The Life Of Timon Of Athens

1 Enter three Senators at one door, Alcibiades meeting them, with
2 Attendants.
3 FIRST SENATOR.
4 My lord, you have my voice to ’t. The fault’s
5 Bloody. ’Tis necessary he should die.
6 Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.
7 SECOND SENATOR.
8 Most true, the law shall bruise ’em.
9 ALCIBIADES.
10 Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!
11 FIRST SENATOR.
12 Now, captain?
13 ALCIBIADES.
14 I am a humble suitor to your virtues,
15 For pity is the virtue of the law,
16 And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
17 It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy
18 Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
19 Hath stepped into the law, which is past depth
20 To those that without heed do plunge into’t.
21 He is a man, setting his fate aside,
22 Of comely virtues,
23 Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice—
24 An honour in him which buys out his fault—
25 But with a noble fury and fair spirit,
26 Seeing his reputation touched to death,
27 He did oppose his foe;
28 And with such sober and unnoted passion
29 He did behave his anger, ere ’twas spent,
30 As if he had but proved an argument.
31 FIRST SENATOR.
32 You undergo too strict a paradox,
33 Striving to make an ugly deed look fair.
34 Your words have took such pains as if they laboured
35 To bring manslaughter into form and set quarrelling
36 Upon the head of valour, which indeed
37 Is valour misbegot and came into the world
38 When sects and factions were newly born.
39 He’s truly valiant that can wisely suffer
40 The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs
41 His outsides to wear them like his raiment, carelessly,
42 And ne’er prefer his injuries to his heart,
43 To bring it into danger.
44 If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,
45 What folly ’tis to hazard life for ill!
46 ALCIBIADES.
47 My lord—
48 FIRST SENATOR.
49 You cannot make gross sins look clear.
50 To revenge is no valour, but to bear.
51 ALCIBIADES.
52 My lords, then, under favour, pardon me
53 If I speak like a captain.
54 Why do fond men expose themselves to battle
55 And not endure all threats? Sleep upon’t,
56 And let the foes quietly cut their throats
57 Without repugnancy? If there be
58 Such valour in the bearing, what make we
59 Abroad? Why, then, women are more valiant
60 That stay at home, if bearing carry it,
61 And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon
62 Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,
63 If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,
64 As you are great, be pitifully good.
65 Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
66 To kill, I grant, is sin’s extremest gust,
67 But in defence, by mercy, ’tis most just.
68 To be in anger is impiety,
69 But who is man that is not angry?
70 Weigh but the crime with this.
71 SECOND SENATOR.
72 You breathe in vain.
73 ALCIBIADES.
74 In vain? His service done
75 At Lacedaemon and Byzantium
76 Were a sufficient briber for his life.
77 FIRST SENATOR.
78 What’s that?
79 ALCIBIADES.
80 Why, I say, my lords, has done fair service
81 And slain in fight many of your enemies.
82 How full of valour did he bear himself
83 In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!
84 SECOND SENATOR.
85 He has made too much plenty with ’em.
86 He’s a sworn rioter. He has a sin
87 That often drowns him and takes his valour prisoner.
88 If there were no foes, that were enough
89 To overcome him. In that beastly fury,
90 He has been known to commit outrages
91 And cherish factions. ’Tis inferred to us
92 His days are foul and his drink dangerous.
93 FIRST SENATOR.
94 He dies.
95 ALCIBIADES.
96 Hard fate! He might have died in war.
97 My lords, if not for any parts in him,
98 Though his right arm might purchase his own time
99 And be in debt to none, yet, more to move you,
100 Take my deserts to his and join ’em both.
101 And, for I know your reverend ages love
102 Security, I’ll pawn my victories, all
103 My honour, to you upon his good returns.
104 If by this crime he owes the law his life,
105 Why, let the war receive’t in valiant gore,
106 For law is strict, and war is nothing more.
107 FIRST SENATOR.
108 We are for law. He dies. Urge it no more,
109 On height of our displeasure. Friend or brother,
110 He forfeits his own blood that spills another.
111 ALCIBIADES.
112 Must it be so? It must not be.
113 My lords, I do beseech you, know me.
114 SECOND SENATOR.
115 How?
116 ALCIBIADES.
117 Call me to your remembrances.
118 THIRD SENATOR.
119 What?
120 ALCIBIADES.
121 I cannot think but your age has forgot me,
122 It could not else be I should prove so base
123 To sue and be denied such common grace.
124 My wounds ache at you.
125 FIRST SENATOR.
126 Do you dare our anger?
127 ’Tis in few words, but spacious in effect:
128 We banish thee for ever.
129 ALCIBIADES.
130 Banish me?
131 Banish your dotage, banish usury,
132 That makes the Senate ugly.
133 FIRST SENATOR.
134 If, after two days’ shine, Athens contain thee,
135 Attend our weightier judgment.
136 And, not to swell our spirit,
137 He shall be executed presently.
138 [_Exeunt Senators._]
139 ALCIBIADES.
140 Now the gods keep you old enough, that you may live
141 Only in bone, that none may look on you!
142 I’m worse than mad. I have kept back their foes
143 While they have told their money and let out
144 Their coin upon large interest, I myself
145 Rich only in large hurts. All those for this?
146 Is this the balsam that the usuring senate
147 Pours into captains’ wounds? Banishment.
148 It comes not ill. I hate not to be banished.
149 It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,
150 That I may strike at Athens. I’ll cheer up
151 My discontented troops and lay for hearts.
152 ’Tis honour with most lands to be at odds.
153 Soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods.
154 [_Exit._]