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Act 2, Scene 1
Timon of Athens Translation Act 2, Scene 2
Enter FLAVIUS, with many bills in his hand
FLAVIUS
No care, no stop! so senseless of expense, That he will neither know how to maintain it, Nor cease his flow of riot: takes no account How things go from him, nor resumes no care Of what is to continue: never mind Was to be so unwise, to be so kind. What shall be done? he will not hear, till feel: I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting. Fie, fie, fie, fie!
FLAVIUS
He has no common sense, no restraint! He spends his money so thoughtlessly that there is no way he will ever learn to care for it responsibly or even stop lending it out extravagantly. He does not even take account of what he gives away, nor does he give a thought to what means he has to keep this up. I have never seen someone so dumb, but so kind. But what can we do? He will not listen until he suffers for his actions. I must be honest with him, and here he comes from hunting. Damn, damn, damn!
Enter CAPHIS, and the Servants of Isidore and Varro
CAPHIS
Good even, Varro: what,You come for money?
CAPHIS
Good evening. You've come from Varro for money?
Varro's Servant
Is't not your business too?
Varro's Servant
Isn't that why you're here too?
CAPHIS
It is: and yours too, Isidore?
CAPHIS
Yes, and you come from Isidore for the same?
Isidore's Servant
It is so.
Isidore's Servant
Yes.
CAPHIS
Would we were all discharged!
CAPHIS
I just want to get paid!
Varro's Servant
I fear it.
Varro's Servant
I'm worried we won't be.
CAPHIS
Here comes the lord.
CAPHIS
Here he comes.
Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, & c
TIMON
So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again,My Alcibiades. With me? what is your will?
TIMON
So as soon as we're done with dinner you will be leaving, Alcibiades.
[To CAPHIS] What? You're here to see me?
CAPHIS
My lord, here is a note of certain dues.
CAPHIS
Yes my lord, here is a note stating your debts.
TIMON
Dues! Whence are you?
TIMON
Debts! Where are you from?
CAPHIS
Of Athens here, my lord.
CAPHIS
Athens, my lord.
TIMON
Go to my steward.
TIMON
Go see my assistant.
CAPHIS
Please it your lordship, he hath put me off To the succession of new days this month: My master is awaked by great occasion To call upon his own, and humbly prays you That with your other noble parts you'll suit In giving him his right.
CAPHIS
Please, he has been putting me off every day for the past month. Please, my master is newly aware of reasons to want his money back, and only asks that your honor will prove consistent and give him what you owe.
TIMON
Mine honest friend,I prithee, but repair to me next morning.
TIMON
Fine, just please wait until tomorrow morning.
CAPHIS
Nay, good my lord,—
CAPHIS
No.
TIMON
Contain thyself, good friend.
TIMON
Calm down.
Varro's Servant
One Varro's servant, my good lord,—
Varro's Servant
I come as Varro's servant, sir—
Isidore's Servant
From Isidore;He humbly prays your speedy payment.
Isidore's Servant
And I come as Isidore's. He wants you to pay him back as soon as possible.
CAPHIS
If you did know, my lord, my master's wants—
CAPHIS
If you knew why my master needed the money, sir—
Varro's Servant
'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks And past.
Varro's Servant
Your debt was owed six weeks ago.
Isidore's Servant
Your steward puts me off, my lord;And I am sent expressly to your lordship.
Isidore's Servant
Your assistant keeps ignoring me, and now I've been told to speak only to you.
TIMON
Give me breath.I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;I'll wait upon you instantly.
TIMON
Give me a second. Please wait a bit and I'll be with you as soon as I can.
Exeunt ALCIBIADES and Lords
To FLAVIUS
TIMON
Come hither: pray you, How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd With clamourous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detention of long-since-due debts, Against my honour?
TIMON
Come here, please. What the hell is going on? Why is everyone yelling at me about overdue payments, which I promised to pay a long time ago?
FLAVIUS
Please you, gentlemen, The time is unagreeable to this business: Your importunacy cease till after dinner, That I may make his lordship understand Wherefore you are not paid.
FLAVIUS
Please, sir. Now is not the time to talk about this. Keep your questions until after dinner, then I will tell you why you have not repaid these debts.
TIMON
Do so, my friends. See them well entertain'd.
TIMON
Ok, and make sure to take care of them.
Exit
FLAVIUS
Pray, draw near.
FLAVIUS
Here it comes.
Exit
Enter APEMANTUS and Fool
CAPHIS
Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus:let's ha' some sport with 'em.
CAPHIS
Look! Here comes Apemantus with the fool. Let's make fun of them.
Varro's Servant
Hang him, he'll abuse us.
Varro's Servant
We should kill him before he harasses us.
Isidore's Servant
A plague upon him, dog!
Isidore's Servant
I do hope that dog dies.
Varro's Servant
How dost, fool?
Varro's Servant
What's up, fool?
APEMANTUS
Dost dialogue with thy shadow?
APEMANTUS
Are you talking to yourself?
Varro's Servant
I speak not to thee.
Varro's Servant
I'm not talking to you.
APEMANTUS
No,'tis to thyself.
APEMANTUS
Exactly, you could only be calling yourself a fool.
To the Fool
APEMANTUS
Come away.
APEMANTUS
Let's go.
Isidore's Servant
There's the fool hangs on your back already.
Isidore's Servant
Actually, it seems the "fool" goes with you.
APEMANTUS
No, thou stand'st single, thou'rt not on him yet.
APEMANTUS
You're not even good enough to come with me. You are the fool.
CAPHIS
Where's the fool now?
CAPHIS
Wait, now, who does the title, "fool," attend now?
APEMANTUS
He last asked the question. Poor rogues, andusurers' men! bawds between gold and want!
APEMANTUS
The man who needs to ask. You poor idiots, working for money-lenders. You're like whores who shuttle between money and greed?
ALL SERVANTS
What are we, Apemantus?
ALL SERVANTS
What did you call us?
APEMANTUS
Asses.
APEMANTUS
Asses.
ALL SERVANTS
Why?
ALL SERVANTS
Excuse me?
APEMANTUS
That you ask me what you are, and do not knowyourselves. Speak to 'em, fool.
APEMANTUS
Proof of it lies in the fact that you even need to ask, because you don't even know that you're asses. Go ahead, fool.
FOOL
How do you, gentlemen?
FOOL
Good day, gentlemen.
ALL SERVANTS
Gramercies, good fool: how does your mistress?
ALL SERVANTS
Why thank you! How is your whore girlfriend?
FOOL
She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickensas you are. Would we could see you at Corinth!
FOOL
She's sitting over hot water to sweat out STDs like yourselves. If only we had known about you all at the Corinth whorehouse!
APEMANTUS
Good! gramercy.
APEMANTUS
Haha. Well done!
Enter Page
FOOL
Look you, here comes my mistress' page.
FOOL
Look, here comes my girlfriend's little man.
PAGE
[To the Fool] Why, how now, captain! what do youin this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?
PAGE
[To the FOOL] What are you doing here with these people? And how are you Apemantus?
APEMANTUS
Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answerthee profitably.
APEMANTUS
I wish my mouth were a bat to beat you with. That way, I could answer your question correctly.
PAGE
Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription ofthese letters: I know not which is which.
PAGE
Please Apemantus, could you read the different lines in these letters? I can't make any sense of them.
APEMANTUS
Canst not read?
APEMANTUS
You can't read?
PAGE
No.
PAGE
No.
APEMANTUS
There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to Lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou't die a bawd.
APEMANTUS
You might as well die, because the day you can't learn is the day you are basically hanged.
[Gesturing with the letters] This one is to Lord Timon, and this one is to Alcibiades. You were born a bastard, and now you'll die a whore.
PAGE
Thou wast whelped a dog, and thou shalt famish adog's death. Answer not; I am gone.
PAGE
You talk like a dog and you're going to die like a dog. Don't even answer me, I'm leaving.
Exit
APEMANTUS
E'en so thou outrunnest grace. Fool, I will go withyou to Lord Timon's.
APEMANTUS
You're running away from the teaching that might have saved you.
[To the FOOL] Let's go together to Lord Timon's.
FOOL
Will you leave me there?
FOOL
I can't stay here?
APEMANTUS
If Timon stay at home. You three serve three usurers?
APEMANTUS
If Timon is there I'm going to leave a Fool with him.
[To CAPHIS and the Servants] The three of you are assistants to the money-lenders?
ALL SERVANTS
Ay; would they served us!
ALL SERVANTS
Yes, if only they were our assistants!
APEMANTUS
So would I,—as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.
APEMANTUS
Me too—that would be like an executioner serving a thief.
FOOL
Are you three usurers' men?
FOOL
Say again, you three are assistants to the money-lenders?
ALL SERVANTS
Ay, fool.
ALL SERVANTS
Yes, fool.
FOOL
I think no usurer but has a fool to his servant: my mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: the reason of this?
FOOL
Any assistant to a money-lender is a fool. My girlfriend is a fool, and I am her fool. When people come to borrow from your bosses, they come with sad faces and leave with happy ones, but when they come to my girlfriend's whorehouse, they come with happy faces and leave with sad ones. What's the reason for this?
Varro's Servant
I could render one.
Varro's Servant
I can give you a reason.
APEMANTUS
Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremasterand a knave; which not-withstanding, thou shalt beno less esteemed.
APEMANTUS
Give it then, so we can call you both a pimp and an idiot, which would not be any worse than what you are now.
Varro's Servant
What is a whoremaster, fool?
Varro's Servant
What is a pimp, fool?
FOOL
A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime't appears like a lord; sometime like a lawyer; sometime like a philosopher, with two stones moe than's artificial one: he is very often like a knight; and, generally, in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.
FOOL
A fool that wears nice clothes, not unlike you. He can change appearances. Sometimes he looks like a lord, and sometimes he looks like lawyer. Sometimes, he looks like a philosopher with two testicles to add to the stone he uses for alchemy. A lot of times he looks like a knight, but generally he sticks to the appearances men take between the ages of 13 and 80.
Varro's Servant
Thou art not altogether a fool.
VARRO'S SERVANT
You're not a complete fool.
FOOL
Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery asI have, so much wit thou lackest.
FOOL
And you're definitely not the brightest bulb on the tree. As much as I am a fool, that's how much intelligence you lack.
APEMANTUS
That answer might have become Apemantus.
APEMANTUS
That response could have come from my own mouth.
ALL SERVANTS
Aside, aside; here comes Lord Timon.
ALL SERVANTS
Move away, here comes Lord Timon.
Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS
APEMANTUS
Come with me, fool, come.
APEMANTUS
Let's go, fool.
FOOL
I do not always follow lover, elder brother andwoman; sometime the philosopher.
FOOL
I do not always stick to lovers, women, and rich men. Sometimes I hang out with philosophers!
Exeunt APEMANTUS and Fool
FLAVIUS
Pray you, walk near: I'll speak with you anon.
FLAVIUS
[To TIMON] Let's walk and talk.
Exeunt Servants
TIMON
You make me marvel: wherefore ere this time Had you not fully laid my state before me, That I might so have rated my expense, As I had leave of means?
TIMON
I'm shocked. Why did you not tell me about all of the debts, so I could cut off my spending?
FLAVIUS
You would not hear me,At many leisures I proposed.
FLAVIUS
I brought it up many times. You didn't listen to me.
TIMON
Go to: Perchance some single vantages you took. When my indispos ition put you back: And that unaptness made your minister, Thus to excuse yourself.
TIMON
No way! Maybe you took some small opportunities to mention it to me, and you took my deafness on a few occasions as an excuse not to ask me ever again.
FLAVIUS
O my good lord, At many times I brought in my accounts, Laid them before you; you would throw them off, And say, you found them in mine honesty. When, for some trifling present, you have bid me Return so much, I have shook my head and wept; Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you To hold your hand more close: I did endure Not seldom, nor no slight cheques, when I have Prompted you in the ebb of your estate And your great flow of debts. My loved lord, Though you hear now, too late—yet now's a time— The greatest of your having lacks a half To pay your present debts.
FLAVIUS
Oh no, I showed you the numbers several times and put them right in front of you. You would throw them away and say you had me look at them. I have said no and cried when you offered huge amounts of money in return for small gifts, and I have told you to be tighter with your wallet, so bluntly that it was almost rude. I faced many hard outbursts of yours when I told you about your shrinking estate and your growing debts. Now that you are listening to me it's too late, and still I have to tell you that all your money will only pay half of all that you owe.
TIMON
Let all my land be sold.
TIMON
Sell all my land.
FLAVIUS
'Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone; And what remains will hardly stop the mouth Of present dues: the future comes apace: What shall defend the interim? and at length How goes our reckoning?
FLAVIUS
It's all mortgaged, and some of it already sold. What's left won't even come close to paying off everyone. And what are we going to do about the even greater number of creditors that will approach us soon? What can we do in the long run?
TIMON
To Lacedaemon did my land extend.
TIMON
My land extended all the way to Sparta.
FLAVIUS
O my good lord, the world is but a word:Were it all yours to give it in a breath,How quickly were it gone!
FLAVIUS
But sir, you would have given the entire world in one breath. Your holdings shrank so quickly!
TIMON
You tell me true.
TIMON
You are telling the truth.
FLAVIUS
If you suspect my husbandry or falsehood, Call me before the exactest auditors And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me, When all our offices have been oppress'd With riotous feeders, when our vaults have wept With drunken spilth of wine, when every room Hath blazed with lights and bray'd with minstrelsy, I have retired me to a wasteful cock, And set mine eyes at flow.
FLAVIUS
If you think that my management has been poor or dishonest, have me inspected by the strictest auditors to prove my integrity. This is how the gods reward me, when greedy freeloaders have eaten everything in the kitchen and drunk all the wine, and when hired musicians have been made to occupy and light up every room in the house. I have given myself up to wastefulness and now all I can do is cry about it.
TIMON
Prithee, no more.
TIMON
Please stop.
FLAVIUS
Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this lord! How many prodigal bits have slaves and peasants This night englutted! Who is not Timon's? What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is Lord Timon's? Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon! Ah, when the means are gone that buy this praise, The breath is gone whereof this praise is made: Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter showers, These flies are couch'd.
FLAVIUS
And yet I have not touched on how loose you've been with your money! How many delicacies have poor men eaten tonight on your account? Who does not seem to belong to Timon? Is there anything in the world that you have not claimed as your own to give? They have called you great, noble, worthy, and royal, but when all you have to buy compliments is gone, there will be no praise left. What is quickly made is quickly lost, and these men will disappear like flies after seeing one winter cloud.
TIMON
Come, sermon me no further: No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart; Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given. Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack, To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart; If I would broach the vessels of my love, And try the argument of hearts by borrowing, Men and men's fortunes could I frankly use As I can bid thee speak.
TIMON
Don't preach to me. I have not done a single bad thing in giving these gifts, for they were imprudently, not dishonorably, given. Why are you so upset? Can't you see that I have all the friends in the world? Don't worry, because if I could appeal to those who have received so much from me in love and work to inspire their sympathy, other men and their fortunes will prove themselves available to me. One word and someone will lend to me.
FLAVIUS
Assurance bless your thoughts!
FLAVIUS
I hope you're right.
TIMON
And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd, That I account them blessings; for by these Shall I try friends: you shall perceive how you Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends. Within there! Flaminius! Servilius!
TIMON
In a way, these debts are a blessing in disguise, because this way I can see who my real friends are. You'll see how wrong you are about their loyalty to me—I have many friends! Come here Flaminius, Servilius!
Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and other Servants
SERVANTS
My lord? my lord?
SERVANTS
Hello?
TIMON
I will dispatch you severally; you to Lord Lucius; to Lord Lucullus you: I hunted with his honour to-day: you, to Sempronius: commend me to their loves, and, I am proud, say, that my occasions have found time to use 'em toward a supply of money: let the request be fifty talents.
TIMO
[Pointing to different servants] I will split you all up and send you to Lord Lucius, you to Lord Lucullus, my hunting-partner today, and you to Sempronius. Tell them you come from me, and due to extenuating circumstances I could use their help and some money. Ask for fifty talents from each.
FLAMINIUS
As you have said, my lord.
FLAMINIUS
Whatever you say.
FLAVIUS
[Aside] Lord Lucius and Lucullus? hum!
FLAVIUS
[To himself] He's going to ask Lucius and Lucullus, of all people?
TIMON
Go you, sir, to the senators— Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have Deserved this hearing —bid 'em send o' the instant A thousand talents to me.
TIMON
[To FLAVIUS] You go to the senators. I deserve an audience with them. Ask them to send me a thousand talents.
FLAVIUS
I have been bold— For that I knew it the most general way— To them to use your signet and your name; But they do shake their heads, and I am here No richer in return.
FLAVIUS
I have used your badge as sign of my authority to act for you and approached them aggressively asking for money. They said no, and I came back with no more than I left with.
TIMON
Is't true? can't be?
TIMON
That can't be true!
FLAVIUS
They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot Do what they would; are sorry—you are honourable,— But yet they could have wish'd—they know not— Something hath been amiss —a noble nature May catch a wrench—would all were well—'tis pity;— And so, intending other serious matters, After distasteful looks and these hard fractions, With certain half-caps and cold-moving nods They froze me into silence.
FLAVIUS
They answered in unison that they would like to help, but do not have enough to spare. They did say they were sorry and that they liked you, and that they had no idea anything was wrong with your estate. They lamented that even the noblest men can come upon bad luck, wished life were better, and said it was all so sad. Then they moved on to what they said were more serious matters, and shared looks of disgust and hard, half-uttered sentences. Then they were so gruff with their grudging salutes and cold nods that I was shocked into silence.
TIMON
You gods, reward them! Prithee, man, look cheerly. These old fellows Have their ingratitude in them hereditary: Their blood is caked, 'tis cold, it seldom flows; 'Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind; And nature, as it grows again toward earth, Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.
TIMON
I hope the gods give them what they deserve! But calm down, those old cronies have ingratitude in their DNA. Their blood is thick and runs slow and cold. They do not have the warmth to be kind. And they must act as their nature dictates, dull and heavy.
To a Servant
TIMON
Go to Ventidius.
TIMON
Go to Ventidius.
To FLAVIUS
TIMON
Prithee, be not sad,Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak.No blame belongs to thee.
TIMON
Please cheer up. You are a good man, and I don't blame you.
To Servant
TIMON
Ventidius lately Buried his father; by whose death he's stepp'd Into a great estate: when he was poor, Imprison'd and in scarcity of friends, I clear'd him with five talents: greet him from me; Bid him suppose some good necessity Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd With those five talents.
TIMON
Ventidius just held his father's funeral, who died and left him heir to an enormous fortune. When he was poor and had no one to turn to, I gave him five talents. Go to him for me and ask that his friend needs him right now, and hopes that he remembers those five talents.
Exit Servant
To FLAVIUS
TIMON
That had, give't these fellowsTo whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think,That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.
TIMON
Now that that's done, give these men what they are due right now. Don't say or even imagine that my friends will fail me.
FLAVIUS
I would I could not think it: that thought isbounty's foe;Being free itself, it thinks all others so.
FLAVIUS
I wish I could unthink it. The idea that some will fail you is the enemy of generosity, because once it gets out that some are withholding their money, everyone will do the same.
Exeunt
