3. Ban. Let us make the assay upon him. If he care not for 't, he will supply us easily; if he covetously reserve it, how shall's get it?

2. Ban. True; for he bears it not about him, 't is hid.

1. Ban. Is not this he? Banditti. Where?

2. Ban. 'Tis his description.

3. Ban. He; I know him. Banditti. Save thee, Timon.

Tim. Now, thieves?

Banditti. Soldiers, not thieves.
Tim. Both too; and women's sons.

410

415

Banditti. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat.

Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots;

420

Within this mile break forth a hundred springs; The oaks bear mast, the briers scarlet hips; The bounteous house wife, Nature, on each bush Lays her full mess before you. Want! why want?

1. Ban. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water,

As beasts and birds and fishes.

425

Break open shops; nothing can you steal,
But thieves do fose it. Steal [no] less for this
I give you; and gold confound you howsoe'er!
Amen.

3. Ban. Has almost charm'd me from my profession, by persuading me to it.

1. Ban. 'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

2. Ban. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade.

1. Ban. Let us first see peace in Athens. There is no time so miserable but a man may be true. [Exeunt Banditti.

Enter the Steward [FLAVIUS, who remains at a distance].

So true, so just, and now so comfortable?
It almost turns my dangerous nature mild.
Let me behold thy face. Surely, this man 500
Was born of woman.

Forgive my general and exceptless rashness,
You perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim

v. ii.

1. Sen.

O, forget

What we are sorry for ourselves in thee.

The senators with one consent of love
Entreat thee back to Athens; who have thought
On special dignities, which vacant lie
For thy best use and wearing.

145

They confess 2. Sen. Toward thee forgetfulness too general, gross; Which now the public body, which doth seldom Play the recanter, feeling in itself

150

A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal
Of it own fall, restraining aid to Timon;
And send forth us, to make their sorrowed
render,

Together with a recompense more fruitful Than their offence can weigh down by the dram;

Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and wealth

155

As shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs,

And write in thee the figures of their love,
Ever to read them thine.

You witch me in it,
Tim.
Surprise me to the very brink of tears.
Lend me a fool's heart and a woman's eyes, 160
And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy sena-

tors.

1. Sen. Therefore, so please thee to return with us,

And of our Athens, thine and ours, to take The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks, Allowed with absolute power, and thy good

name

165

Live with authority; so soon we shall drive back
Of Alcibiades the approaches wild,
Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up
His country's peace.

2. Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Against the walls of Athens.

1. Sen.

Therefore, Timon, Tim. Well, sir, I will; therefore, I will, sir; thus:

If Alcibiades kill my countrymen,
Let Alcibiades know this of Timon,

171

That Timon cares not. But if he sack fair Athens,

And take our goodly aged men by the beards, Giving our holy virgins to the stain

176

Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war, Then let him know, and tell him Timon speaks it,

In pity of our aged and our youth,

I cannot choose but tell him, that I care not, 180 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.

Stay not, all's in vain.
[Flav.]
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,

185

ing.

215

[Flav.] Trouble him no further; thus you still shall find him.

Tim. Come not to me again; but say to Athens,

220

Timon hath made his everlasting mansion
Upon the beached verge of the salt flood;
Who 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!

225

Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his [Exit. reign.

1. Sen. His discontents are unremoveably Coupled to nature.

2. Sen. Our hope in him is dead. Let us re

turn,

And strain what other means is left unto us 230 In our dear peril. 1. Sen.

It requires swift foot.

[Exeunt.

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
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.

1. Sen.
All have not offended; 35
For those that were, it is not square to take
On those that are, revenge; 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 all together.

2. Sen. What thou wilt, Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile s 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, То 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 And not as our confusion, all thy powers Shall make their harbour in our town, till we Have seal'd thy full desire.

55

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 render'd to your public laws At heaviest answer.

60