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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 gravestone 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 into his cave
FIRST SENATOR. His discontents are unremovably
Coupled to nature.
SECOND SENATOR. Our hope in him is dead. Let us return
And strain what other means is left unto us
In our dear peril.
FIRST SENATOR. It requires swift foot. Exeunt
SCENE II.
Before the walls of Athens
Enter two other SENATORS with a MESSENGER
FIRST SENATOR. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his files
As full as thy report?
MESSENGER. I have spoke the least.
Besides, his expedition promises
Present approach.
SECOND SENATOR. We stand much hazard if they bring not Timon.
MESSENGER. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend,
Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd,
Yet our old love had 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' th' cause against your city,
In part for his sake mov'd.
Enter the other SENATORS, from TIMON
FIRST SENATOR. Here come our brothers.
THIRD SENATOR. 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 III.
The TIMON's cave, and a rude tomb seen
Enter a SOLDIER in the woods, seeking TIMON
SOLDIER. By all description this should be the place.
Who's here? Speak, ho! No answer? What is this?
Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span.
Some beast rear'd this; here 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 IV.
Before the walls of Athens
Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES with his powers before Athens
ALCIBIADES. Sound to this coward and lascivious town
Our terrible approach.
Sound a parley. The SENATORS appear upon 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.
FIRST SENATOR. 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.
SECOND SENATOR. So did we woo
Transformed Timon to our city's love
By humble message and by promis'd means.