Πενία ἀπέρχομαι· καὶ ὑμεῖς δέ, ὦ Πόνε καὶ Σοφία καὶ οἱ λοιποί, ἀκολουθεῖτέ μοι. οὗτος δὲ τάχα εἴσεται, οἵαν με οὖσαν ἀπολείψει, ἀγαθὴν συνεργὸν καὶ διδάσκαλον τῶν ἀρίστων, ᾗ συνὼν ὑγιεινὸς μὲν τὸ σῶμα, ἐρρωμένος δὲ τὴν γνώμην διετέλεσεν, ἀνδρὸς βίον ζῶν καὶ πρὸς αὑτὸν ἀποβλέπων, τὰ δὲ περιττὰ καὶ πολλὰ ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἐστίν, ἀλλότρια ὑπολαμβάνων.
Ἑρμῆς ἀπέρχονται· ἡμεῖς δὲ προσίωμεν αὐτῷ.
Τίμων τίνες ἐστέ, ὦ κατάρατοι; ἢ τί βουλόμενοι δεῦρο ἥκετε ἄνδρα ἐργάτην καὶ μισθοφόρον ἐνοχλήσοντες; ἀλλʼ οὐ χαίροντες ἄπιτε μιαροὶ πάντες ὄντες· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑμᾶς αὐτίκα μάλα βάλλων τοῖς βώλοις καὶ τοῖς λίθοις συντρίψω.
Ἑρμῆς μηδαμῶς, ὦ Τίμων, μὴ βάλῃς· οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπους ὄντας βαλεῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν Ἑρμῆς εἰμι, οὑτοσὶ δὲ ὁ Πλοῦτος· ἔπεμψε δὲ ὁ Ζεὺς ἐπακούσας τῶν εὐχῶν, ὥστε ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ δέχου τὸν ὄλβον ἀποστὰς τῶν πόνων.
Τίμων καὶ ὑμεῖς οἰμώξεσθε ἤδη καίτοι θεοὶ ὄντες, ὥς φατε· πάντας γὰρ ἅμα καὶ ἀνθρώπους καὶ θεοὺς μισῶ, τουτονὶ δὲ τὸν τυφλόν, ὅστις ἂν ᾖ, καὶ ἐπιτρίψειν μοι δοκῶ τῇ δικέλλῃ.
Πλοῦτος ἀπίωμεν, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, πρὸς τοῦ Διός, μελαγχολᾶν γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐ μετρίως μοι δοκεῖ, μή τι κακὸν ἀπέλθω προσλαβών.
Ἑρμῆς μηδὲν σκαιόν, ὦ Τίμων, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάνυ τοῦτο ἄγριον καὶ τραχὺ καταβαλὼν προτείνας τὼ χεῖρε λάμβανε τὴν ἀγαθὴν τύχην καὶ πλούτει πάλιν καὶ ἴσθι Ἀθηναίων τὰ πρῶτα καὶ ὑπερόρα τῶν ἀχαρίστων ἐκείνων μόνος αὐτὸς εὐδαιμονῶν.
Τίμων οὐδὲν ὑμῶν δέομαι· μὴ ἐνοχλεῖτέ μοι· ἱκανὸς ἐμοὶ πλοῦτος ἡ δίκελλα, τὰ δʼ ἄλλα εὐδαιμονέστατός εἰμι μηδενός μοι πλησιάζοντος.
Ἑρμῆς οὕτως, ὦ τάν, ἀπανθρώπως; τόνδε φέρω Διὶ μῦθον ἀπηνέα τε κρατερόν τε; καὶ μὴν εἰκὸς ἦν μισάνθρωπον μὲν εἶναί σε τοσαῦτα ὑπʼ αὐτῶν δεινὰ πεπονθότα, μισόθεον δὲ μηδαμῶς, οὕτως ἐπιμελουμένων σου τῶν θεῶν.
HERMES It is Zeus’s will.
POVERTY I am off, then. Toil, Wisdom, and the rest of you, quick march! Well, he will realize his loss before long; he had a good help meet in me, and a true teacher; with me he was healthy in body and vigorous in spirit; he lived the life of a man, and could be independent, and see the thousand and one needless refinements in all their absurdity.
HERMES There they go, Plutus; let us come to him.
TIMON Who are you, villains? What do you want here, interrupting a hired labourer? You shall have something to take with you, confound you all! These clods and stones shall provide you with a broken head or two.
HERMES Stop, Timon, don’t throw. We are not men; I am Hermes, and this is Plutus; Zeus has sent us in answer to your prayers. So knock off work, take your fortune, and much good may it do you!
TIMON I dare say you are Gods; that shall not save you. I hate every one, man or God; and as for this blind fellow, whoever he may be, I am going to give him one over the head with my spade.
PLUTUS For God’s sake, Hermes, let us get out of this! the man is melancholy-mad, I believe; he will do me a mischief before I get off.
HERMES Now don’t be foolish, Timon; cease overdoing the ill-tempered boor, hold out your hands, take your luck, and be a rich man again. Have Athens at your feet, and from your solitary eminence you can forget ingratitude.
TIMON I have no use for you; leave me in peace; my spade is riches enough for me; for the rest, I am perfectly happy if people will let me alone.
HERMES My dear sir—so unsociable?
So stiff and stubborn a reply to Zeus?
A misanthrope you may well be, after the way men have treated you; but with the Gods so thoughtful for you, you need not be a misotheist.
Τίμων ἀλλὰ σοὶ μέν, Ἑρμῆ, καὶ τῷ Διὶ πλείστη χάρις τῆς ἐπιμελείας, τουτονὶ δὲ τὸν Πλοῦτον οὐκ ἂν λάβοιμι.
Ἑρμῆς τί δή;
Τίμων ὅτι καὶ πάλαι μυρίων μοι κακῶν αἴτιος οὗτος κατέστη κόλαξί τε παραδοὺς καὶ ἐπιβούλους ἐπαγαγὼν καὶ μῖσος ἐπεγείρας καὶ ἡδυπαθείᾳ διαφθείρας καὶ ἐπίφθονον ἀποφήνας, τέλος δὲ ἄφνω καταλιπὼν οὕτως ἀπίστως καὶ προδοτικῶς· ἡ βελτίστη δὲ Πενία πόνοις με τοῖς ἀνδρικωτάτοις καταγυμνάσασα καὶ μετʼ ἀληθείας καὶ παρρησίας προσομιλοῦσα τά τε ἀναγκαῖα κάμνοντι παρεῖχε καὶ τῶν πολλῶν ἐκείνων καταφρονεῖν ἐπαίδευεν, ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐμοῦ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἀπαρτήσασά μοι τοῦ βίου καὶ δείξασα ὅστις ἦν ὁ πλοῦτος ὁ ἐμός, ὃν οὔτε κόλαξ θωπεύων οὔτε συκοφάντης φοβῶν, οὐ δῆμος παροξυνθείς, οὐκ ἐκκλησιαστὴς ψηφοφορήσας, οὐ τύραννος ἐπιβουλεύσας ἀφελέσθαι δύναιτʼ ἄν.
Τίμων ἐρρωμένος τοιγαροῦν ὑπὸ τῶν πόνων τὸν ἀγρὸν τουτονὶ φιλοπόνως ἐπεργαζόμενος, οὐδὲν ὁρῶν τῶν ἐν ἄστει κακῶν, ἱκανὰ καὶ διαρκῆ ἔχω τὰ ἄλφιτα παρὰ τῆς δικέλλης. ὥστε παλίνδρομος ἄπιθι, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὸν Πλοῦτον ἐπανάγων τῷ Διί· ἐμοὶ δὲ τοῦτο ἱκανὸν ἦν, πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἡβηδὸν οἰμώζειν ποιῆσαι.
Ἑρμῆς μηδαμῶς, ὦγαθέ· οὐ γὰρ πάντες εἰσὶν ἐπιτήδειοι πρὸς οἰμωγήν. ἀλλʼ ἔα τὰ ὀργίλα ταῦτα καὶ μειρακιώδη καὶ τὸν Πλοῦτον παράλαβε. οὔτοι ἀπόβλητά ἐστι τὰ δῶρα τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Διός.
Πλοῦτος βούλει, ὦ Τίμων, δικαιολογήσωμαι πρὸς σέ; ἢ χαλεπανεῖς μοι λέγοντι;
Τίμων λέγε, μὴ μακρὰ μέντοι, μηδὲ μετὰ προοιμίων, ὥσπερ οἱ ἐπίτριπτοι ῥήτορες· ἀνέξομαι γάρ σε ὀλίγα λέγοντα διὰ τὸν Ἑρμῆν τουτονί.
Πλοῦτος ἐχρῆν μὲν ἴσως καὶ μακρὰ εἰπεῖν πρὸς οὕτω πολλὰ ὑπὸ σοῦ κατηγορηθέντα· ὅμως δὲ ὅρα εἴ τί σε, ὡς φής, ἠδίκηκα, ὃς τῶν μὲν ἡδίστων ἁπάντων αἴτιός σοι κατέστην, τιμῆς καὶ προεδρίας καὶ στεφάνων καὶ τῆς ἄλλης τρυφῆς, περίβλεπτός τε καὶ ἀοίδιμος διʼ ἐμὲ ἦσθα καὶ περισπούδαστος· εἰ δέ τι χαλεπὸν ἐκ τῶν κολάκων πέπονθας, ἀναίτιος ἐγώ σοι· μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸς ἠδίκημαι τοῦτο ὑπὸ σοῦ, διότι με οὕτως ἀτίμως ὑπέβαλες ἀνδράσι καταράτοις ἐπαινοῦσι καὶ καταγοητεύουσι καὶ πάντα τρόπον ἐπιβουλεύουσί μοι· καὶ τό γε τελευταῖον ἔφησθα, ὡς προδέδωκά σε, τοὐναντίον δʼ ἂν αὐτὸς ἐγκαλέσαιμί σοι πάντα τρόπον ἀπελαθεὶς ὑπὸ σοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν ἐξωσθεὶς τῆς οἰκίας. τοιγαροῦν ἀντὶ μαλακῆς χλανίδος ταύτην τὴν διφθέραν ἡ τιμιωτάτη σοι Πενία περιτέθεικεν. ὥστε μάρτυς ὁ Ἑρμῆς οὑτοσί, πῶς ἱκέτευον τὸν Δία μηκέθʼ ἥκειν παρὰ σὲ οὕτως δυσμενῶς μοι προσενηνεγμένον.
TIMON Very well, Hermes; I am extremely obliged to you and Zeus for your thoughtfulness—there; but I will not have Plutus.
HERMES Why, pray?
TIMON He brought me countless troubles long ago—put me in the power of flatterers, set designing persons on me, stirred up ill-feeling, corrupted me with indulgence, exposed me to envy, and wound up with treacherously deserting me at a moment’s notice. Then the excellent Poverty gave me a drilling in manly labour, conversed with me in all frankness and sincerity, rewarded my exertions with a sufficiency, and taught me to despise superfluities; all hopes of a livelihood were to depend on myself, and I was to know my true wealth, unassailable by parasites’ flattery or informers’ threats, hasty legislatures or decree-mongering legislators, and which even the tyrant’s machinations cannot touch.
So, toil-hardened, working with a will at this bit of ground, my eyes rid of city offences, I get bread enough and to spare out of my spade. Go your ways, then, Hermes, and take Plutus back to Zeus. I am quite content to let every man of them go hang.
HERMES Oh, that would be a pity; they are not all hanging-ripe. Don’t make a passionate child of yourself, but admit Plutus. Zeus’s gifts are too good to be thrown away.
PLUTUS Will you condescend to argue with me, Timon? or does my voice provoke you?
TIMON Oh, talk away; but be brief; no rascally lawyer’s ‘opening the case.’ I can put up with a few words from you, for Hermes’ sake.
PLUTUS A speech of some length might seem to be needed, considering the number of your charges; however, just examine your imputations of injustice. It was I that gave you those great objects of desire—consideration, precedence, honours, and every delight; all eyes and tongues and attentions were yours—my gifts; and if flatterers abused you, I am not responsible for that. It is I who should rather complain; you prostituted me vilely to scoundrels, whose laudations and cajolery of you were only samples of their designs upon me. As to your saying that I wound up by betraying you, you have things topsy-turvy again; I may complain; you took every method to estrange me, and finally kicked me out neck and crop. That is why your revered Dame Poverty has supplied you with a smock-frock to replace your soft raiment. Why, I begged and prayed Zeus (and Hermes heard me) that I might be excused from revisiting a person who had been so unfriendly to me as you.
Ἑρμῆς ἀλλὰ νῦν ὁρᾷς, ὦ Πλοῦτε, οἷος ἤδη γεγένηται; ὥστε θαρρῶν συνδιάτριβε αὐτῷ· καὶ σὺ μὲν σκάπτε ὡς ἔχεις· σὺ δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν ὑπάγαγε τῇ δικέλλῃ· ὑπακούσεται γὰρ ἐμβοήσαντί σοι.
Τίμων πειστέον, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, καὶ αὖθις πλουτητέον. τι γὰρ ἂν καὶ πάθοι τις, ὁπότε οἱ θεοὶ βιάζοιντο; πλὴν ὅρα γε εἰς οἷά με πράγματα ἐμβάλλεις τὸν κακοδαίμονα, ὃς ἄχρι νῦν εὐδαιμονέστατα διάγων χρυσὸν ἄφνω τοσοῦτον λήψομαι οὐδὲν ἀδικήσας καὶ τοσαύτας φροντίδας ἀναδέξομαι.
Ἑρμῆς ὑπόστηθι, ὦ Τίμων, διʼ ἐμέ, καὶ εἰ χαλεπὸν τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ οἰστόν ἐστιν, ὅπως οἱ κόλακες ἐκεῖνοι διαρραγῶσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ φθόνου· ἐγὼ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν Αἴτνην ἐς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναπτήσομαι.
Πλοῦτος ὁ μὲν ἀπελήλυθεν, ὡς δοκεῖ· τεκμαίρομαι γὰρ τῇ εἰρεσίᾳ τῶν πτερῶν· σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ περίμενε· ἀναπέμψω γάρ σοι τὸν Θησαυρὸν ἀπελθών· μᾶλλον δὲ παῖε. σέ φημι, Θησαυρὲ χρυσοῦ, ὑπάκουσον Τίμωνι τουτῳῒ καὶ παράσχες ἑαυτὸν ἀνελέσθαι. σκάπτε, ὦ Τίμων, βαθείας καταφέρων. ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῖν· ἀποστήσομαι.
Τίμων ἄγε, ὦ δίκελλα, νῦν μοι ἐπίρρωσον σεαυτὴν καὶ μὴ κάμῃς ἐκ τοῦ βάθους τὸν Θησαυρὸν ἐς τοὐμφανὲς προκαλουμένη. ὦ Ζεῦ τεράστιε καὶ φίλοι Κορύβαντες καὶ Ἑρμῆ κερδῷε, πόθεν τοσοῦτον χρυσίον; ἦ που ὄναρ ταῦτά ἐστι; δέδια γοῦν μὴ ἄνθρακας εὕρω ἀνεγρόμενος· ἀλλὰ μὴν χρυσίον ἐστὶν ἐπίσημον, ὑπέρυθρον, βαρὺ καὶ τὴν πρόσοψιν ὑπερήδιστον. ὦ χρυσέ, δεξίωμα κάλλιστον βροτοῖς· αἰθόμενον γὰρ πῦρ ἅτε διαπρέπεις καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθʼ ἡμέραν. ἐλθέ, ὦ φίλτατε καὶ ἐρασμιώτατε. νῦν πείθομαί γε καὶ Δία ποτὲ γενέσθαι χρυσόν· τίς γὰρ οὐκ ἂν παρθένος ἀναπεπταμένοις τοῖς κόλποις ὑπεδέξατο οὕτω καλὸν ἐραστὴν διὰ τοῦ τέγους καταρρέοντα;
Τίμων ὦ Μίδα καὶ Κροῖσε καὶ τὰ ἐν Δελφοῖς ἀναθήματα, ὡς οὐδὲν ἄρα ἦτε ὡς πρὸς Τίμωνα καὶ τὸν Τίμωνος πλοῦτον, ᾧ γε οὐδὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ Περσῶν ἴσος.
Ὦ δίκελλα καὶ φιλτάτη διφθέρα, ὑμᾶς μὲν τῷ Πανὶ τούτῳ ἀναθεῖναι καλόν· αὐτὸς δὲ ἤδη πᾶσαν πριάμενος τὴν ἐσχατιάν, πυργίον οἰκοδομησάμενος ὑπὲρ τοῦ θησαυροῦ μόνῳ ἐμοὶ ἱκανὸν ἐνδιαιτᾶσθαι, τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ τάφον ἀποθανὼν ἕξειν μοιδοκῶ.
δεδόχθω δὲ ταῦτα καὶ νενομοθετήσθω πρὸς τὸν ἐπίλοιπον βίον, ἀμιξία πρὸς ἅπαντας καὶ ἀγνωσία καὶ ὑπεροψία· φίλος δὲ ἢ ξένος ἢ ἑταῖρος ἢ Ἐλέου βωμὸς ὕθλος πολύς· καὶ τὸ οἰκτεῖραι δακρύοντα ἢ ἐπικουρῆσαι δεομένῳ παρανομία καὶ κατάλυσις τῶν ἐθῶν· μονήρης δὲ ἡ δίαιτα καθάπερ τοῖς λύκοις, καὶ φίλος εἷς Τίμων.
HERMES But you see how he is changed, Plutus; you need not be afraid to live with him now. Just go on digging, Timon; and you, Plutus, put Thesaurus in position; he will come at your call.
TIMON I must obey, and be a rich man again, Hermes; what can one do, when Gods insist? But reflect what troubles you are bringing on my luckless head; I have had a blissful life of late, and now for no fault of my own I am to have my hands full of gold and care again.
HERMES Hard, intolerable fate! yet endure for my sake, if only that the flatterers may burst themselves with envy. And now for heaven, via Etna.
PLUTUS He is off, I suppose, from the beating of his wings. Now, you stay where you are, while I go and fetch Thesaurus to you; or rather, dig hard. Here, Gold! Thesaurus I say! answer Timon’s summons and let him unearth you. Now, Timon, with a will; a deep stroke or two. I will leave you together.
TIMON Come, spade, show your mettle; stick to it; invite Thesaurus to step up from his retreat…. O God of Wonders! O mystic priests! O lucky Hermes! whence this flood of gold? Sure, ‘tis all a dream; methinks ‘twill be ashes when I wake. And yet—coined gold, ruddy and heavy, a feast of delight!
O gold, the fairest gift to mortal eyes!
be it night, or be it day,
Thou dost outshine all else like living fire.
Come to me, my own, my beloved. I doubt the tale no longer; well might Zeus take the shape of gold; where is the maid that would not open her bosom to receive so fair a lover gliding through the roof?
Talk of Midas, Croesus, Delphic treasures! they were all nothing to Timon and his wealth; why, the Persian King could not match it. My spade, my dearest smock-frock, you must hang, a votive offering to Pan. And now I will buy up this desert corner, and build a tiny castle for my treasure, big enough for me to live in all alone, and, when I am dead, to lie in. And be the rule and law of my remaining days to shun all men, be blind to all men, scorn all men. Friendship, hospitality, society, compassion—vain words all. To be moved by another’s tears, to assist another’s need—be such things illegal and immoral. Let me live apart like a wolf; be Timon’s one friend—Timon.
Τίμων οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι πάντες ἐχθροὶ καὶ ἐπίβουλοι· καὶ τὸ προσομιλῆσαί τινι αὐτῶν μίασμα· καὶ ἤν τινα ἴδω μόνον, ἀποφρὰς ἡ ἡμέρα· καὶ ὅλως ἀνδριάντων λιθίνων ἢ χαλκῶν μηδὲν ἡμῖν διαφερέτωσαν· καὶ μήτε κήρυκα δεχώμεθα παρʼ αὐτῶν μήτε σπονδὰς σπενδώμεθα· ἡ ἐρημία δὲ ὅρος ἔστω πρὸς αὐτούς. φυλέται δὲ καὶ φράτορες καὶ δημόται καὶ ἡ πατρὶς αὐτὴ ψυχρὰ καὶ ἀνωφελῆ ὀνόματα καὶ ἀνοήτων ἀνδρῶν φιλοτιμήματα. πλουτείτω δὲ Τίμων μόνος καὶ ὑπεροράτω ἁπάντων καὶ τρυφάτω μόνος καθʼ ἑαυτὸν κολακείας καὶ ἐπαίνων φορτικῶν ἀπηλλαγμένος· καὶ θεοῖς θυέτω καὶ εὐωχείσθω μόνος, ἑαυτῷ γείτων καὶ ὅμορος, ἐκσείων τῶν ἄλλων. καὶ ἅπαξ ἑαυτὸν δεξιώσασθαι δεδόχθω, ἢν δέῃ ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ αὑτῷ στέφανον ἐπενεγκεῖν.
Τίμων καὶ ὄνομα μὲν ἔστω ὁ Μισάνθρωπος ἥδιστον, τοῦ τρόπου δὲ γνωρίσματα δυσκολία καὶ τραχύτης καὶ σκαιότης καὶ ὀργὴ καὶ ἀπανθρωπία· εἰ δέ τινα ἴδοιμι ἐν πυρὶ διαφθειρόμενον καὶ κατασβεννύναι ἱκετεύοντα, πίττῃ καὶ ἐλαίῳ κατασβεννύναι· καὶ ἤν τινα τοῦ χειμῶνος ὁ ποταμὸς παραφέρῃ, ὁ δὲ τὰς χεῖρας ὀρέγων ἀντιλαβέσθαι δέηται, ὠθεῖν καὶ τοῦτον ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν βαπτίζοντα, ὡς μηδὲ ἀνακῦψαι δυνηθείη· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν τὴν ἴσην ἀπολάβοιεν. εἰσηγήσατο τὸν νόμον Τίμων Ἐχεκρατίδου Κολλυτεύς, ἐπεψήφισε τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Τίμων ὁ αὐτός.”
εἶεν, ταῦτα ἡμῖν δεδόχθω καὶ ἀνδρικῶς ἐμμένωμεν αὐτοῖς.
Τίμων πλὴν ἀλλὰ περὶ πολλοῦ ἂν ἐποιησάμην ἅπασι γνώριμά πως ταῦτα γενέσθαι, διότι ὑπερπλουτῶ· ἀγχόνη γὰρ ἂν τὸ πρᾶγμα γένοιτο αὐτοῖς. καίτοι τί τοῦτο; φεῦ τοῦ τάχους. πανταχόθεν συνθέουσιν κεκονιμένοι καὶ πνευστιῶντες, οὐκ οἶδα ὅθεν ὀσφραινόμενοι τοῦ χρυσίου. πότερον οὖν ἐπὶ τὸν πάγον τοῦτον ἀναβὰς ἀπελαύνω αὐτοὺς τοῖς λίθοις ἐξ ὑπερδεξίων ἀκροβολιζόμενος, ἢ τό γε τοσοῦτον παρανομήσομεν εἰσάπαξ αὐτοῖς ὁμιλήσαντες, ὡς πλέον ἀνιῷντο ὑπερορώμενοι; τοῦτο οἶμαι καὶ ἄμεινον. ὥστε δεχώμεθα ἤδη αὐτοὺς ὑποστάντες. φέρε ἴδω, τίς ὁ πρῶτος αὐτῶν οὗτός ἐστι; Γναθωνίδης ὁ κόλαξ, ὁ πρῴην ἔρανον αἰτήσαντί μοι ὀρέξας τὸν βρόχον, πίθους ὅλους παρʼ ἐμοὶ πολλάκις ἐμημεκώς. ἀλλʼ εὖ γε ἐποίησεν ἀφικόμενος· οἰμώξεται γὰρ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων.
All others are my foes and ill-wishers; to hold communion with them is pollution; to set eyes upon one of them marks the day unholy; let them be to me even as images of bronze or stone. I will receive no herald from them, keep with them no truce; the bounds of my desert are the line they may not cross. Cousin and kinsman, neighbour and countryman—these are dead useless names, wherein fools may find a meaning. Let Timon keep his wealth to himself, scorn all men, and live in solitary luxury, quit of flattery and vulgar praise; let him sacrifice and feast alone, his own associate and neighbour, far from the world. Yea, when his last day comes, let there be none to close his eyes and lay him out, but himself alone.
Be the name he loves Misanthropus, and the marks whereby he may be known peevishness and spleen, wrath and rudeness and abhorrence. If ever one burning to death should call for help against the flames, let me help—with pitch and oil. If another be swept past me by a winter torrent, and stretch out his hands for aid, then let mine press him down head under, that he never rise again. So shall they receive as they have given. Mover of this resolution—Timon, son of Echecratides of Collytus. Presiding officer—the same Timon. The ayes have it. Let it be law, and duly observed.
All the same, I would give a good deal to have the fact of my enormous wealth generally known; they would all be fit to hang themselves over it…. Why, what is this? Well, that is quick work. Here they come running from every point of the compass, all dusty and panting; they have smelt out the gold somehow or other. Now, shall I get on top of this knoll, keep up a galling fire of stones from my point of vantage, and get rid of them that way? Or shall I make an exception to my law by parleying with them for once? contempt might hit harder than stones. Yes, I think that is better; I will stay where I am, and receive them. Let us see, who is this in front? Ah, Gnathonides the flatterer; when I asked an alms of him the other day, he offered me a halter; many a cask of my wine has he made a beast of himself over. I congratulate him on his speed; first come, first served.
Γναθωνίδης οὐκ ἐγὼ ἔλεγον ὡς οὐκ ἀμελήσουσι Τίμωνος ἀγαθοῦ ἀνδρὸς οἱ θεοί; χαῖρε Τίμων εὐμορφότατε καὶ ἥδιστε καὶ συμποτικώτατε.
Τίμων νὴ καὶ σύ γε, ὦ Γναθωνίδη, γυπῶν ἁπάντων βορώτατε καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἐπιτριπτότατε.
Γναθωνίδης ἀεὶ φιλοσκώμμων σύ γε. ἀλλὰ ποῦ τὸ συμπόσιον; ὡς καινόν τί σοι ᾆσμα τῶν νεοδιδάκτων διθυράμβων ἥκω κομίζων.
Τίμων καὶ μὴν ἐλεγεῖά γε ᾄσῃ μάλα περιπαθῶς ὑπὸ ταύτῃ τῇ δικέλλῃ.
Γναθωνίδης τί τοῦτο; παίεις, ὦ Τίμων; μαρτύρομαι· ὦ Ἡράκλεις, ἰοὺ ἰού, προκαλοῦμαί σε τραύματος εἰς Ἄρειον πάγον.
Τίμων καὶ μὴν ἄν γε μικρὸν ἐπιβραδύνῃς, φόνου τάχα προκεκλήσομαι.
Γναθωνίδης μηδαμῶς· ἀλλὰ σύ γε πάντως τὸ τραῦμα ἴασαι μικρὸν ἐπιπάσας τοῦ χρυσίου· δεινῶς γὰρ ἴσχαιμόν ἐστι τὸ φάρμακον.
Τίμων ἔτι γὰρ μένεις;
Γναθωνίδης ἄπειμι· σὺ δὲ οὐ χαιρήσεις οὕτω σκαιὸς ἐκ χρηστοῦ γενόμενος.
Τίμων τίς οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ προσιών, ὁ ἀναφαλαντίας; Φιλιάδης, κολάκων ἁπάντων ὁ βδελυρώτατος. οὗτος δὲ ἀγρὸν ὅλον παρʼ ἐμοῦ λαβὼν καὶ τῇ θυγατρὶ προῖκα δύο τάλαντα, μισθὸν τοῦ ἐπαίνου, ὁπότε ᾄσαντά με πάντων σιωπώντων μόνος ὑπερεπῄνεσεν ἐπομοσάμενος ᾠδικώτερον εἶναι τῶν κύκνων, ἐπειδὴ νοσοῦντα πρῴην εἶδέ με καὶ προσῆλθον ἐπικουρίας δεόμενος, πληγὰς ὁ γενναῖος προσενέτεινεν.
Φιλιάδης ὢ τῆς ἀναισχυντίας. νῦν Τίμωνα γνωρίζετε; νῦν Γναθωνίδης φίλος καὶ συμπότης; τοιγαροῦν δίκαια πέπονθεν οὕτως ἀχάριστος ὤν. ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ πάλαι συνήθεις καὶ συνέφηβοι καὶ δημόται ὅμως μετριάζομεν, ὡς μὴ ἐπιπηδᾶν δοκῶμεν. χαῖρε, ὦ δέσποτα, καὶ ὅπως τοὺς μιαροὺς τούτους κόλακας φυλάξῃ, τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης μόνον, τὰ ἄλλα δὲ κοράκων οὐδὲν διαφέροντας. οὐκέτι πιστευτέα τῶν νῦν οὐδενί· πάντες ἀχάριστοι καὶ πονηροί. ἐγὼ δὲ τάλαντόν σοι κομίζων, ὡς ἔχοις πρὸς τὰ κατεπείγοντα χρῆσθαι, καθʼ ὁδὸν ἤδη πλησίον ἤκουσα, ὡς πλουτοίης ὑπερμεγέθη τινὰ πλοῦτον. ἥκω τοιγαροῦν ταῦτά σε νουθετήσων· καίτοι σύ γε οὕτω σοφὸς ὢν οὐδὲν ἴσως δεήσῃ τῶν παρʼ ἐμοῦ λόγων, ὃς καὶ τῷ Νέστορι τὸ δέον παραινέσειας ἄν.
Τίμων ἔσται ταῦτα, ὦ Φιλιάδη. πλὴν ἀλλὰ πρόσιθι, ὡς καὶ σὲ φιλοφρονήσωμαι τῇ δικέλλῃ.
Φιλιάδης ἄνθρωποι, κατέαγα τοῦ κρανίου ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀχαρίστου, διότι τὰ συμφέροντα ἐνουθέτουν αὐτόν.
GNATHONIDES What did I tell them?—Timon was too good a man to be abandoned by Providence. How are you, Timon? as good-looking and good-tempered, as good a fellow, as ever?
TIMON And you, Gnathonides, still teaching vultures rapacity, and men cunning?
GNATHONIDES Ah, he always liked his little joke. But where do you dine? I have brought a new song with me, a march out of the last musical thing on.
TIMON It will be a funeral march, then, and a very touching one, with spade obbligato.
GNATHONIDES What means this? This is assault, Timon; just let me find a witness! … Oh, my God, my God! … I’ll have you before the Areopagus for assault and battery.
TIMON You’d better not wait much longer, or you’ll have to make it murder.
GNATHONIDES Mercy, mercy! … Now, a little gold ointment to heal the wound; it is a first-rate styptic.
TIMON What! you won’t go, won’t you?
GNATHONIDES Oh, I am going. But you shall repent this. Alas, so genial once, and now so rude!
TIMON Now who is this with the bald crown? Why, it is Philiades; if there is a loathsome flatterer, it is he. When I sang that song that nobody else would applaud, he lauded me to the skies, and swore no dying swan could be more tuneful; his reward was one of my farms, and a 500 pounds portion for his daughter. And then when he found I was ill, and had come to him for assistance, his generous aid took the form of blows.
PHILIADES You shameless creatures! yes, yes, now you know Timon’s merits! now Gnathonides would be his friend and boon-companion! well, he has the right reward of ingratitude. Some of us were his familiars and playmates and neighbours; but we hold back a little; we would not seem to thrust ourselves upon him. Greeting, lord Timon; pray let me warn you against these abominable flatterers; they are your humble servants during meal-times, and else about as useful as carrion crows. Perfidy is the order of the day; everywhere ingratitude and vileness. I was just bringing a couple of hundred pounds, for your immediate necessities, and was nearly here before I heard of your splendid fortune. So I just came on to give you this word of caution; though indeed you are wise enough (I would take your advice before Nestor’s myself) to need none of my counsel.
TIMON Quite so, Philiades. But come near, will you not, and receive my—spade!
PHILIADES Help, help! this thankless brute has broken my head, for giving him good counsel.
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