The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 507

FLAVIUS. What do ye ask of me, my friend?

t.i.tUS. We wait for certain money here, sir.

FLAVIUS. Ay, If money were as certain as your waiting, 'Twere sure enough.

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 th' int'rest into their glutt'nous maws.

You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up; Let me pa.s.s quietly.

Believe't, 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 FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. How! What does his cas.h.i.+er'd wors.h.i.+p mutter?

SECOND VARRO'S 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

t.i.tUS. 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 G.o.ds.

SERVILIUS. Good G.o.ds!

t.i.tUS. We cannot take this for answer, sir.

FLAMINIUS. [Within] Servilius, help! My lord! my lord!

Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following

TIMON. What, are my doors oppos'd against my pa.s.sage?

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?

LUCIUS' SERVANT. Put in now, t.i.tus.

t.i.tUS. My lord, here is my bill.

LUCIUS' SERVANT. Here's mine.

HORTENSIUS. And mine, my lord.

BOTH VARRO'S SERVANTS. And ours, my lord.

PHILOTUS. 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.

t.i.tUS. 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?

FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. My lord- SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT. My lord- TIMON. Tear me, take me, and the G.o.ds fall upon you! Exit HORTENSIUS. Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money. These debts may well be call'd desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em. Exeunt

Re-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?

FLAMINIUS. 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 Semp.r.o.nius- 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

SCENE V.

The Senate House

Enter three SENATORS at one door, ALCIBIADES meeting them, with attendants

FIRST SENATOR. My lord, you have my voice to't: the fault's b.l.o.o.d.y.

'Tis necessary he should die: Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

SECOND SENATOR. Most true; the law shall bruise him.

ALCIBIADES. Honour, health, and compa.s.sion, 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 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 n.o.ble fury and fair spirit, Seeing his reputation touch'd to death, He did oppose his foe; And with such sober and unnoted pa.s.sion He did behove his anger ere 'twas spent, As if he had but prov'd 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 labour'd 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 a.s.s more captain than the lion; the fellow 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, 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 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 inferr'd 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 p.a.w.n my victories, all My honours 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 s.p.a.cious 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' s.h.i.+ne Athens contain thee, Attend our weightier judgment. And, not to swell our spirit, He shall be executed presently. Exeunt SENATORS ALCIBIADES. Now the G.o.ds keep you old enough that you may live Only in bone, that none may look on you!