The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 1 of 9]

Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate![2219] 5

First Sen. Now, captain?[2220]

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues;
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy 10
Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that without heed do plunge into 't.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,[2221][2222]
Of comely virtues:[2222][2223] 15
Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice—[2222][2223]
An honour in him which buys out his fault—[2222][2223]
But with a noble fury and fair spirit,[2222][2223][2224]
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,[2223][2225]
He did oppose his foe:[2223] 20
And with such sober and unnoted passion [2226]
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,[2227]
As if he had but proved an argument.[2228]

First Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox,
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair: 25
Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd [2229]
To bring manslaughter into form, and set quarrelling [2230][2231]
Upon the head of valour; which indeed[2230]
Is valour misbegot and came into the world[2230]
When sects and factions were newly born:[2230][2232] 30
He's truly valiant that can wisely suffer
The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs [2233]
His outsides, to wear them like his raiment, carelessly,[2233][2234]
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,[2235]
To bring it into danger. 35
If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!

Alcib. My lord,—

First Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear:[2236]
To revenge is no valour, but to bear.[2237]

Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, 40
If I speak like a captain.
Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threats? sleep upon 't,[2238]
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,[2239]
Without repugnancy? If there be [2240] 45
Such valour in the bearing, what make we [2241]
Abroad? why then women are more valiant [2242]
That stay at home, if bearing carry it,
And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon [2243]
Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,[2243] 50
If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,[2243]
As you are great, be pitifully good:
Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;
But in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.[2244] 55
To be in anger is impiety;
But who is man that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

Sec. Sen. You breathe in vain.

Alcib. In vain! His service done [2245][2246]
At Lacedæmon and Byzantium[2246] 60
Were a sufficient briber for his life.

First Sen. What's that?

Alcib. I say, my lords, has done fair service,[2247]
And slain in fight many of your enemies:[2248]
How full of valour did he bear himself
In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds! 65

Sec. Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em;[2249][2250]
He's a sworn rioter: he has a sin[2250][2251][2252]
That often drowns him and takes his valour prisoner:[2252][2253]
If there were no foes, that were enough [2254]
To overcome him: in that beastly fury 70
He has been known to commit outrages
And cherish factions: 'tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul and his drink dangerous.

First Sen. He dies.

Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My lords, if not for any parts in him— 75
Though his right arm might purchase his own time
And be in debt to none—yet, more to move you,
Take my deserts to his and join 'em both:
And, for I know your reverend ages love [2255]
Security, I'll pawn my victories, all[2255][2256] 80
My honours to you, upon his good returns.[2255][2257]
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war receive 't in valiant gore;[2258]
For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

First Sen. We are for law: he dies; urge it no more, 85
On height of our displeasure: friend or brother,
He forfeits his own blood that spills another.

Alcib. Must it be so? it must not be. My lords,[2259]
I do beseech you, know me.[2259]

Sec. Sen. How! 90

Alcib. Call me to your remembrances.[2260]

Third Sen. What![2261]

Alcib. I cannot think but your age has forgot me;[2262]
It could not else be I should prove so base
To sue and be denied such common grace: 95
My wounds ache at you.

First Sen. Do you dare our anger?[2263]
'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect;
We banish thee for ever.

Alcib. Banish me!
Banish your dotage; banish usury,
That makes the senate ugly. 100

First Sen. If, after two days' shine, Athens contain thee,[2264]
Attend our weightier judgement. And, not to swell our spirit,[2265][2266][2267]
He shall be executed presently.[2266][2268] [Exeunt Senators.

Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough, that you may live [2269]
Only in bone, that none may look on you![2270] 105
I'm worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money and let out
Their coin upon large interest, I myself
Rich only in large hurts. All those for this?
Is this the balsam that the usuring senate 110
Pours into captains' wounds? Banishment![2271]
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banish'd;
It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,
That I may strike at Athens. I'll cheer up
My discontented troops, and lay for hearts.[2272] 115
'Tis honour with most lands to be at odds;[2273]
Soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods.[2274] [Exit.

Scene VI. A banqueting-room in Timon's house.[2275]

Music. Tables set out: Servants attending. Enter divers Lords, Senators and others, at several doors.[2276]

First Lord. The good time of day to you, sir.[2277]

Sec. Lord. I also wish it to you. I think this honourable [2278]
lord did but try us this other day.

First Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring when [2279]
we encountered: I hope it is not so low with him as he 5
made it seem in the trial of his several friends.

Sec. Lord. It should not be, by the persuasion of his
new feasting.

First Lord. I should think so: he hath sent me an
earnest inviting, which many my near occasions did urge 10
me to put off; but he hath conjured me beyond them, and
I must needs appear.

Sec. Lord. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate
business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am
sorry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my provision 15
was out.

First Lord. I am sick of that grief too, as I understand
how all things go.

Sec. Lord. Every man here's so. What would he have [2280]
borrowed of you? 20

First Lord. A thousand pieces.

Sec. Lord. A thousand pieces!

First Lord. What of you?

Sec. Lord. He sent to me, sir,—Here he comes.[2281]

Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both: and how 25
fare you?

First Lord. Ever at the best, hearing well of your
lordship.

Sec. Lord. The swallow follows not summer more willing [2282][2283]
than we your lordship.[2282] 30

Tim. [Aside] Nor more willingly leaves winter; such [2284]
summer-birds are men.—Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompense[2284]
this long stay: feast your ears with the music
awhile, if they will fare so harshly o' the trumpet's sound;[2285]
we shall to 't presently. 35

First Lord. I hope it remains not unkindly with your
lordship, that I returned you an empty messenger.

Tim. O, sir, let it not trouble you.

Sec. Lord. My noble lord,—[2286]

Tim. Ah, my good friend, what cheer? 40

Sec. Lord. My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of [2287]
shame, that, when your lordship this other day sent to me,[2288]
I was so unfortunate a beggar.

Tim. Think not on 't, sir.

Sec. Lord. If you had sent but two hours before—[2289] 45

Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance.
[The banquet brought in.] Come, bring in all together.[2290]

Sec. Lord. All covered dishes!

First Lord. Royal cheer, I warrant you.

Third Lord. Doubt not that, if money and the season [2291] 50
can yield it.

First Lord. How do you? What's the news?

Third Lord. Alcibiades is banished: hear you of it?[2292]

First and Sec. Lord. Alcibiades banished![2293]

Third Lord.'Tis so, be sure of it. 55

First Lord. How? how?

Sec. Lord. I pray you, upon what?

Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near?

Third Lord. I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble [2294]
feast toward. 60

Sec. Lord. This is the old man still.

Third Lord. Will 't hold? will 't hold?[2295]

Sec. Lord. It does: but time will—and so—[2296]

Third Lord. I do conceive.

Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would 65
to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all places
alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere
we can agree upon the first place: sit, sit. The gods require [2297]
our thanks.

You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness.[2298]70
For your own gifts, make yourselves praised: but[2298]
reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to[2298]
each man enough, that one need not lend to another; for,[2298]
were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake[2298]
the gods. Make the meat be beloved more than the man[2298][2299] 75
that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score[2298]
of villains: if there sit twelve women at the table, let a[2298]
dozen of them be—as they are. The rest of your fees, O[2298][2300]
gods,—the senators of Athens, together with the common[2298]
lag of people,—what is amiss in them, you gods, make[2298][2301] 80
suitable for destruction. For these my present friends,[2298][2302]
as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to[2298][2303]
nothing are they welcome.[2298][2304]

Uncover, dogs, and lap.

Scene V. The Senate-house.[2214]

Scene VI. A banqueting-room in Timon's house.[2275]