The Life of Timon of Athens: Act 3, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 4 of The Life of Timon of Athens from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Varro’s two Men, meeting Titus and others, all being Men of Timon’s creditors to wait for his coming out. Then enter Lucius’ Man and Hortensius. VARRO’S FIRST MAN Well met. Good morrow, Titus and Hortensius. TITUS The like to you, kind Varro. HORTENSIUS Lucius! What, do we meet together? LUCIUS’ MAN Ay, and I think 5 One business does command us all, For mine is money. TITUS So is theirs and ours. Enter Philotus. LUCIUS’ MAN And, sir, Philotus’ too. PHILOTUS Good day at once. 10 LUCIUS’ MAN Welcome, good brother. What do you think the hour? PHILOTUS Laboring for nine. LUCIUS’ MAN So much? PHILOTUS Is not my lord seen yet? 15 LUCIUS’ MAN Not yet. PHILOTUS I wonder on ’t. He was wont to shine at seven. LUCIUS’ MAN Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him. You must consider that a prodigal course Is like the sun’s, 20 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. PHILOTUS I am of your fear for that. 25 TITUS I’ll show you how t’ observe a strange event. Your lord sends now for money? HORTENSIUS Most true, he does. TITUS And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift, For which I wait for money. 30 HORTENSIUS It is against my heart. LUCIUS’ MAN 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. 35 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. VARRO’S FIRST MAN Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours? LUCIUS’ MAN Five thousand mine. 40 VARRO’S FIRST MAN ’Tis much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum Your master’s confidence was above mine, Else surely his had equaled. Enter Flaminius. TITUS One of Lord Timon’s men. LUCIUS’ MAN Flaminius? Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord 45 ready to come forth? FLAMINIUS No, indeed he is not. TITUS We attend his Lordship. Pray, signify so much. FLAMINIUS I need not tell him that. He knows you are too diligent. 50 He exits.	Back at Timon's house, the creditors' servants are getting a little annoyed. They don't know why Timon hasn't paid them yet, and they decide the prognosis isn't good. Titus, one of the servants, declares it's pretty sad that his master is currently wearing a jewel from Timon, yet his master still sent him to collect more moolah from Timon, anyway. Hortensius joins in the bagging-on-your-master game. He knows his master has spent Timon's money and is ungrateful for all his gifts. It's clear that even the servants of these men think their masters are being unfair to Timon.
Enter Flavius, the Steward in a cloak, muffled. LUCIUS’ MAN Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so? He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him. TITUS Do you hear, sir? VARRO’S SECOND MAN By your leave, sir. FLAVIUS What do you ask of me, my friend? 55 TITUS We wait for certain money here, sir. FLAVIUS Ay, If money were as certain as your waiting, ’Twere sure enough. Why then preferred you not your sums and bills 60 When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat? Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts And take down th’ int’rest into their glutt’nous maws. You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up. Let me pass quietly. 65 Believe ’t, my lord and I have made an end. I have no more to reckon, he to spend. LUCIUS’ MAN Ay, but this answer will not serve. FLAVIUS If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so base as you, For you serve knaves. 70 He exits. VARRO’S FIRST MAN How? What does his cashiered Worship mutter? VARRO’S SECOND MAN 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 75 may rail against great buildings. Enter Servilius. TITUS O, here’s Servilius. Now we shall know some answer. SERVILIUS If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some other hour, I should derive much from ’t. For 80 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. LUCIUS’ MAN Many do keep their chambers are not sick; And if it be so far beyond his health, 85 Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts And make a clear way to the gods. SERVILIUS Good gods! TITUS We cannot take this for answer, sir. FLAMINIUS, within Servilius, help! My lord, my lord! 90 Enter Timon in a rage. TIMON What, are my doors opposed against my passage? Have I been ever free, and must my house Be my retentive enemy, my jail? The place which I have feasted, does it now, Like all mankind, show me an iron heart? 95 LUCIUS’ MAN Put in now, Titus. TITUS My lord, here is my bill. LUCIUS’ MAN Here’s mine. HORTENSIUS And mine, my lord. VARRO’S SECOND MAN And ours, my lord. 100 PHILOTUS All our bills. TIMON Knock me down with ’em! Cleave me to the girdle. LUCIUS’ MAN Alas, my lord— TIMON Cut my heart in sums! TITUS Mine, fifty talents. 105 TIMON Tell out my blood. LUCIUS’ MAN Five thousand crowns, my lord. TIMON Five thousand drops pays that.—What yours?—And yours? VARRO’S FIRST MAN My lord— 110 VARRO’S SECOND MAN My lord— TIMON Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you! Timon exits. HORTENSIUS Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money. These debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em. 115 They exit.	Just then, Flavius tries to skirt by the creditors' servants by walking past in a brilliant disguise—a big old cloak. The servants stop him and demand their money. Flavius tells them there is nothing left. He has no money left to add up, so he is leaving. The servants get rowdier. Eventually, Timon shows up in a red-hot rage. Timon can't believe no one will help him out. After all he's done for them? How could they?
Enter Timon and Flavius. TIMON They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves! Creditors? Devils! FLAVIUS My dear lord— TIMON What if it should be so? FLAVIUS My lord— 120 TIMON I’ll have it so.—My steward! FLAVIUS Here, my lord. TIMON So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all. I’ll once more feast the rascals. 125 FLAVIUS O my lord, You only speak from your distracted soul. There’s not so much left to furnish out A moderate table. TIMON Be it not in thy care. Go, 130 I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide. They exit.	Since he has no money and evidently no friends left, Timon decides to throw a huge banquet. Wait, what? We're not really sure how he can host a dinner party, and neither is Flavius, who hastily tells his master they don't even have enough food for that. But Timon doesn't care. Send out the invites. Summon his cook. There'll be a dinner party whether people like it or not. We think Timon's hatched a plan of some kind, but it's not clear what it is.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Varro’s two Men, meeting Titus and others, all
being Men of Timon’s creditors to wait for his coming
out. Then enter Lucius’ Man and Hortensius.

VARRO’S FIRST MAN
Well met. Good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.

TITUS
The like to you, kind Varro.

HORTENSIUS
Lucius!
What, do we meet together?

LUCIUS’ MAN
Ay, and I think 5
One business does command us all,
For mine is money.

TITUS So is theirs and ours.

Enter Philotus.

LUCIUS’ MAN
And, sir, Philotus’ too.

PHILOTUS
Good day at once. 10

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

PHILOTUS
Laboring for nine.

LUCIUS’ MAN
So much?

PHILOTUS
Is not my lord seen yet? 15

LUCIUS’ MAN Not yet.

PHILOTUS
I wonder on ’t. He was wont to shine at seven.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him.
You must consider that a prodigal course
Is like the sun’s, 20
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.

PHILOTUS
I am of your fear for that. 25

TITUS
I’ll show you how t’ observe a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money?

HORTENSIUS
Most true, he does.

TITUS
And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
For which I wait for money. 30

HORTENSIUS
It is against my heart.

LUCIUS’ MAN
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. 35

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.

VARRO’S FIRST MAN
Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours?

LUCIUS’ MAN Five thousand mine. 40

VARRO’S FIRST MAN
’Tis much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum
Your master’s confidence was above mine,
Else surely his had equaled.

Enter Flaminius.

TITUS
One of Lord Timon’s men.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Flaminius? Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord 45
ready to come forth?

FLAMINIUS No, indeed he is not.

TITUS We attend his Lordship. Pray, signify so much.

FLAMINIUS
I need not tell him that. He knows you are
too diligent. 50

He exits.

Back at Timon's house, the creditors' servants are getting a little annoyed. They don't know why Timon hasn't paid them yet, and they decide the prognosis isn't good.

Titus, one of the servants, declares it's pretty sad that his master is currently wearing a jewel from Timon, yet his master still sent him to collect more moolah from Timon, anyway.

Hortensius joins in the bagging-on-your-master game. He knows his master has spent Timon's money and is ungrateful for all his gifts.

It's clear that even the servants of these men think their masters are being unfair to Timon.

Enter Flavius, the Steward in a cloak, muffled.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so?
He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.

TITUS
Do you hear, sir?

VARRO’S SECOND MAN By your leave, sir.

FLAVIUS What do you ask of me, my friend? 55

TITUS
We wait for certain money here, sir.

FLAVIUS
Ay,
If money were as certain as your waiting,
’Twere sure enough.
Why then preferred you not your sums and bills 60
When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat?
Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts
And take down th’ int’rest into their glutt’nous maws.
You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up.
Let me pass quietly. 65
Believe ’t, my lord and I have made an end.
I have no more to reckon, he to spend.

LUCIUS’ MAN Ay, but this answer will not serve.

FLAVIUS
If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so base as you,
For you serve knaves. 70

He exits.

VARRO’S FIRST MAN
How? What does his cashiered
Worship mutter?

VARRO’S SECOND MAN
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 75
may rail against great buildings.

Enter Servilius.

TITUS O, here’s Servilius. Now we shall know some
answer.

SERVILIUS
If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair
some other hour, I should derive much from ’t. For 80
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.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Many do keep their chambers are not sick;
And if it be so far beyond his health, 85
Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts
And make a clear way to the gods.

SERVILIUS
Good gods!

TITUS
We cannot take this for answer, sir.

FLAMINIUS, within Servilius, help! My lord, my lord! 90

Enter Timon in a rage.

TIMON
What, are my doors opposed against my passage?
Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my jail?
The place which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart? 95

LUCIUS’ MAN Put in now, Titus.

TITUS My lord, here is my bill.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Here’s mine.

HORTENSIUS And mine, my lord.

VARRO’S SECOND MAN
And ours, my lord. 100

PHILOTUS All our bills.

TIMON
Knock me down with ’em! Cleave me to the girdle.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Alas, my lord—

TIMON Cut my heart in sums!

TITUS
Mine, fifty talents. 105

TIMON
Tell out my blood.

LUCIUS’ MAN
Five thousand crowns, my lord.

TIMON
Five thousand drops pays that.—What yours?—And
yours?

VARRO’S FIRST MAN My lord— 110

VARRO’S SECOND MAN
My lord—

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

Timon exits.

HORTENSIUS Faith, I perceive our masters may throw
their caps at their money. These debts may well be
called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em. 115

They exit.

Just then, Flavius tries to skirt by the creditors' servants by walking past in a brilliant disguise—a big old cloak. The servants stop him and demand their money.

Flavius tells them there is nothing left. He has no money left to add up, so he is leaving.

The servants get rowdier. Eventually, Timon shows up in a red-hot rage.

Timon can't believe no one will help him out. After all he's done for them? How could they?

Enter Timon and Flavius.

TIMON
They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves!
Creditors? Devils!

FLAVIUS My dear lord—

TIMON
What if it should be so?

FLAVIUS My lord— 120

TIMON
I’ll have it so.—My steward!

FLAVIUS
Here, my lord.

TIMON
So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all.
I’ll once more feast the rascals. 125

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

TIMON Be it not in thy care. Go, 130
I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide
Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide.

They exit.

Since he has no money and evidently no friends left, Timon decides to throw a huge banquet.

Wait, what?

We're not really sure how he can host a dinner party, and neither is Flavius, who hastily tells his master they don't even have enough food for that.

But Timon doesn't care. Send out the invites. Summon his cook. There'll be a dinner party whether people like it or not.

We think Timon's hatched a plan of some kind, but it's not clear what it is.

The Life of Timon of Athens: Act 3, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 4 of The Life of Timon of Athens from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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