2 They confesse Toward thee, forgetfulnesse too generall grosse; Which now the publike Body, which doth sildome Play the recanter, feeling in it selfe A lacke of Timons ayde, hath since withall Of it owne fall, restraining ayde to Timon, And send forth vs, to make their sorrowed render, Together, with a recompence more fruitfull Then their offence can weigh downe by the Dramme, I euen such heapes and summes of Loue and Wealth, As shall to thee blot out, what wrongs were theirs, And write in thee the figures of their loue, Euer to read them thine
Tim. You witch me in it; Surprize me to the very brinke of teares; Lend me a Fooles heart, and a womans eyes, And Ile beweepe these comforts, worthy Senators
1 Therefore so please thee to returne with vs, And of our Athens, thine and ours to take The Captainship, thou shalt be met with thankes, Allowed with absolute power, and thy good name Liue with Authoritie: so soone we shall driue backe Of Alcibiades th' approaches wild, Who like a Bore too sauage, doth root vp His Countries peace
2 And shakes his threatning Sword Against the walles of Athens
1 Therefore Timon
Tim. Well sir, I will: therefore I will sir thus: If Alcibiades kill my Countrymen, Let Alcibiades know this of Timon, That Timon cares not. But if he sacke faire Athens, And take our goodly aged men by'th' Beards, Giuing our holy Virgins to the staine Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd warre: Then let him know, and tell him Timon speakes it, In pitty of our aged, and our youth, I cannot choose but tell him that I care not, And let him tak't at worst: For their Kniues care not, While you haue throats to answer. For my selfe, There's not a whittle, in th' vnruly Campe, But I do prize it at my loue, before The reuerends Throat in Athens. So I leaue you To the protection of the prosperous Gods, As Theeues to Keepers
Stew. Stay not, all's in vaine
Tim. Why I was writing of my Epitaph, It will be seene to morrow. My long sicknesse Of Health, and Liuing, now begins to mend, And nothing brings me all things. Go, liue still, Be Alcibiades your plague; you his, And last so long enough
1 We speake in vaine
Tim. But yet I loue my Country, and am not One that reioyces in the common wracke, As common bruite doth put it
1 That's well spoke
Tim. Commend me to my louing Countreymen
1 These words become your lippes as they passe thorow them
2 And enter in our eares, like great Triumphers In their applauding gates
Tim. Commend me to them, And tell them, that to ease them of their greefes, Their feares of Hostile strokes, their Aches losses, Their pangs of Loue, with other incident throwes That Natures fragile Vessell doth sustaine In lifes vncertaine voyage, I will some kindnes do them, Ile teach them to preuent wilde Alcibiades wrath
1 I like this well, he will returne againe
Tim. I haue a Tree which growes heere in my Close, That mine owne vse inuites me to cut downe, And shortly must I fell it. Tell my Friends, Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree, From high to low throughout, that who so please To stop Affliction, let him take his haste; Come hither ere my Tree hath felt the Axe, And hang himselfe. I pray you do my greeting
Stew. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall Finde him
Tim. Come not to me againe, but say to Athens, Timon hath made his euerlasting Mansion Vpon the Beached Verge of the salt Flood, Who once a day with his embossed Froth The turbulent Surge shall couer; thither come, And let my graue-stone be your Oracle: Lippes, let foure words go by, and Language end: What is amisse, Plague and Infection mend. Graues onely be mens workes, and Death their gaine; Sunne, hide thy Beames, Timon hath done his Raigne.