Synopsis:
The servants of Timon’s creditors gather at his gates. He confronts them in a rage and, after they are gone, orders Flavius once again to invite all his friends to dinner.
Timon of AthensTimon of Athens
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
In Timon of Athens, Lord Timon discovers the limits of wealth and friendship. He spends freely on others and hosts banquets…
Act 1, scene 1
The stage fills with suitors to and admirers of Lord Timon. When he arrives, he spends lavishly in freeing a…
Act 1, scene 2
Timon lavishly entertains friends and suitors with food and drink and a masque of Cupid and Amazons, and displays his…
Act 2, scene 1
A senator, predicting the end of Timon’s days of glory, sends a servant to Timon to collect overdue loans.
Act 2, scene 2
Servants of Timon’s creditors gather and confront Timon, demanding immediate repayment of loans. Learning that he is bankrupt, Timon dispatches…
Act 3, scene 1
Timon’s servant Flaminius approaches Timon’s friend Lucullus for money and is denied.
Act 3, scene 2
Timon’s servant Servilius approaches Timon’s friend Lucius for money and is refused. Three strangers condemn the ingratitude of Timon’s “friends”…
Act 3, scene 3
Timon’s servant approaches Timon’s friend Sempronius for money and is refused.
Act 3, scene 4
The servants of Timon’s creditors gather at his gates. He confronts them in a rage and, after they are gone,…
Act 3, scene 5
Alcibiades pleads in vain before three Athenian senators for the life of one of his soldiers. Frustrated at being denied,…
Act 3, scene 6
Timon’s friends come to dinner again, but this time he serves them only water and stones and drives them away.
Act 4, scene 1
Timon abandons Athens and retires to the woods.
Act 4, scene 2
Flavius shares his remaining money with his fellow servants as they disperse.
Act 4, scene 3
Timon, digging for roots to eat, finds gold. He is visited by Alcibiades and his concubines, to whom he gives…
Act 5, scene 1
Timon is visited by the Poet and the Painter seeking the gold Timon is now rumored to possess. After he…
Act 5, scene 2
Athens learns that it will surely fall to Alcibiades. Its senators seek shelter behind its walls.
Act 5, scene 3
One of Alcibiades’ soldiers discovers Timon’s tomb and, since he cannot read Timon’s epitaph, he resolves to bring a wax…
Act 5, scene 4
A victorious Alcibiades listens to the apologies of the senators and agrees to the conditions they set. Athens then opens…
⌜Scene 4⌝
Enter Varro’s ⌜two Men,⌝ meeting ⌜Titus and⌝ others, all⌜being Men of⌝ Timon’s creditors to wait for his coming
out. Then enter ⌜Lucius’ Man⌝ and Hortensius.
VARRO’S ⌜FIRST⌝ MAN
Well met. Good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.
TITUS
The like to you, kind Varro.
HORTENSIUS Lucius!
What, do we meet together?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 5 Ay, and I think
One business does command us all,
For mine is money.
TITUS So is theirs and ours.
Enter Philotus.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
And, sir, Philotus’ too.
PHILOTUS 10 Good day at once.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Welcome, good brother.
What do you think the hour?
PHILOTUS Laboring for nine.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
So much?
PHILOTUS 15 Is not my lord seen yet?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Not yet.
PHILOTUS
I wonder on ’t. He was wont to shine at seven.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him.
You must consider that a prodigal course
20 Is like the sun’s,
But not, like his, recoverable. I fear
’Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon’s purse:
89
Timon of Athens
ACT 3. SC. 4
Find little.
PHILOTUS 25 I am of your fear for that.
TITUS
I’ll show you how t’ observe a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money?
HORTENSIUS Most true, he does.
TITUS
And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
30 For which I wait for money.
HORTENSIUS It is against my heart.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Mark how strange it shows:
Timon in this should pay more than he owes,
And e’en as if your lord should wear rich jewels
35 And send for money for ’em.
HORTENSIUS
I’m weary of this charge, the gods can witness.
I know my lord hath spent of Timon’s wealth,
And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.
⌜VARRO’S FIRST MAN⌝
Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 40Five thousand mine.
⌜VARRO’S FIRST MAN⌝
’Tis much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum
Your master’s confidence was above mine,
Else surely his had equaled.
Enter Flaminius.
TITUS One of Lord Timon’s men.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 45Flaminius? Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord
ready to come forth?
FLAMINIUS No, indeed he is not.
TITUS We attend his Lordship. Pray, signify so much.
FLAMINIUS I need not tell him that. He knows you are
50 too diligent.⌜He exits.⌝
Enter ⌜Flavius, the⌝ Steward in a cloak, muffled.
91
Timon of Athens
ACT 3. SC. 4
Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so?
He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.
TITUS Do you hear, sir?
VARRO’S SECOND MAN By your leave, sir.
FLAVIUS 55What do you ask of me, my friend?
TITUS
We wait for certain money here, sir.
FLAVIUS Ay,
If money were as certain as your waiting,
’Twere sure enough.
60 Why then preferred you not your sums and bills
When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat?
Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts
And take down th’ int’rest into their glutt’nous maws.
You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up.
65 Let me pass quietly.
Believe ’t, my lord and I have made an end.
I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Ay, but this answer will not serve.
FLAVIUS
If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so base as you,
70 For you serve knaves.⌜He exits.⌝
VARRO’S FIRST MAN How? What does his cashiered
Worship mutter?
VARRO’S SECOND MAN No matter what. He’s poor, and
that’s revenge enough. Who can speak broader
75 than he that has no house to put his head in? Such
may rail against great buildings.
Enter Servilius.
TITUS O, here’s Servilius. Now we shall know some
answer.
SERVILIUS If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair
80 some other hour, I should derive much from ’t. For
take ’t of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to discontent.
93
Timon of Athens
ACT 3. SC. 4
He’s much out of health and keeps his chamber.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
Many do keep their chambers are not sick;
85 And if it be so far beyond his health,
Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts
And make a clear way to the gods.
SERVILIUS Good gods!
TITUS We cannot take this for answer, sir.
FLAMINIUS, within 90Servilius, help! My lord, my lord!
Enter Timon in a rage.
TIMON
What, are my doors opposed against my passage?
Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my jail?
The place which I have feasted, does it now,
95 Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Put in now, Titus.
TITUS My lord, here is my bill.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Here’s mine.
⌜HORTENSIUS⌝ And mine, my lord.
VARRO’S SECOND MAN 100And ours, my lord.
PHILOTUS All our bills.
TIMON
Knock me down with ’em! Cleave me to the girdle.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Alas, my lord—
TIMON Cut my heart in sums!
TITUS 105Mine, fifty talents.
TIMON Tell out my blood.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ Five thousand crowns, my lord.
TIMON
Five thousand drops pays that.—What yours?—And
yours?
VARRO’S FIRST MAN 110My lord—
VARRO’S SECOND MAN My lord—
95
Timon of Athens
ACT 3. SC. 4
Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!
Timon exits.
HORTENSIUS Faith, I perceive our masters may throw
their caps at their money. These debts may well be
115 called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em.
They exit.
Enter Timon ⌜and Flavius.⌝
TIMON
They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves!
Creditors? Devils!
FLAVIUS My dear lord—
TIMON What if it should be so?
FLAVIUS 120My lord—
TIMON
I’ll have it so.—My steward!
FLAVIUS Here, my lord.
TIMON
So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all.
125 I’ll once more feast the rascals.
FLAVIUS O my lord,
You only speak from your distracted soul.
There’s not so much left to furnish out
A moderate table.
TIMON 130Be it not in thy care. Go,
I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide
Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide.
They exit.
