Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Pain. I know none such, my lord. Nor I. Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold, Rid me these villains from your companies: Both. Name them, my lord, let's know Tim. You that way, and you this, but two Each man apart, all single and alone, Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. If, where thou art, two villaing shall not be, [To the Painter. Come not near him.-If thou would'st not reside [To the Poet. O, forget What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. 2 Sen. [in company:-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, [theirs, As shall to thee blot out what wrongs were And write in thee the figures of their love, Ever to read them thine. Tim. You witch me in it; But where one villain is, then him abandon.-Surprise me to the very brink of tears: Hence! pack! there's gold, ye came for gold, Lend me a fool's heart, and a woman's eyes, ye slaves: [Hence! And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy senaYou have done work for me, there's payment: [with us, You are an alchymist, make gold of that:Out, rascal dogs! [Exit, beating and driving them out. At all times alike 2 Sen. Men are not still the same: 'Twas time, and griefs, [hand, That framed him thus: time, with his fairer Offering the fortunes of his former days, [him, The former man may make him: Bring us to And chance it as it may. tors. 1 Sen. Therefore, so please thee to return And of our Athens (thine and ours) to take The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks, Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good [back name Live with authority :-to soon we shall drive 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Therefore, Timon,- Flav. Here is his cave.Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! [nians, Look out, and speak to friends: The AtheBy two of their most reverend senate, greet While you have throats to answer: for myself, Speak to them, noble Timon. [thee: There's not a whittle ¶ in the unruly camp, A complete, a finished villain. § Confession, + In a jakes. Licensed, uncontrolled. With one united voice of affection. But I do prize it at my love, before [yon Flas. men, Mess. Besides, his expedition promises I have spoke the least: Present approach. friend; [not Timon. 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring Mess. I met a courier, one mine ancient [posed, Whom, though in general part we were opYet oar old love made a particular force, And made us speak like friends :--this man was From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, [riding With letters of entreaty, which imported His fellowship i'the cause against your city, In part for his sake moved. Enter Senators from TIMON. 1 Sen. Here come our brothers. 3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect. (ing The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scourDoth choke the air with dust: in and prepare; Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes, the snare. 1 Sen. We speak in vain. Tim. But yet I love my country; and am not One that rejoices in the common wreck, As common bruit ‡ doth put it. 1 Sen. That's well spoke. Tim. Commend me to my loving country. [pass through them. 1 Sen. These words become your lips as they 2 Sen. And enter in our ears like great triIn their applauding gates. [umphers Tim. Commend me to them; SCENE IV. And tell them, that to ease them of their griefs, Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them: [wrath. I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' 2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, shall find him. That mine own use invites me to cut down, Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his 2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us reAnd strain what other means are left unto us In our dear peril. 2 Sen. It requires swift foot. [Exeunt. SCENE III The Walls of Athens. Enter Two Senators, and a Messenger. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are As full as thy report? [his files [Exeunt. The Woods. Timon's Cave, and a tomb-stone seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking Timon. Sol. By all description, this should be the place. (is this? Our captain hath in every figure skill; Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious Our terrible approach. [A parley sounded. Our sufferance vainly: Now the time is flush ++, Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease; * i. e., The gods, who are the authors of the prosperity of mankind. disease of life begins to promise me a period. highest to lowest. Swollen froth. +He means-the Methodically, from ++ Mature. Report, rumour. Dreadful. ** Arms across. So did we woo 2 Sen. Transformed Timon to our city's love, By humble message, and by promised means*; We were not all unkind, nor all deserve The common stroke of war. 1 Sen. These walls of ours Were not erected by their hands from whom You have received your griefs; nor are they such, [should fall That these great towers, trophies, and schools For private faults in them. 2 Sen. (If thy revenges hunger for that food, [tenth; 1 Sen. 2 Sen. 1 Sen. Set but thy foot Against our rampired gates, and they shall ope; So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before, To say, thou'lt euter friendly. 2 Sen. Throw thy glove; Or any token of thy honour else, That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, And not as our confusion: all thy powers Shal. make their harbour in our town, till we Have seal'd thy full desire. 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 remedied, to your public laws At heaviest answer. Both. "Tis most nobly spoken. Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. [The Senators descend, and open the Gates. Enter a Soldier. Sold. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o'the sea: And on his grave-stone this insculpture; which With wax I brought away, whose soft impres Interprets for my poor ignorance. [sion Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft: Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked caitiffs left! Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay not here thy gait. These well express in thee thy latter spirits: Though thou abhorr❜dst in us our human griefs, Scorn'dst our brain's flow, and those our droplets which From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for i. e., By promising him a competent subsistence. Unattacked gates. [Exeunt. Not regular, not equitable. Reconcile. i.e., Our tears. ¶ Stop. ** Physician. The pay of TIMON is a domestic tragedy, and therefore strongly fastens on the attention of the reader. In the plan there is not much art, but the incidents are natural, and the characters various and exact. The catastrophe affords a very powerful warning against that ostentatious liberality, which scatters bounty, but confers no benefits, and buys flattery, but not friendship. In this tragedy, are many passages perplexed, obscure, and probably corrupt, which I have endeavoured to rectify, or explain with due diligence; but having only one copy, cannot promise myself that my endeavours shall be much applauded.-JOHNSON. CORIOLANUS Persons represented. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Two Volscian Guards. Roman. TITUS LARTIUS, generals against the Vol. COMINIUS, scians. MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus. Young MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus. TULLUS AUFIDIUS, general of the Vol scians. Lieutenant to Aufidius. Conspirators with Aufidius. A Citizen of Antium. VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus. Scene, partly in Rome; and partly in the Territories of the Volscians and Antiates. than to famish? Cit. Resolved, resolved. I. 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though softconscienced men can be content to say, it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, 1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is you account a vice in him: You must in no chief enemy to the people. Cit. We know't, we know't. 1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict? Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good*: What authority surfeits on would relieve us; If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes+: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country? * Rich. way say he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o'the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; Would ali the rest were so! Men. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you [pray you. With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know, we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends. mine honest neighbours, + Thin as rakes. Will you undo yourselves? 1 Cit. We cannot. sir we are undone already? them Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift [on Against the Roman state; whose course will The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment: For the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it; and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. You are transported by calamity [Alack, Thither where more attends you; and you slander [fathers, The helms o'the state, who care for you like When you curse them az enemies. 1 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers: repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it; But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture To scale't a little more. 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgracet with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accused it :- I' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive, struments Did see, and bear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, • Spread it. Exactly. 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did comWhat could the belly answer? [plain, Men. I will tell you; If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little) [swer. Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's an1 Cit. You are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd: True is it, my incorporate friends, quoth he, That I receive the general food at first, Which you do live upon and fit it is; Because I am the store-house, and the shop Of the whole body: But if you do remember: I send it through the rivers of your blood, Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o'the brain; And, through the cranks || and offices of man, The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins, once, From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live: And though that all at [mark me,You, my good friends, (this says the belly,) 1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. Men. Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each; Yet I can make my audit up, that all From me do back receive the flour of all, And leave me but the bran. What say yon to't? [this? 1 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly, [find, And you the mutinous members: For examine Enter CAIUS MARCIUS. Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dis sentious rogues, That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs? 1 Cit. We have ever your good word. |