And let him take 't at worst; for their knives care not,
While you have throats to answer: for myself,
There's not a whittle in the unruly camp,
But I do prize it at my love, before

The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you
To the protection of the prosperous gods,

As thieves to keepers.

Flav.

Stay not, all's in vain.

Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph;
It will be seen to-morrow: my long sickness
Of health, and living, now begins to mend,
And nothing brings me all things. Go, live still;
Be Alcibiades your plague, you his,

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 wrack,

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 triumphers In their applauding gates.

Tim.
Commend me to them;
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:-I 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; Whom 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 unremoveably 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.

SCENE III.-The Walls of Athens.

Enter Two Senators, and a Messenger.

[Exeunt.

1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his files As full as thy report?

I have spoke the least;

Mess.
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

His fellowship i' the cause against your city,

In part for his sake mov'd.

1 Sen.

Enter Senators from Timon.

Here come our brothers.

3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect.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 Tombstone seen.

Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON.

Sold. By all description this should be the place, Who 's here? speak, hoa!-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 I'll take with wax: Our captain hath in every figure skill; An ag'd interpreter, though young in days: Before proud Athens he 's set down by this, Whose fall the mark of his ambition is.

[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
With all licentious measure, making your wills
The scope of justice; till now, myself, and such

As slept within the shadow of your power,

Have wander'd with our travers'd arms, and breath'd
Our sufferance vainly: Now the time is flush,
When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong,
Cries, of itself, "No more :" now breathless wrong
Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease;
And pursy insolence shall break his wind,
With fear, and horrid flight.

1 Sen.
Noble, and young,
When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit,
Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear,
We sent to thee; to give thy rages balm,
To wipe out our ingratitude with loves
Above their quantity.

2 Sen.

So did we woo

Transformed Timon to our city's love,

By humble message, and by promis'd means;
We were not all unkind, nor all deserve

The common stroke of war.

1 Sen.

These walls of ours

Were not erected by their hands from whom

You have receiv'd your grief: nor are they such

That these great towers, trophies, and schools should fall
For private faults in them.

2 Sen.
Nor are they living
Who were the motives that you first went out;
Shame that they wanted cunning, in excess,a
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 loathes,) take thou the destin'd tenth;
And by the hazard of the spotted die,

Let die the spotted.

a Cunning in this line is not used in an evil sense, but with its ancient meaning of knowledge, wisdom;-Excessive shame that they have wanted wisdom has broken their hearts.

All have not offended;

1 Sen.
For those that were, it is not square to take,
On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands,
Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:
Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin
Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall
With those that have offended: like a shepherd,
Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth,
But kill not altogether.

2 Sen.

What thou wilt,

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.

Or

2 Sen.

any

Throw thy glove;

token of thine honour else,

That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress,
And not as our confusion, all thy powers
Shall make their harbour in our town, till we
Have seal'd thy full desire.

Alcib.
Then there's my glove;
Descend, and open your uncharged ports;
Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own,
Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof,
Fall, and no more: and,—to atone your fears
With my more noble meaning,—not a man
Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream
Of regular justice in your city's bounds,
But shall be remedied, to your public laws,
At heaviest answer.

Both.

"T is most nobly spoken.
Alcib. Descend, and keep your words.
The Senators descend, and open the gates.