both
What we can do, we'll do, to do you service.
We'll do whatever we can to serve you.
TIMON
Ye're honest men: ye've heard that I have gold;
I am sure you have: speak truth; ye're honest men.
You are honest men: you've heard that I have gold;
I'm sure you have heard: tell the truth; you are honest men.
Painter
So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore
Came not my friend nor I.
So they say, my noble lord; but that's not
why my friend nor I came here.
TIMON
Good honest men! Thou draw'st a counterfeit
Best in all Athens: thou'rt, indeed, the best;
Thou counterfeit'st most lively.
Good honest men! You can draw a picture
better than anyone in Athens: you're certainly the best;
nobody fakes it better than you.
Painter
So, so, my lord.
I do it indifferently, my lord.
TIMON
E'en so, sir, as I say. And, for thy fiction,
Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth
That thou art even natural in thine art.
But, for all this, my honest-natured 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.
It's just as I say, sir. And as for your inventions,
why, your verse is so puffed up with fine smooth things
that your art imitates your personality.
But for all this, my honest friends,
I have to say you do have a little fault:
mind you, it's not terrible, and I wouldn't want
you to take much effort to correct it.
Both
Beseech your honour
To make it known to us.
We beg your honour
to tell us what it is.
TIMON
You'll take it ill.
You won't like it.
Both
Most thankfully, my lord.
We would be very grateful to know, my lord.
TIMON
Will you, indeed?
Would you really?
Both
Doubt it not, worthy lord.
Don't doubt it, good lord.
TIMON
There's never a one of you but trusts a knave,
That mightily deceives you.
You put your trust in a knave,
who is greatly deceiving you.
Both
Do we, my lord?
Do we, my lord?
TIMON
Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,
Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,
Keep in your bosom: yet remain assured
That he's a made-up villain.
Yes, and you hear him cheat, see him fake,
know his terrible knavery, love him, feed him,
hold him to your hearts: but you can be sure
that he's a complete villain.
Painter
I know none such, my lord.
I don't know anyone like that, my lord.
Poet
Nor I.
Nor do I.
TIMON
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.
Now look, I like you very much; I'll give you gold,
if you throw these villains out of your company:
hang them or stab them, drown them in a sewer,
defeat them in some way, and come back to me,
I'll give you plenty of gold.
Both
Name them, my lord, let's know them.
Tell us who they are, my lord, let us know.
TIMON
You that way and you this, but two in company;
Each man apart, all single and alone,
Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.
If where thou art two villains shall not be,
Come not near him. If thou wouldst not reside
But where one villain is, then him abandon.
Hence, pack! there's gold; you came for gold, ye slaves:
To Painter
You have work'd for me; there's payment for you: hence!
To Poet
You are an alchemist; make gold of that.
Out, rascal dogs!
You there and you here, just the two of you;
each man standing alone,
but there is a villain with him.
If, where you are, there isn't room for two villains,
don't come near him. If you want to live where
there is only one villain, then leave him.
So, be off! Here's gold; you came for gold, you slaves:
[to painter]
you have worked for me; there is payment for you: get out!
[To poet]
You are an alchemist, make gold out of these stones!
Beats them out, and then retires to his cave
Enter FLAVIUS and two Senators
FLAVIUS
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.
There's no point in trying to speak to Timon;
he is so self absorbed
that the only man he wants to be with
is himself.
First Senator
Bring us to his cave:
It is our part and promise to the Athenians
To speak with Timon.
Take us to his cave:
we have promised the Athenians that we
will speak to Timon.
Second Senator
At all times alike
Men are not still the same: 'twas time and griefs
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 him,
And chance it as it may.
Men don't stay the same
at all times: it was a particular circumstance and grief
that made him as he is: time, treating him better,
offering him the fortunes he had in the past,
may change him back to the way he was. Take us to him,
and let's see what happens.
FLAVIUS
Here is his cave.
Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon!
Look out, and speak to friends: the Athenians,
By two of their most reverend senate, greet thee:
Speak to them, noble Timon.
Here is his cave.
May peace and happiness
be here! Lord Timon! Timon!
Look out, and speak to friends: the Athenians
send their greetings through two members of their noble senate:
speak to them, noble Timon.
TIMON comes from his cave
TIMON
Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn! Speak, and
be hang'd:
For each true word, a blister! and each false
Be as cauterizing to the root o' the tongue,
Consuming it with speaking!
You sun, that gives comfort, burn! Speak, and
condemn yourselves:
have a blister for every true word! And every false one
should burn you at the root of your tongues,
shrivelling it up as you speak!
First Senator
Worthy Timon,--
Deserving Timon–
TIMON
Of none but such as you, and you of Timon.
I don't deserve anyone but your type, and you deserve Timon.
First Senator
The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon.
The senators of Athens greet you, Timon.
TIMON
I thank them; and would send them back the plague,
Could I but catch it for them.
I thank them; I would send them back the plague,
if I could only catch it for them.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 638