Mess. I have spoke the least: Besides, his expedition promises Present approach. 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon. Mess. 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 1 Sen. Enter Senators from TIMON. Here come our brothers. 3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him ex pect. The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring Doth choke the air with dust: In, and prepare; Ours is the fall, I fear, our foes the snare. Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Woods. Timon's Cave, and a Tomb-stone seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON. Sold. By all description this should be the place. Who's here? speak, ho!-No answer?-What is this? Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span: Some beast rear'd this; there does not live a man. Dead, sure; and this his grave.— What's on this tomb I cannot read; the character Our captain hath in every figure skill; [Exit. SCENE V. Before the Walls of Athens. Trumpets sound. 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 1 Sen. Noble, and young, When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, I cannot read, &c.] There is something elaborately unskilful in the contrivance of sending a Soldier, who cannot read, to take the epithet in wax, only that it may close the play by being read with more solemnity in the last scene. JOHNSON. 9 1 travers'd arms,] Arms across. the time is flush,] A bird is flush when his feathers are grown, and he can leave the nest. Flush is mature. Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear, 2 Sen. So did we woo Transformed Timon to our city's love, By humble message, and by promis'd means; 1 Sen. These walls of ours Were not erected by their hands, from whom Nor are they living, Who were the motives that you first went out; 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, Which nature loaths,) take thou the destin'd tenth; And by the hazard of the spotted die, Let die the spotted. 1 Sen. All have not offended; 3 For those that were, it is not square, to take, Shame, that they wanted cunning, in excess Hath broke their hearts.] Shame in excess (i. e. extremity of shame) that they wanted cunning (i. e. that they were not wise enough not to banish you) hath broke their hearts. not square,] Not regular, not equitable. With those that have offended: like a shepherd, Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth, But kill not all together. What thou wilt, 2 Sen. Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile, Than hew to't with thy sword. 1 Sen. Set but thy foot 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 honour else, That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, Alcib. Both. "Tis most nobly spoken. Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. The Senators descend, and open the Gates. uncharged ports;] uncharged means unattacked. With my more noble meaning,] i. e. to reconcile them to it. not a man Shall pass his quarter,] Not a soldier shall quit his station, or be let loose upon you; and, if any commits violence, he shall answer it regularly to the law. Enter a Soldier. Sold. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o'the sea: And, on his grave-stone, 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 caitiffs left! Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and here thy gait. stay not These well express in thee thy latter spirits: From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit Make war breed peace; make peace stint war; make each Prescribe to other, as each other's leech. 8 7 our brain's flow,] Our brains flow is our tears. 8 leech.] i. e. physician. [Exeunt.? The play of Timon is a domestick tragedy, and therefore strongly fastens on the attention of the reader. In the plan there is not much art, but the incidents are natural, and the characters various and exact. The catastrophe affords a very powerful warning against that ostentatious liberality, which scatters bounty, but confers no benefits, and buys flattery, but not friendship. VOL. VIII. I JOHNSON. |