2342Stew. It is vaine that you would speake with Timon:

2343For he is set so onely to himselfe,

2344That nothing but himselfe, which lookes like man,

2345Is friendly with him.

23461.Sen. Bring vs to his Caue.

2347It is our part and promise to th'Athenians

2348To speake with Timon.

23492.Sen. At all times alike

2350Men are not still the same: 'twas Time and Greefes

2351That fram'd him thus. Time with his fairer hand,

2352Offering the Fortunes of his former dayes,

2353The former man may make him: bring vs to him

2354And chanc'd it as it may.

2355Stew. Heere is his Caue:

2356Peace and content be heere. Lord Timon, Timon,

2357Looke out, and speake to Friends: Th'Athenians

2358By two of their most reuerend Senate greet thee:

2359Speake to them Noble Timon.

2361Tim. Thou Sunne that comforts burne,

2362Speake and be hang'd:

2363For each true word, a blister, and each false

2364Be as a Cantherizing to the root o'th'Tongue,

2365Consuming it with speaking.

23661 Worthy Timon.

2367Tim. Of none but such as you,

2368And you of Timon.

23691 The Senators of Athens, greet thee Timon.

2370Tim. I thanke them,

2371And would send them backe the plague,

2372Could I but catch it for them.

23731 O forget

2374What we are sorry for our selues in thee:

2375The Senators, with one consent of loue,

2376Intreate thee backe to Athens, who haue thought

2377On speciall Dignities, which vacant lye

2378For thy best vse and wearing.

23792 They confesse

2380Toward thee, forgetfulnesse too generall grosse;

2381Which now the publike Body, which doth sildome

2382Play the re-canter, feeling in it selfe

2383A lacke of Timons ayde, hath since withall

2384Of it owne fall, restraining ayde to Timon,

2385And send forth vs, to make their sorrowed render,

2386Together, with a recompence more fruitfull

2387Then their offence can weigh downe by the Dramme,

2388I euen such heapes and summes of Loue and Wealth,

2389As shall to thee blot out, what wrongs were theirs,

2390And write in thee the figures of their loue,

2391Euer to read them thine.

2392Tim. You witch me in it;

2393Surprize me to the very brinke of teares;

2394Lend me a Fooles heart, and a womans eyes,

2395And Ile beweepe these comforts, worthy Senators.

23961 Therefore so please thee to returne with vs,

2397And of our Athens, thine and ours to take

2398The Captainship, thou shalt be met with thankes,

2399Allowed with absolute power, and thy good name

2400Liue with Authoritie: so soone we shall driue backe

2401Of Alcibiades th'approaches wild,

2402Who like a Bore too sauage, doth root vp

2403His Countries peace.

24042 And shakes his threatning Sword

2405Against the walles of Athens.

24061 Therefore Timon.

2407Tim. Well sir, I will: therefore I will sir thus:

2408If Alcibiades kill my Countrymen,

2409Let Alcibiades know this of Timon,

2410That Timon cares not. But if he sacke faire Athens,

2411And take our goodly aged men by'th'Beards,

2412Giuing our holy Virgins to the staine

2413Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd warre:

2414Then let him know, and tell him Timon speakes it,

Timon of Athens. 97

2415In pitty of our aged, and our youth,

2416I cannot choose but tell him that I care not,

2417And let him tak't at worst: For their Kniues care not,

2418While you haue throats to answer. For my selfe,

2419There's not a whittle, in th'vnruly Campe,

2420But I do prize it at my loue, before

2421The reuerends Throat in Athens. So I leaue you

2422To the protection of the prosperous Gods,

2423As Theeues to Keepers.

2424Stew. Stay not, all's in vaine.

2425Tim. Why I was writing of my Epitaph,

2426It will be seene to morrow. My long sicknesse

2427Of Health, and Liuing, now begins to mend,

2428And nothing brings me all things. Go, liue still,

2429Be Alcibiades your plague; you his,

2430And last so long enough.

24311 We speake in vaine.

2432Tim. But yet I loue my Country, and am not

2433One that reioyces in the common wracke,

2434As common bruite doth put it.

24351 That's well spoke.

2436Tim. Commend me to my louing Countreymen.

24371 These words become your lippes as they passe tho-

2438row them.

24392 And enter in our eares, like great Triumphers

2440In their applauding gates.

2441Tim. Commend me to them,

2442And tell them, that to ease them of their greefes,

2443Their feares of Hostile strokes, their Aches losses,

2444Their pangs of Loue, with other incident throwes

2445That Natures fragile Vessell doth sustaine

2446In lifes vncertaine voyage, I will some kindnes do them,

2447Ile teach them to preuent wilde Alcibiades wrath.

24481 I like this well, he will returne againe.

2449Tim. I haue a Tree which growes heere in my Close,

2450That mine owne vse inuites me to cut downe,

2451And shortly must I fell it. Tell my Friends,

2452Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree,

2453From high to low throughout, that who so please

2454To stop Affliction, let him take his haste;

2455Come hither ere my Tree hath felt the Axe,

2456And hang himselfe. I pray you do my greeting.

2457Stew. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall

2458Finde him.

2459Tim. Come not to me againe, but say to Athens,

2460Timon hath made his euerlasting Mansion

2461Vpon the Beached Verge of the salt Flood,

2462Who once a day with his embossed Froth

2463The turbulent Surge shall couer; thither come,

2464And let my graue-stone be your Oracle:

2465Lippes, let foure words go by, and Language end:

2466What is amisse, Plague and Infection mend.

2467Graues onely be mens workes, and Death their gaine;

2468Sunne, hide thy Beames, Timon hath done his Raigne.

24701 His discontents are vnremoueably coupled to Na-

2471ture.

24722 Our hope in him is dead: let vs returne,

2473And straine what other meanes is left vnto vs

2474In our deere perill.

24751 It requires swift foot. Exeunt.