in Timon of Athens — Shakespeare, William; Middleton, Thomas
Metadata
Play
Timon of Athens
Author
Shakespeare, William; Middleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)
1623
First performance
1607
Decade
1620s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
King's Men
Speech prefix(es)
2. Lord. | 2 Lord. | 2
Words
795
Characters
4206
Typicality
0.48 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A11954.29
BritDrama no.
1536
Cluster
Cluster 18 — Chronicle statesmen & prelates
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Let it flow this way my good Lord. Joy had the Like conception in our eyes, And at that instant, Like a babe sprung up. With more then common thanks I will receive it. So infinitely endeared. Our Horses. Thou art going to Lord Timon's Feast. Farthee well, farthee well. Why Apemantus ? Away unpeaceable Dog, Or I'll spurn thee hence. He powers it out: Plutus the God of Gold Is but his Steward: no meed but he repays Seuenfolded above it self: No gift to him, But breeds the giver a return: exceeding All use of quittance. Long may he live in Fortune's. Shall we in? I'll keep you Company. But believe you this my Lord, that not long ago, one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus, to borrow so many Talents, nay urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged too't, and yet was deny'de. I tell you, deny'de my Lord. I, to well. Most true; the Law shall bruise they. He has made too much plenty with him: He's a sworn Riotor, he has a sin That often drowns him, and takes his valour prisoner. If there were no Foes, that were enough To overcome him. In that Beastly fury, He has been known to commit outrages, And cherish Factions. It's inferred to us, His days are foul, and his drink dangerous. How? I also wish it to you: I think this Honourable Lord did but try us this other day. It should not be, by the persuasion of his new Fea sting. In Like manner was I in debt to my importunate but sinesse, but he would not hear my excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my Provision was out. Every man hears so: what would he have borrow wed of you? A thousand Pieces? He sent to me sir—Here he comes. The Swallow follows not Summer more willing, then we your Lordship. My Noble Lord. My most Honourable Lord, I am e'ne sick of shame, that when your Lordship this other day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a Beggar. If you had sent but two hours before. All covered Dishes. I pray you upon what? This is the old man still. It do's: but time will, and so. Know you the quality of Lord Timon's fury? Did you see my Cap. Lord Timon's mad. As we do turn our backs From our Companion, thrown into his graven, So his Familiars to his buried Fortune's Slink all away leave their false vows with him Like empty purses picked; and his poor self A dedicated Beggar to the Air, With his disease, of all shunned poverty, Walks Like contempt alone. More of our Fellows. It is noised He hath a mass of Treasure. True: for he bears it not about him: It's hid. It's his description. I'll believe him as and Enemy, And give over my Trade. They confess Towards thee, forgetfulness too general gross; Which now the public Body, which does seldom Play the re-canter, feeling in it self A lack of Timon's aid, hath since withal Of it own fallen, restraining aid to Timon, And send forth us, to make their sorrowed render, Together, with a recompense more fruitful Then their offence can weigh down by the Dram, I even such heaps and sums of Love and Wealth, As shall to thee blot out, what wrongs were theirs, And write in thee the figures of their love, Eum to read them thine. And shakes his threatening Sword Against the walls of Athens. And enter in our ears, Like great Triumphers In their applauding gates. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, And strain what other means is left unto us In our deer peril. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon. So did we woo Transformed Timon, to our Cities love By humble Message, and by promised means: We were not all unkind, nor all deserve The common stroke of war. 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 destined tenth, And by the hazard of the spotted die, Let die the spotted. What thou wilt, Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile, Then hew too't, with thy Sword. 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 sealed thy full desire.
Plot summary
Plot — Timon of Athens
; Timon gives freely of his riches to his acquaintances: every little gift will trigger disproportionate largesse by way of requital. He intervenes financially to secure Ventidius’ release from a debtors’ prison, and settles money on his servant Lucilius to enable him to marry the girl he loves, a wealthy man’s daughter. He entertains guests at a lavish feast at which a masque of Amazons is performed. But his creditors. are alarmed by his uncontrolled spending, and call in his debts, which amount to more than the value of his entire estate. He imagines that he can still call on the former recipients of his liberality, but they make their excuses and leave him in difficulties; he is failed even by Ventidius, now a rich man after his father’s death. Timon lays on a second feast, and invites his unreliable friends; they think normal service has been resumed, but are discomfited to find that the menu consists of water alone. Timon drives them off with abuse and leaves Athens in misanthropic fury. Alcibiades attempts to save a friend from execution for murder, but the Senate dismisses the appeal; when he persists, they banish him. In the forest, Timon digs for roots to eat, but finds only buried gold. He meets Alcibiades, marching against Athens with his soldiers, and gives him gold to ensure the city’s destruction; he also pays the army’s whores to spread venereal disease. He encourages a band of thieves to prey upon mankind, but his words persuade them to rethink their way of life. His faithful steward seeks him out and offers to share his own savings; Timon rewards him for his honesty but does not change his low opinion of the rest of humanity. News gets round that Timon still has gold, and hangers-on arrive, hoping this means his bankruptcy was only a bluff to test his friends; he drives them violently away. The Senate asks Timon to return to Athens as its tuler, to defend it against Alcibiades, but Timon, who is busy writing his own epitaph, wishes annihilation on them, and recommends suicide as their only means of escape. Alcibiades’ messenger to Timon finds only his tomb. Athens surrenders, and Timon’s epitaph is read.