The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1046 page)

Live, and enjoy your misery.

TIMON

Long live so, and so die.   I am quit.

Exit APEMANTUS

Moe things like men! Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

Live a long miserable life, and then die. I'm finished.

More men coming! Eat, Timon, and shun them.

Enter Banditti

First Bandit

Where should he have this gold? It is some poor

fragment, some slender sort of his remainder: the

mere want of gold, and the falling-from of his

friends, drove him into this melancholy.

Where would he have got this gold from? It'll just be

some tiny bit left over from his fortune: it was

a lack of gold, and his friends abandoning

him, which drove him into this depression.

Second Bandit

It is noised he hath a mass of treasure.

It's rumoured he has a great treasure.

Third Bandit

Let us make the assay upon him: if he care not

for't, he will supply us easily; if he covetously

reserve it, how shall's get it?

Let's put him to the test: if he doesn't care

about it, he'll gladly give it to us; if he greedily

hoards it, how shall we get it?

Second Bandit

True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid.

That's true, for he is not carrying it with him, it's hidden.

First Bandit

Is not this he?

Isn't this him?

Banditti

Where?

Where?

Second Bandit

'Tis his description.

He looks like his description.

Third Bandit

He; I know him.

It's him; I recognise him.

Banditti

Save thee, Timon.

God save you, Timon.

TIMON

Now, thieves?

What's this, thieves?

Banditti

Soldiers, not thieves.

Soldiers, not thieves.

TIMON

Both too; and women's sons.

You are both; and sons of women.

Banditti

We are not thieves, but men that much do want.

We are not thieves, but very much in need.

TIMON

Your greatest want is, you want much of meat.

Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots;

Within this mile break forth a hundred springs;

The oaks bear mast, the briers scarlet hips;

The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush

Lays her full mess before you. Want! why want?

Your greatest need is, you want plenty of meat.

Why do you need it? Look, the Earth has roots;

there are a hundred streams within a mile of here;

the oaks have acorns, the brambles red fruit;

the generous housewife of nature has laid out

her great feast in front of you. Need! Why do you need?

First Bandit

We cannot live on grass, on berries, water,

As beasts and birds and fishes.

We can't live on grass, berries and water,

like animals and birds and fish.

TIMON

Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes;

You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con

That you are thieves profess'd, that you work not

In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft

In limited professions. Rascal thieves,

Here's gold. Go, suck the subtle blood o' the grape,

Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth,

And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;

His antidotes are poison, and he slays

Moe than you rob: take wealth and lives together.

Do villany, do, since you protest to do't,

Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery.

The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction

Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,

And her pale fire she snatches from the sun:

The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves

The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,

That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen

From general excrement: each thing's a thief:

The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power

Have uncheque'd theft. Love not yourselves: away,

Rob one another. There's more gold. Cut throats:

All that you meet are thieves: to Athens go,

Break open shops; nothing can you steal,

But thieves do lose it: steal no less for this

I give you; and gold confound you howsoe'er! Amen.

You can't live on the animals themselves, the birds and fish;

you have to eat men. But I must thank you for

admitting that you are thieves, that you don't pretend

to be something better: for there is limitless thievery

in business. Rascally thieves,

take this gold. Go, guzzle wine

until your blood starts to boil,

and so escape hanging. Don't trust the doctor;

his medicines are poison, and he kills

more people than you rob: he takes their money and their lives together.

Since villainy is your profession then do it

professionally. I'll justify your thievery for you;

the sun is a thief, with his great pull

he robs the vast sea: the moon is definitely a thief,

she steals her pale light from the Sun:

the sea is a thief, stealing the power of the moon

for its tides: the Earth is a thief,

feeding and breeding with a fertiliser stolen

from dung: everything is a thief:

the law, which constrains and whips you, has the power

for unrestrained theft. Don't respect yourselves: go,

and rob each other. Here's some more gold. Cut some throats:

everyone you meet is a thief: go to Athens,

break open the shops; there's nothing you can steal,

that you're not stealing from thieves: don't steal less

just because you have what I've given you; and may

gold lead you to damnation! Amen.

Third Bandit

Has almost charmed me from my profession, by

persuading me to it.

He's almost dissuaded me from thievery, by

encouraging me to do it.

First Bandit

'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises

us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

He's talking to us like this out of hatred for mankind,

not because he wants us to do well in our profession.

Second Bandit

I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade.

I'll do the opposite of what my enemy says, and give up my profession.

First Bandit

Let us first see peace in Athens: there is no time

so miserable but a man may be true.

Let's wait until there is peace in Athens: we don't have to

hurry about reforming when there are better things to do.

Exeunt Banditti

Enter FLAVIUS

FLAVIUS

O you gods!

Is yond despised and ruinous man my lord?

Full of decay and failing? O monument

And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd!

What an alteration of honour

Has desperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth than friends

Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!

How rarely does it meet with this time's guise,

When man was wish'd to love his enemies!

Grant I may ever love, and rather woo

Those that would mischief me than those that do!

Has caught me in his eye: I will present

My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord,

Still serve him with my life. My dearest master!

Oh you gods!

Is that despicable and ruined man my lord?

Full of decay and weakness? What an example

of good deeds done for the wrong people!

What a great change

desperate poverty has made!

What is there on earth more horrible than friends

who reduce the noblest minds to such a position!

How admirably it fits with the way of the world,

that a man's enemies are the ones he loved!

If I ever love let me love those

who want to harm me, rather than those who say they love me!

He has seen me: I will tell him

how sad I am; and, as he is my lord,

I will carry on serving him with my life. My dearest master!

TIMON

Away! what art thou?

Go away! Who are you?

FLAVIUS

Have you forgot me, sir?

Have you forgotten me, sir?

TIMON

Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men;

Then, if thou grant'st thou'rt a man, I have forgot thee.

Why are you asking that? I have forgotten all men;

so, if you say you are a man, I have forgotten you.

FLAVIUS

An honest poor servant of yours.

I am an honest poor servant of yours.

TIMON

Then I know thee not:

I never had honest man about me, I; all

I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains.

Then I don't know you:

I never had an honest man with me; all

my servants were knaves, used to bring in food for villains.

FLAVIUS

The gods are witness,

Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief

For his undone lord than mine eyes for you.

The gods are witnesses to the fact

that no poor steward was ever so sad

for his fallen master than I am for you.

TIMON

What, dost thou weep? Come nearer. Then I

love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st

Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give

But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping:

Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping!

What, are you weeping? Come closer. Then I

love you,

because you are a woman, and aren't part of

stony hearted mankind; their eyes never shed tears

except through lust and laughter. Pity is sleeping:

these are strange times, that weep with laughter, not with sorrow!

FLAVIUS

I beg of you to know me, good my lord,

To accept my grief and whilst this poor wealth lasts

To entertain me as your steward still.

I beg you to recognise me, my good lord,

to accept my sorrow and let me be your steward

for as long as this poor wealth lasts.

TIMON

Had I a steward

So true, so just, and now so comfortable?

It almost turns my dangerous nature mild.