The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1048 page)

Come on, let's look for him:

it would be a sin against our prospects

to come too late, when there is a profit to be had.

Painter

True;

When the day serves, before black-corner'd night,

Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light. Come.

True;

while the daylight lasts let's find what we're after by the

bright light, before the darkness of night falls. Come on.

TIMON

[Aside] I'll meet you at the turn. What a

god's gold,

That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple

Than where swine feed!

'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark and plough'st the foam,

Settlest admired reverence in a slave:

To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye

Be crown'd with plagues that thee alone obey!

Fit I meet them.

I'll intercept you. What a

god gold is,

who is worshipped in a temple

lower than a pigsty!

You're the one who sets the sails and crosses the sea,

makes a slave admire and worship his master:

let you be worshipped! And let your saints

who only follow you be rewarded with plagues!

I should greet them now.

Coming forward

Poet

Hail, worthy Timon!

Greetings, worthy Timon!

Painter

Our late noble master!

Our former noble master!

TIMON

Have I once lived to see two honest men?

Have I lived to see two honest men?

Poet

Sir,

Having often of your open bounty tasted,

Hearing you were retired, your friends fall'n off,

Whose thankless natures--O abhorred spirits!--

Not all the whips of heaven are large enough:

What! to you,

Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence

To their whole being! I am rapt and cannot cover

The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude

With any size of words.

Sir,

having often sampled your great generosity,

hearing you had withdrawn, with your friends abandoning you,

for whose ingratitude–revolting souls that they are!–

There is not enough punishment in heaven:

what! Ingratitude to you,

whose heavenly nobility gave life and meaning

to their whole beings! I'm so moved, I can't

begin to put the scale of their ingratitude

into words.

TIMON

Let it go naked, men may see't the better:

You that are honest, by being what you are,

Make them best seen and known.

Just speak plainly, men may see it better:

you who are honest, by being who you are,

will show them up for who they are.

Painter

He and myself

Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts,

And sweetly felt it.

Him and I

have walked through the shower of your gifts,

which were a sweet rain.

TIMON

Ay, you are honest men.

Yes, you are honest men.

Painter

We are hither come to offer you our service.

We have come here to offer you our service.

TIMON

Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you?

Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no.

Most honest men! Why, how shall I repay you?

Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? No.

Both

What we can do, we'll do, to do you service.

We'll do whatever we can to serve you.

TIMON

Ye're honest men: ye've heard that I have gold;

I am sure you have: speak truth; ye're honest men.

You are honest men: you've heard that I have gold;

I'm sure you have heard: tell the truth; you are honest men.

Painter

So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore

Came not my friend nor I.

So they say, my noble lord; but that's not

why my friend nor I came here.

TIMON

Good honest men! Thou draw'st a counterfeit

Best in all Athens: thou'rt, indeed, the best;

Thou counterfeit'st most lively.

Good honest men! You can draw a picture

better than anyone in Athens: you're certainly the best;

nobody fakes it better than you.

Painter

So, so, my lord.

I do it indifferently, my lord.

TIMON

E'en so, sir, as I say. And, for thy fiction,

Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth

That thou art even natural in thine art.

But, for all this, my honest-natured friends,

I must needs say you have a little fault:

Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you, neither wish I

You take much pains to mend.

It's just as I say, sir. And as for your inventions,

why, your verse is so puffed up with fine smooth things

that your art imitates your personality.

But for all this, my honest friends,

I have to say you do have a little fault:

mind you, it's not terrible, and I wouldn't want

you to take much effort to correct it.

Both

Beseech your honour

To make it known to us.

We beg your honour

to tell us what it is.

TIMON

You'll take it ill.

You won't like it.

Both

Most thankfully, my lord.

We would be very grateful to know, my lord.

TIMON

Will you, indeed?

Would you really?

Both

Doubt it not, worthy lord.

Don't doubt it, good lord.

TIMON

There's never a one of you but trusts a knave,

That mightily deceives you.

You put your trust in a knave,

who is greatly deceiving you.

Both

Do we, my lord?

Do we, my lord?

TIMON

Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,

Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,

Keep in your bosom: yet remain assured

That he's a made-up villain.

Yes, and you hear him cheat, see him fake,

know his terrible knavery, love him, feed him,

hold  him to your hearts: but you can be sure

that he's a complete villain.

Painter

I know none such, my lord.

I don't know anyone like that, my lord.

Poet

Nor I.

Nor do I.

TIMON

Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold,

Rid me these villains from your companies:

Hang them or stab them, drown them in a draught,

Confound them by some course, and come to me,

I'll give you gold enough.

Now look, I like you very much; I'll give you gold,

if you throw these villains out of your company:

hang them or stab them, drown them in a sewer,

defeat them in some way, and come back to me,

I'll give you plenty of gold.

Both

Name them, my lord, let's know them.

Tell us who they are, my lord, let us know.

TIMON

You that way and you this, but two in company;

Each man apart, all single and alone,

Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.

If where thou art two villains shall not be,

Come not near him. If thou wouldst not reside

But where one villain is, then him abandon.

Hence, pack! there's gold; you came for gold, ye slaves:

To Painter

You have work'd for me; there's payment for you: hence!

To Poet

You are an alchemist; make gold of that.

Out, rascal dogs!

You there and you here, just the two of you;

each man standing alone,

but there is a villain with him.

If, where you are, there isn't room for two villains,

don't come near him. If you want to live where

there is only one villain, then leave him.

So, be off! Here's gold; you came for gold, you slaves:

[to painter]

you have worked for me; there is payment for you: get out!

[To poet]

You are an alchemist, make gold out of these stones!

Beats them out, and then retires to his cave

Enter FLAVIUS and two Senators

FLAVIUS

It is in vain that you would speak with Timon;

For he is set so only to himself

That nothing but himself which looks like man

Is friendly with him.

There's no point in trying to speak to Timon;

he is so self absorbed

that the only man he wants to be with

is himself.

First Senator

Bring us to his cave:

It is our part and promise to the Athenians

To speak with Timon.

Take us to his cave:

we have promised the Athenians that we

will speak to Timon.

Second Senator

At all times alike

Men are not still the same: 'twas time and griefs

That framed him thus: time, with his fairer hand,

Offering the fortunes of his former days,

The former man may make him. Bring us to him,

And chance it as it may.

Men don't stay the same

at all times: it was a particular circumstance and grief

that made him as he is: time, treating him better,

offering him the fortunes he had in the past,

may change him back to the way he was. Take us to him,

and let's see what happens.

FLAVIUS

Here is his cave.

Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon!

Look out, and speak to friends: the Athenians,

By two of their most reverend senate, greet thee:

Speak to them, noble Timon.

Here is his cave.

May peace and happiness be here! Lord Timon! Timon!

Look out, and speak to friends: the Athenians

send their greetings through two members of their noble senate:

speak to them, noble Timon.

TIMON comes from his cave

TIMON

Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn! Speak, and

be hang'd:

For each true word, a blister! and each false

Be as cauterizing to the root o' the tongue,