SCENE III.-The Woods. Timon's Cave, and a rough Tomb near it. Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON. SOLD. By all description this should be the place. [this? Who's here? speak, ho!-No answer? What is [Reads.] TIMON IS DEAD!—who hath outstretch'd his span, Some beast-read this; there does not live a man." [Exit. Enter Senators on the Walls. Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time Our sufferance vainly now the time is flush, 1 SEN. a Who hath, &c.] That is, whoever hath, &c. b TIMON IS DEAD!- who hath outstretch'd his span,- Of the many erroneous interpretations of Shakespeare's text for which his commentators are responsible, none, perhaps, is so remarkable, and, at the same time, so supremely ridiculous, as that into which they have lapsed with regard to the above passage. Not perceiving-what it seems scarcely possible from the lines themselves and their context to miss-that this couplet is an inscription by Timon to indicate his death, and point to the epitaph on his tomb, they have invariably printed it as a portion of the soldier's speech, and thus represented him as misanthropi al as the hero of the piece! Nor was this absurdity sufficient: as, says Warburton, "The soldier had yet only seen the rude pile of earth heaped up for Timon's grave, and not the inscription upon it," we should read: Were not erected by their hands from whom For private faults in them. Into our city with thy banners spread: By decimation, and a tithed death, (If thy revenges hunger for that food, Which nature loathes,) take thou the destin'd tenth; And by the hazard of the spotted die, Let die the spotted. 1 SEN. All have not offended; 2 SEN. 1 SEN. 2 SEN. Then there's my glove; "Some beast rear'd this; " and he prints it accordingly. And because "our poet certainly would not make the soldier call on a beast to read the inscription before he had informed the audience that he could not read it himself; which he does afterwards," Malone adopts Warburton's reading, and every editor since follows his judicious example! What is still more amusing, too, Mr. Collier, who has claimed for his mysterious annotator three-fourths of the most acute of modern emendations, assigns this precious "restoration" to him also! We are curious to know whether he derived it from some manuscript copy of the play, or merely from the traditions of the stage. c Our captain hath in every figure skill;] We are obviously to understand that the insculpture on the tomb, unlike the inscription which he has just read, is in a language the soldier was unacquainted with. d Cunning,-] That is, wisdom, foresight. e Square,-] Equitable. Descend, and open your uncharged ports: Вотн. [The Senators descend, and open the Gates. Enter a Soldier. SOLD. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o' the sea: And on his grave-stone this insculpture; which With wax I brought away, whose soft impression Interprets for my poor ignorance. a Render'd,-] A correction by Mason, the first folio reading, "But shall be remedied by," &c. (*) First folio, Defend. ILLUSTRATIVE COMMENTS. ACT I. (1) SCENE I.-Enter TIMON.] It is so interesting to contrast Shakespeare's exalted conception of Timon's character with the popular idea of the misanthrope in his time, that we need ask no indulgence for reprinting the once familiar story on which, it is believed, the present play was based. THE TWENTY-EIGHTH NOUELL. Of the straunge and beastlie nature of Timon of Athens, enemie to mankinde, with his death, buriali, and Epitaphe. Al the beastes of the worlde do apply theimselues to other beastes of theyr kind, Timon of Athens onely excepted of whose straunge nature Plutarche is astonied, in the life of Marcus Antonius. Plato and Aristophanes do report his marveylous nature, because he was a man but by shape onely, in qualities hee was the capitall enemie of mankinde, which he confessed franckely vtterly to abhorre and hate. He dwelt alone in a litle cabane in the fieldes not farre from Athenes, separated from all neighbours and company; he neuer wente to the citie, or to any other habitable place, except he were constrayned: he could not abide any mans company and conuersation: he was neuer seen to goe to any mannes house, ne yet would suffer them to come to him. At the same time there was in Athenes another of like qualitie, called Apemantus, of the very same nature, differente from the naturall kinde of man, and lodged likewise in the middes of the fields. On a day they two being alone together at dinner, Apemantus said vnto him: "O Timon, what a pleasant feast is this, and what a merie companie are wee, being no more but thou and I." Naie (quoth Timon) it would be a merie banquet in deede, if there were none here but my selfe." Wherein he shewed how like a beast (in deede) he was : for he could not abide any other man, being not able to suffer the company of him, which was of like nature. And if by chaunce hee happened to goe to Athenes, it was onelye to speake with Alcibiades, who then was an excellente captaine there, whereat many did marueile: and therefore Apemantus demaunded of him, why he spake to no man, but to Alcibiades. "I speake to him sometimes," said Timon, "because I know that by his occasion, the Atheniens shall receiue great hurt and trouble." Which wordes many times he told to Alcibiades himselfe. He had a garden adioyning to his house in the fields, wherin was a figge tree, wheruppon many desperate men ordinarily did hange themselues: in place whereof, he purposed to set vp a house, and therefore was forced to cutte it donne, for which cause hee went to Athenes, and in the markette place, hee called the people about him, saying that hee had newes to tell them: when the people vnderstoode that he was about to make a discourse vnto them, which was wont to speake to no man, they marueiled, and the citizens on every part of the citie, ranne to heare him: to whom he saide, that he purposed to cutte doune his figge tree, to builde a house vpon the place where it stoode. "Wherefore (quoth he) if there be any man amonges you all in this company, that is disposed to hange himselfe, let him come betimes, before it be cutte doune." Hauing thus bestowed his charitie amonges the people, hee returned to his lodging, wher he liued a certaine time after, without alteration of nature; and because that nature chaunged not in his life time, he would not suffer that death should alter, or varie the same for like as he liued a beastly and churlish life, euen so he required to haue his funerall done after that maner. By his last will he ordeined himselfe to be interred vpon the sea shore, that the waues and surges might beate and vexe his dead carcas. Yea, and that if it were possible, his desire was to be buried in the depth of the sea: causing an epitaphe to be made, wherin was described the qualities of his brutishe life. Plutarche also reporteth an other to be made by Calimachus, much like to that which Timon made himselfe, whose owne soundeth to this effect in Englishe verse. My wretched catife dayes, My carren corps intered here, Is fast in grounde: In wallring waues of swel ling sea by surges cast, My name if thou desire, The gods thee doe confounde. PAYNTER'S Palace of Pleasure, Tom. I. (2) SCENE I.-Enter APEMANTUS.] The name and disposition of this cynic were probably borrowed by the original author of the play from Paynter's novel, though he appears to have caught some hints for the delineation from the following lively scene in Lucian's Dialogues : Mercury. You Fellow, with the Scrip over your shoulder, stand forth, and walke round the Assembly. O yes, I sell a stout, ver tuous, well-bred, free mortall. Who buyes him? Merchant. Do you sell a Free-man, Cryer? Mercury. Yes. *** Merchant. To what imployment may a man put such a slovenly ill-lookt fellow, unlesse he should make him a Delver, or Water. bearer? Mercury. That's not all, set him to keep your house, you will need no Dogs. His name is Dogge. Merchant. What's his Countrey or Profession? Merchant. I fear his crabbed, grimme looks, least he should bark, if I should draw neer, and bite me. Do you not see how he lifts his Staffe, and bends his Brows, and how threatningly, and Cholerick he looks? Mercury. Fear him not, he is very tame. Merchant. Of what Countrey are you, my Friend Diogenes. The things which you are chiefly to learn, are to be impudent, bold, to barke without distinction at all, both Kinges, and private men. A way to make them regard and admire you, for a valiant man. Let your speech be Barbarous, and your Elocution rude, and Artlesse, like a dogge. Let your look be forced and your Gate be agreeable to your look. In a word, let your whole behaviour be beastly and savage. Be Modesty, Gentlenesse, and moderation far from you, and all blushing quite blotted out of your face. You are to frequent, also, populous places, and there to walk alone, and unaccompanied, and neither to salute acquaintance or stranger, for that were to destroy your Empire. **** Hereby you will neither need Education or Studies, or such like trifles, but will arrive at glory a more compendious way. Though you be an Idiot, or Tanner, or Salter, or Mason, or Banker, yet these are no hindrances, why you should not be admired, if you have impudence, and boldnesse, and can artificially rayle.From the Sale of Philosophers," in Lucian's Dialogues, translated by Jasper Mayne, 1638, published 1664, pp. 383-4. (1) SCENE VI.— ACT III. Burn, house! sink, Athens! henceforth hated be Of Timon, man and all humanity!] The circumstances which led to Timon's self-expulsion, and many of the incidents in his subsequent career, are touched on, though slightly, in the following passage from Plutarch's Life of Antony:-"Antonius, he forsooke the citie and companie of his frendes, and built him a house in the sea, by the Ile of Pharos, upon certaine forced mountes which he caused to be cast into the sea, and dwelt there, as a man that banished him selfe from all mens companie saying that he would lead Timons life, bicause he had the like wrong offered him, that was affore offered unto Timon: and that for the unthankefulnes of those he had done good unto, and whom he tooke to be his frendes, he was angry with all men, and would trust no man. This Timon was a citizen of Athens, that lived about the warre of Peloponnesus, as appeareth by Plato, and Aristophanes commedies in the which they mocked him, calling him a vyper, and malicious man unto mankind, to shunne all other mens companies, but the companie of young Alcibiades, a bolde and insolent youth, whom he woulde greatly feast, and make much of, and kissed him very gladly. Apemantus wondering at it, asked him the cause what he ment to make so muche of that young man alone, and to hate all others: Timon aunswered him, I do it, sayd he, bicause I know that one day he shall do great mischiefe unto the Athenians. This Timon sometimes would have Apemantus in his companie, bicause he was much like to his nature and condicions, and also followed him in maner of life. On a time when they solemnly celebrated the feasts called Chow at Athens (to wit, the feasts of the dead, where they make sprincklings and sacrifices for the dead), and that they two then feasted together by them selves, Apemantus said unto the other: O, here is a trimme banket Timon. Timon aunswered againe, yea said he, so thou wert not here. It is reported of him also, that this Timon on a time (the people being assembled in the market place about dispatch of some affaires) got up into the pulpit for Orations, where the Orators commonly use to speake unto the people and silence being made, everie man listning to heare what he would say, bicause it was a wonder to see him in that place at length he began to speake in this maner. My Lordes of Athens, I have a litle yard in my house where there groweth a figge tree, on the which many citizens have hanged them selves: and bicause I meane to make some building upon the place, I thought good to let you all understand it, that before the figge tree be cut downe, if any of you be desperate, you may there in time goe hang your selves. He dyed in the citie of Hales, and was buried upon the sea side. Nowe it chaunced so, that the sea getting in, it compassed his tombe rounde about, (2) SCENE VI.-One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.] Subjoined is the scene from the old manuscript play, before mentioned, to which Shakespeare or his predecessor is supposed to have been indebted for the idea of the mock banquet in Act III. :— Tim. Why doe yee not fall to? I am at home: I'le drinke this cuppe, a healthe to all your healths! Let it bee ratsbane to them! Gelas. What, wilt thou have the legge or els the winge? And make a beaste of him. Phil. Timon, this healthe to thee. These artichokes doe noe mans pallat please. Tim. Here, take them, then. [Aride. Tim. If I Joves horridde thunderbolte did holde Within my hande, thus, thus would I darte it! [Hee hilts HERN. [Exeunt all except TIM. and LACK. Act IV. Sc. 5. ACT IV. (1) SCENE III.-I am misanthropos, and hate mankind.] The epithet, misanthropos, was perhaps taken, as Malone conjectured, from a marginal note in North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Antony: "Antonius followeth the life and example of Timon Misanthropus, the Athenian;" or it might have been derived by the original author of this drama, from the subjoined soliloquy in "Lucian: "— "I will purchase the whole confines of this countrey, and build a towre over my treasure big enough for myself alone to live in, and which I purpose shall be my sepulchre at my death; and for the remainder of my ensuing life, I will resolve upon these rules, to accompany no man, to take notice of no man, and to live in contempt of all men: the title of friend, or guest, or companion, or the altar of mercy, are but meer toyes, not worth a straw to be talkt of: to be sorry for him that weeps, or help him that wants, shall be a transgression and breach of our laws: I will eat alone as wolves do, and have but one friend in the world to bear me company, and that shall be Timon; all others shall be enemies and traitors, and to have speech with any of them, an absolute piacle [enormity]: If I do but see a man, that day shall be dismal and accursed: I will make no difference between them and statues of stone and brass: I will admit no messenger from them, nor contract any truce with them, but solitariness shall be the main limit betwixt me and them; to be of the same tribe, the same fraternity, the same people, or the same countrey, shall be but poor and unprofitable terms, to be respected by none but fools; let Timon alone be rich, and live in despight of all other; let him revel alone by himself, far from flattery and odious commendations; let him sacrifice to the gods, and make good chear alone, as a neighbour conjoyned only to himself, discarding all other; and let it be further enacted, that it shall be lawful for him only to shake himself by the hand, that is, either when he is about to die, or to set a crown upon his head; and the welcomest name to him in the world is to be called Man-hater."-HICKES' Lucian, fol. 1663, p. 174. (4) SCENE III.-Wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self the conquest of thy jury. An allusion to the notion once current, that this fabulous animal, in the impetuosity of its attack, would sometimes strike its horn into the root of a tree so deeply, as to become transfixed:-"He is an enemy to the lions, wherefore as soon as ever a lion seeth a unicorn, he runneth to a tree for succour, that so when the unicorn maketh force at him, he may not only avoid his horn, but also destroy him; for the unicorn in the swiftness of his course runneth against the tree, wherein his sharp horn sticketh fast, then when the lion seeth the unicorn fastened by the horn, without all danger he falleth upon him and killeth him. These things are reported by the King of Ethiopia, in an Hebrew epistle unto the Bishop of Rome."-TOPSEL'S History of Four-footed Beasts, ed. 1658, p. 557. So too Spenser :— "Like as a lion whose imperial power A proud rebellious Vnicorn defies, To avoid the rash assault and wrathful stour Of his fierce foe, him to a tree applies; And when him running in full course he spies, He slips aside; the whiles the furious beast His precious horn, sought of his enemies, Faery Queen, b. ii. Canto V. st. 5. (4) SCENE III.-Each thing's a thief.] Timon's magnificent exemplifications of thievery, like others of a less elevated and universal kind, which are to be found in writers of his period, had their origin probably in Anacreon's graceful ode, beginning-H yn peλaiva nivel. Thus in the old play of Albumazar, quoted by Stee vens: "The world's a theatre of theft: great rivers In farther illustration of the same idea, an antiquarian correspondent supplies the following lines, which, however, though bearing the early date of 1590, are, it is plain, but of comparatively modern composition : "Certaine fine Thoughtes gathered oute of the Greeke and Romane Authours, and done into English. 1590. AN EPIGRAM ON THEEUES. (1.) Eache Thing that liues of somewhat else So if it were that Nature tells For worldlie superfluitie Here is a sure reliefe ; When euerie Thing is made to be A Giver, or a Theefe. (2.) A glorious Robber is the Sunne, Hee robbes the boundlesse sea: the Moone O're the broade Earthe, and Ocean too: Absorbs the Vapoures, Mists, and Dewe (3.) The brutish Earthe can little give From her composture rude : Though some there be ordaind to live Upon Earthes foulest foode. Is all Creation then but fedde By Spoile, his Life to gaine? Nay,-all Things liuing be but made Eache other to maintaine." |