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 countrymen,—

1 Sen. These words become your lips as they pass through them.

2 Sen. And enter in our ears, like great triúmphers

In their applauding gates.

Tim.
Commend me to them;
And tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs,
Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, loffes,
Their pangs of love, with other incident throes
That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain

In life's uncertain voyage, I will fome kindness do them:
I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath.
2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again.
Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close,
That mine own ufe invites me to cut down,
And shortly muft I fell it; Tell my friends,
Tell Athens, in the fequence of degree,
From high to low throughout, that whofo please
To stop affliction, let him take his haste,

Come hither, ere my tree hath felt the axe,
And hang himself :-I pray you, do my greeting.
Flav. Trouble him no further, thus you ftill fhall find
him.

Tim. Come not to me again: but fay to Athens,

Timon hath made his everlasting manfion

Upon the beached verge of the falt flood;
Which once a day with his emboffed froth

The turbulent furge fhall cover; thither come,
And let my grave-stone be your oracle.
Lips, let four words go by, and language end :

What

What is amifs, plague and infection mend!

Graves only be men's works; and death their gain!
Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his reign.

1 Sen. His difcontents are unremoveably Coupled to nature.

[Exit TIMON.

2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, And ftrain what other means is left unto us

Enter two Senators, and a Messenger.

› Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his files As full as thy report?

Mell.

I have spoke the leaft:

Befides his expedition promises

Prefent approach.

2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Ti

mon.

Meff. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend

Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd,.

Yet our old love made 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'the cause against your city,
In part for his fake mov'd.

I Sen.

Enter Senators from TIMON.

Here come our brothers. nothing of him expect.— and fearful fcouring

2 Sen. No talk of Timon, The enemies' drum is heard,

Doth choke the air with duft: In, and prepare;
Ours is the fall, I fear, our foes the fnare.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The Woods. Timon's Cave, and a tomb-flone feen.

Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON.

Sol. By all defcription this fhould be the place.
Who's here? fpeak, ho!-No answer ?-What is this?
Timon is dead, who hath out-stretch'd his fpan :
Some beaft rear'd this; there does not live a man.
Dead, fure; 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 aged interpreter, though young in days;
Before proud Athens he's fet down by this,
Whofe fall the mark of his ambition is.

[Exit.

SCENE

SCENE V.

Before the Walls of Athens.

Trumpets found. Enter ALCIBIADES, and Forces.

Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our terrible approach. [A parley founded.

Enter Senators on the Walls.

Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time
With all licentious measure, making your wills
The scope of juftice; till now, myself, and such
As flept within the fhadow of your power,
Have wander'd with our travers'd arms, and breath'd
Our fufferance vainly: Now the time is flush,
When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong,
Cries, of itfelf, No more: now breathlefs wrong
Shall fit and pant in your great chairs of ease;
And purfy infolence shall break his wind,
With fear, and horrid flight.

Noble, and young,

1 Sen.
When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit,
Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear,
We fent to thee; to give thy rages balm,

To wipe out our ingratitude with loves
Above their quantity.

Transformed Timon to our city's love,

By humble meffage, and by promis'd means;
We were not all unkind, nor all deferve

The common stroke of war.

1 Sen.

These walls of ours

Were not erected by their hands, from whom

You have receiv'd your griefs: nor are they such,
That these great towers, trophies, and fchools fhould fall
For private faults in them.

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 loaths,) take thou the destin’d tenth;
And by the hazard of the spotted die,

Let die the spotted.

1 Sen.

All have not offended;

For those that were, it is not fquare, to take,
On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands,
Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:
Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin,
Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall
With those that have offended: like a fhepherd,
Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth,
But kill not all together.

2 Sen.

What thou wilt,

Thou rather fhalt enforce it with thy fmile,

Than hew to't with thy fword.

I Sen.

Set but thy foot

Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope;

So thou wilt fend thy gentle heart before,

To fay, thou'lt enter friendly.

2 Sen.

Or any token of thine honour else,

Throw thy glove,

That