Timon of Athens
Shakescleare Translation

Timon of Athens Translation Act 3, Scene 4

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Enter two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants of TIMON's creditors, waiting his coming out

Varro's FIRST SERVANT

Well met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.

varro's FIRST SERVANT

Right on time. Good day, Titus and Hortensius.

TITUS

The like to you kind Varro.

TITUS

And you as well.

HORTENSIUS

Lucius!What, do we meet together?

HORTENSIUS

Oh, a representative of Lucius! Are you here to see Timon as well?

LUCIUS'S SERVANT

Ay, and I thinkOne business does command us all; for mine Is money.

LUCIUS'S SERVANT

Yes. We do all have the same goal, and mine is money.

TITUS

So is theirs and ours.

TITUS

And your goal is our goal.

Enter PHILOTUS

TITUS

Lucius' Servant And Sir Philotus too!

TITUS

Not only Lucius's Servant, but Philotus's too!

PHILOTUS

Good day at once.

PHILOTUS

Good day.

Lucius' Servant

Welcome, good brother.What do you think the hour?

Lucius's Servant

Hello. What time is it?

PHILOTUS

Labouring for nine.

PHILOTUS

Close to nine.

Lucius' Servant

So much?

Lucius's Servant

That late?

PHILOTUS

Is not my lord seen yet?

PHILOTUS

Has anyone seen Timon yet?

Lucius' Servant

Not yet.

Lucius's Servant

Not yet.

PHILOTUS

I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven.

PHILOTUS

I wonder why. He usually wakes up at seven.

LuciUS' Servant

Ay, but the days are wax'd shorter with him: You must consider that a prodigal course Is like the sun's; but not, like his, recoverable. I fear 'tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse; That is one may reach deep enough, and yet Find little.

LuciUs's Servant

Yeah, but the days have become shorter for him, because you should remember that the path of extravagance descends like the sun in winter, even if it does not regain its height the following year. And I'm afraid that Lord Timon's estate is withering, no matter how hard he tries to recover money. 

PHILOTUS

I am of your fear for that.

PHILOTUS

Me too.

TITUS

I'll show you how to observe a strange event.Your lord sends now for money.

TITUS

And I'll tell you something funny.

[To HORTENSIUS] Your lord sent you to get money, right?

HORTENSIUS

Most true, he does.

HORTENSIUS

Yes.

TITUS

And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,For which I wait for money.

TITUS

And he now possesses jewels from Timon, which I lent him the money to buy. 

HORTENSIUS

It is against my heart.

HORTENSIUS

Unfortunately, yes.

LuciUs' Servant

Mark, how strange it shows, Timon in this should pay more than he owes: And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels, And send for money for 'em.

LuciUs's Servant

It's so weird how Timon must pay out more than he owes, while your lord seems to get the privilege of wearing the jewels and getting to request the money paid for them.

HORTENSIUS

I'm weary of this charge, the gods can witness:I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth,And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.

HORTENSIUS

God I'm sick of this job. I know that my lord spent Timon's money and now in his ingratitude is as bad as a thief.

Varro's FIRST SERVANT

Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: what's yours?

varro's FIRST SERVANT

Yeah. My lord is asking for three thousand crowns. What about yours?

Lucius' Servant

Five thousand mine.

Luicius's Servant

 Five thousand.

Varro's FIRST SERVANT

'Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sun,Your master's confidence was above mine;Else, surely, his had equall'd.

varro's FIRST SERVANT

Way too much. It seems your master is more brazen even than mine, otherwise mine would have asked for as much.

Enter FLAMINIUS.

TITUS

One of Lord Timon's men.

TITUS

One of Timon's servants is coming

LuciUs' Servant

Flaminius! Sir, a word: pray, is my lord ready tocome forth?

Lucius's Servant

Flaminius! Can we talk for a second? Is Timon coming?

FLAMINIUS

No, indeed, he is not.

FLAMINIUS

No he's not.

TITUS

We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.

TITUS

At least tell him we are waiting for him.

FLAMINIUS

I need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent.

FLAMINIUS

I don't have to do that. He knows how attentive you are.

Exit

Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled

lucius's servant

Ha! is not that his steward muffled so?He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.

lucius's Servant

Ha! Is that his assistant wrapped up like that? Get him, he's trying to sneak away under cover.

TITUS

Do you hear, sir?

TITUS

[Pestering FLAVIUS] Can we talk, please? 

varro's SECOND SERVANT

By your leave, sir,—

varro's SECOND SERVANT

[Pestering FLAVIUS] Please, sir—

FLAVIUS

What do ye ask of me, my friend?

FLAVIUS

What do you want?

TITUS

We wait for certain money here, sir.

TITUS

We want the money Timon owes.

FLAVIUS

Ay, If money were as certain as your waiting, 'Twere sure enough. Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills, When your false masters eat of my lord's meat? Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts And take down the interest into their gluttonous maws. You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up; Let me pass quietly: Believe 't, my lord and I have made an end; I have no more to reckon, he to spend.

FLAVIUS

Yes, if only money were as sure a thing as you all asking for it, then you would definitely have it. Why didn't your masters send you to pay the bills for the food they ate off Timon's plate? That way, they could smile and enjoy the debts he incurred and then shovel all the interest he owed into their greedy mouths. You're not doing yourself any favors riling me up like this. Let me go. My lord and I have parted ways. I have no more counsel to give, and he has no more money to spend.

Lucius' Servant

Ay, but this answer will not serve.

LUCIUS' SERVANT

Yes, but that still isn't enough.

FLAVIUS

If 'twill not serve,'tis not so base as you;For you serve knaves.

FLAVIUS

If it's not enough, it's still worth more than all of you, because you serve bad men.

Exit

Varro's FIRST SERVANT

How! what does his cashiered worship mutter?

varro's FIRST SERVANT

What did the fired man just say?

Varro's sECOND SERVANT

No matter what; he's poor, and that's revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? such may rail against great buildings.

Varro's SECOND SERVANT

Whatever, he's poor and that's punishment enough for him. After all, who can say whatever he wants more than the man with no home and nothing to lose?

Enter SERVILIUS

TITUS

O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some answer.

TITUS

Here is Servilius. Now we'll know what is going on.

SERVILIUS

If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some other hour, I should derive much from't; for, take't of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to discontent: his comfortable temper has forsook him; he's much out of health, and keeps his chamber.

SERVILIUS

If I may ask, gentleman, please come back some other time, and it will help me a great deal. I swear, Timon is extremely upset. His cheerful disposition is gone, he is sick, and he keeps to his room.

LuciUS' Servant

Many do keep their chambers are not sick: And, if it be so far beyond his health, Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts, And make a clear way to the gods.

LuciUS' Servant

Lots of people who stay in their rooms aren't sick, and if he's as sick as you say he is, all the more reason for him to pay off his debts before he dies.

SERVILIUS

Good gods!

SERVILIUS

Good lord!

TITUS

We cannot take this for answer, sir.

TITUS

We can't accept this.

FLAMINIUS

[Within] Servilius, help! My lord! my lord!

FLAMINIUS

[Shouting from inside] Servilius, help! Timon! Timon!

Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following

TIMON

What, are my doors opposed against my passage? Have I been ever free, and must my house Be my retentive enemy, my gaol? The place which I have feasted, does it now, Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?

TIMON

What, are my own doors going to shut themselves to me? Am I not free to leave my own house? Does the home to such great parties turn its back on me, like everyone else?

LuciUs' Servant

Put in now, Titus.

LuciUs's Servant

Calm down Titus.

TITUS

My lord, here is my bill.

TITUS

Here is the receipt for debts you owe me.

LuciUs' Servant

Here's mine.

LuciUs's Servant

Here's mine.

HORTENSIUS

And mine, my lord.

HORTENSIUS

And mine.

Both Varro's Servants

And ours, my lord.

Both Varro's Servants

And ours.

PHILOTUS

All our bills.

PHILOTUS

All our receipts.

TIMON

Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to the girdle.

TIMON

Go ahead, kill me with them.

Lucius' Servant

Alas, my lord,-

Lucius's Servant

But—

TIMON

Cut my heart in sums.

TIMON

Rip pieces of my heart out.

TITUS

Mine, fifty talents.

TITUS

My receipt is for fifty talents.

TIMON

Tell out my blood.

TIMON

Count my blood drop by drop and take it from me.

Lucius' Servant

Five thousand crowns, my lord.

Lucius's Servant

Mine is for five thousand.

TIMON

Five thousand drops pays that.What yours?—and yours?

TIMON

Five thousand drops should cover.

[To the other servants] What about all your receipts?

Varro's FIRST SERVANT

My lord,—

varro's FIRST SERVANT

My lord—

Varro's SECOND SERVANT

My lord,—

varro's SECOND SERVANT

My lord—

TIMON

Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!

TIMON

Tear me apart and take me away, and may the gods take their revenge upon you!

Exit

HORTENSIUS

'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their capsat their money: these debts may well be calleddesperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

HORTENSIUS

It seems our masters should probably give up on getting their money back. Now that Timon's mad, these debts are junk.

Exeunt

Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS

TIMON

They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves.Creditors? devils!

TIMON

[Panting] These men have even taken my breath away. They call themselves creditors? They are devils!

FLAVIUS

My dear lord,—

FLAVIUS

Timon—

TIMON

What if it should be so?

TIMON

[Coming up with an idea] But what if...

FLAVIUS

My lord,—

FLAVIUS

Timon—

TIMON

I'll have it so. My steward!

TIMON

[Realizing something] Yes, that's it! Come here!

FLAVIUS

Here, my lord.

FLAVIUS

I'm here.

TIMON

So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius: All, sirrah, all: I'll once more feast the rascals.

TIMON

So soon? Go get all those men for me. Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all of them! I'll throw them one last party!

FLAVIUS

O my lord, You only speak from your distracted soul; There is not so much left, to furnish out A moderate table.

FLAVIUS

But my lord you only speak in a daze. You do not have enough money yet to offer even a small meal.

TIMON

Be't not in thy care; go,I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tideOf knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.

TIMON

Don't worry about that. Go, and invite them all. Let in that wave of villains once more. My cook and I will figure it out.

Exeunt