Timon of Athens – “Men shut their doors against a setting sun.”

 Timon of Athens – “Men shut their doors against a setting sun.”

Shakespeare probably worked quickly to produce ‘Timon of Athens’. He hadn't produced many plays over the last year and now that he was settled back in London with his properties in the country making a fair sum for him, he probably started in earnest. Since the relative success of 'Hamlet', 'King Lear' and 'Macbeth'he wanted to experiment and stretch the limits of tragedy. Once again, he looked around him to see what aspects of contemporary life struck him. His company were desperate to get the opportunity to perform before the new king but the queues outside St James's Palace seemed to stretch for hours with sycophants of all sorts from nobles to painters and poets. This probably gave him the idea behind 'Timon of Athens'. 

Shakespeare probably went back to his lodgings in Blackfriars and took out his Plutarch and probably happened upon Timon of Athens. The real Timon was a philosopher and misanthrope who lived around 445-400 BC in Athens during the time of the Peloponnesian War. Shakespeare then probably took out a copy of ‘The Misanthrope’ which was written around 165 AD by Lucian but which he had an 1580 translation of. The idea of a misanthrope (a person who dislikes humans) would have caught his fancy. The allusions in 'Lysistrata' to Timon hating men but being liked by women probably interested him too. He then looked through the verse of Brooke's 'The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet' (1562) again as well as looking at the prose of William Painter's 'Palace of Pleasure' (1567) to give a sense of some characters and stories. It is alleged that Shakespeare worked closely with someone else on 'Timon of Athens' since some of the language is more like that of Thomas Middleton. Maybe the Jacobean era meant that Shakespeare and other playwrights started to develop their plays in a more collaborative manner. Nevertheless, 'Timon of Athens' is an interesting play that takes us on the journey of a wealthy fool who loses everything and shuns human society and curses humanity only to find honesty in the friendship of a single man.

The play starts with a Poet, a Painter, a Jeweler, and a Merchant entering  Timon's house in Athens. The Jeweler is trying to sell a jewel to Timon while the Painter and Poet talk about works they created for Timon. Then Timon enters and being told his friend Ventidius is now in prison, Timon says he will his friends debt to free him. An old Athenian enters and when Timon hears his servant Lucilius is after the old Athenian’s daughter, Timon gets a agreement of a marriage between Lucilius and the girl. Lucilius feels he is forever in Timon’s debt. Timon then takes the gem from the jeweler, the poem from the poet and the painting from the painter. Apemantus enters and Timon and him come to loggerheads on a number of matters.

When Alcibiades enters and he shows great contempt for Timon’s guests before he and Timon exit. Apemantus announces that he will not attend Timon's feast and he exits too. Other Lords discuss Timon's generosity and his luck.

We move onto the Banquet hall at Timon’s house. Timon enters with Venditius, who he has just helped out of prison. Venditius says he is in Timon’s debt and offers to repay Timon some day. Timno says he does not expect nothing back. Timon welcomes Apemantus but he rejects the welcome. Apemantus is then sent to a table well away from Timon. Apemantus puts down most at the feast and declares that he distrusts most of the lords there and the oaths they make. When Timon speaks to Alcibiades and asks whether he would rather be on the battlefield with his soldiers, Alcibiades says he would rather be at the feast. Apemantus sees this as more false flattery for Timon.

Then a servant announces the entry of a group of ladies disguised as Amazons who perform. Apemantus obviously has a problem with almost everyone and he even criticizes the dancers denounces them as madwomen. Lords join the ladies in a dance. Timon then gets his servant Flavius to bring in a small casket. Flavius reveals in an aside that Timon is too generous and he is running out of riches fast and he comes back with the casket, and Timon gives jewels almost everyone. Flavius tries to talk to Timon but members of the senate enter while at the same time gifts for Timon from Lord Lucius and Lord Lucullus. Flavius notes that Timon is almost bankrupt. This then seems ironic when Timon gives gifts to all of the lords including money to Alcibiades and a horse to another lord. The lords leave with gifts in hand.

When Timon says he should also give a gift to Apemantus, Apemantus states that he needs to stay honest so that he can criticize Timon. Timon says that he won’t listen to Apemantus and he departs. Apemantus ends the scene with hoping:

“O, that men's ears should be

To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!”

Timon of Athens Act Two – “And nature, as it grows again toward earth, Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.”

Outside his house, Senator Varro muses at the way that Timon's seems to be generous beyond all imaginings but never seems to run out of riches. He thinks that even if Timon’s riches are vast that at Timon’s rate of generousity that his riches can’t last. The Senator calls in his servant Caphis and tells him to go to Timon’s house to demand the debt Timon owes him and not to leave or take no for an answer. 

We cross back to Timon’s house where Flavius enters at the point of exacerbation with Timon’s generous but elaborate spending.

“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.”

Caphis, Varro's servant and Isidore's servant enter at the same time to reclaim the debts their masters are owed by Timon. When Timon enters, the servants put their masters demands of payment to him and when he asks them to leave and return the next day, they claim they have been put off many times before and that they will stay until paid. Timon questions Flavius:

”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?”

Then Flavius has a quiet word to Timon, telling how dire his financial situation is.

We have been waiting for a comic interlude and Shakespeare provides it some forty minutes into the action. When the servants who have been sent to collect their masters’ debts are left alone, they decide to have some sport with Apemantus and the Fool attached to Timon’s household. They throw riddles and strange questions at Apemantus and the Fool. The Fool finding out that they are servants to moneylenders infers to them that he works for a prostitute and he riddles them back.

“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?”

When Timon enters again with Flavius, he is in different mood. Flavius is able to dismiss the creditor servants for a moment and Timon asks Flavius why he was never made aware of the dire state of his finances. Flavius says that every time he broached the matter or even laid bills before Timon, he dismissed him. When Timon orders that Flavius sell off his property, Flavius says it is already mortgaged to the hilt. Timon then claims that Flavius mistakes his fortunes since Timon claims “I am wealthy in my friends…” and that he will approach them now and they will be generous. Flavius suggests that everyone only loved Timon for his generousity and that now his riches are gone and he cannot buy praise that Timon will find his friends gone. Timon disagrees and calls three of his servants to go off to three of his ‘friends’ to ask for money. He sends these servants off and berates Flavius:

“ …Ne'er speak, or think,

That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.”

Flavius points out that he has already tried all this and used Timon’s signet ring to attempt to get money from these same men but to no avail. Timon refuses to believe that his ‘friends’ would not help him. Timon then asks Flavius to go to Ventidius who Timon has just helped and to ask for him for a loan. Flavius agrees to but remarks delusion of having a generous nature is that you can be deluded into thinking everyone else has one too:

“I would I could not think it: that thought is

bounty's foe;

Being free itself, it thinks all others so.”

Timon of Athens Act Three – “Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.”

The first of Timon’s servants arrives to try to solicit a loan to save Timon from ruin. At Lucullus’ house, Flaminius, has brought a box under his arm which Lucullus thinks is a gift from Timon. Flaminius says that the box is empty which Timon has sent him with to fill with the loan. Lucullus refuses to give any loan and chastises Timon’s lack of frugalness.

“…Many a time and often I ha'

dined with him, and told him on't, and come again to

supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less,

and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning

by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty

is his: I ha' told him on't, but I could ne'er get

him from't.”

Lucullus tries to give Flaminius a bribe of several coins to tell Timon that he didn't see him but Flaminius flings the money back at Lucullus who leaves. departs. Flaminius contemplates the fickleness of friendship and exits. 

We cross to another of Timon's 'friends', Lucius who is talking to others about the rumours of Timon being broke and in debt. Lucius initially does not believe the rumous even those that Timon asked Lucullus for money, and Lucullus was refused. Lucullus claims that he would never have refused Timon a loan if asked. 

Then Timon's servant Servilius enters and Lucius is initially pleased because he thinks that Timon has sent a present. When Servilius explains that he is there because Timon needs a loan, Lucius claims all his riches are presently tied up in investments and sends only good wishes to Timon. Lucius exits and Servilius leaves to return back to Timon empty handed. The crowd discuss the nature of friendship and how even though Timon was generous to Lucius that Lucius won't give Timon a small loan compared to what he got from Timon. They bemoan the lack of pity in Timon's friends while talking about their own wealth.

Hope now rests with Timon's last servant who has been to see Timon's other 'friend' Sempronius. Ironically, Sempronius is annoyed that Timon asked a loan from him after Lucullus or Lucius were approached and he says he feels slighted to be a last port of call and he leaves, also not providing any loan to Timon. The servant declares Sempronius a villain and leaves to tell Timon the bad news. 

Outside Timon's house, creditors servants gather waiting for Timon.  They find it strange that Timon's 'friends'refuse him loans while still wearing the jewels he gave them. These servants even see that their masters accepted the gifts of Timon but now can find no gratitude for Timon. When Flaminius and Flavius enter, the creditor's servants they demand to know where Timon is. Flavius leaves in anger and when  Servilius enters, he is barraged with questions, but claims that Timon is sick.

Then Timon bursts out from his house in a rage. He bemoans the fact that his hous has now become his prison and that his house like mankind now shows him "an iron heart". The barrage him with bills and Timon rushes back into the house.

Inside, Timon speaks to Flavius and says that he has a plan. He tells Flavius to organize another feast. Flavius says they can't afford another feast but Timon tells him that it will all be alright and then he gets Flavius to invite all and sundry to the feast.

Meanwhile in the Senate House, the senators discuss the fate of a man. Alcibiades pleads for his friend saying that he is an honourable man. Alcibiades then appeals to them as a soldier and asks them to consider that although his friend acted impulsively that everyone should not be blamed for their every action. The senators reject Alcibiades's pleas. Alcibiades then points out that his friends valour on the battlefield should be ample payment for his freedom. The senators don't agree and condemn Alcibiades's friend to death. Alcibiades points out his own valour on the battlefield should be ample payment for his friend's freedom. The senators refuse and further more banish Alcibiades for his insolence. Alcibiades is enraged and threatens to gather troops to strike back at Athens. 

“I'm worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,

While they have told their money and let out

Their coin upon large interest, I myself

Rich only in large hurts. All those for this?

Is this the balsam that the usuring senate

Pours into captains' wounds? Banishment!

It comes not ill; I hate not to be banish'd;

It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,

That I may strike at Athens. I'll cheer up

My discontented troops, and lay for hearts.

'Tis honour with most lands to be at odds;

Soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods.”

The freeloaders and Timon's ‘friends’ including Lucullus, Lucius and Sempronius have arrived for his feast. They discuss Timon's supposedly being broke but decide that it was all a test. They express false remorse at having not giving Timon a loan.

Timon enters, and a number of lords apologize for not supplying Timon a loan when asked. Timon dismisses apologies, and asks them to all sit down for the feast. Timon speaks and offeres thanks to the gods before the dishes are uncovered:

“Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to

the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all

places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let

the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place:

sit, sit. The gods require our thanks.

You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with

thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves

praised: but reserve still to give, lest your

deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that

one need not lend to another; for, were your

godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the

gods. Make the meat be beloved more than the man

that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without

a score of villains: if there sit twelve women at

the table, let a dozen of them be--as they are. The

rest of your fees, O gods--the senators of Athens,

together with the common lag of people--what is

amiss in them, you gods, make suitable for

destruction. For these my present friends, as they

are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to

nothing are they welcome.

Uncover, dogs, and lap.”

Then the dishes are uncovered and only steaming water and stones are revealed. Timon shouts to all that this is his last feast. He shouts that he will wash off their flattery and villainy with the feast's water and he throws the water in their faces and curses all the lords. He then beats them all and misanthropically declares that he henceforth hates all men and all humanity before he exits:

“Live loathed and long,

Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites,

Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,

You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies,

Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks!

Of man and beast the infinite malady

Crust you quite o'er! What, dost thou go?

Soft! take thy physic first--thou too--and thou;--

Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.

(Throws the dishes at them, and drives them out)

What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast,

Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest.

Burn, house! sink, Athens! henceforth hated be

Of Timon man and all humanity!”

The lords think that Timon has gone mad. 

Timon of Athens Act Four – “The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves the moon into salt tears…”

Outside of Athens, Timon curses the city and all who live in it. He wishes death and destruction, plague and misfortune, upon all the people in Athens and takes to the hills to find  "Th'unkindest beast more kinder than mankind…” In the wilderness, Timon expects his disdain for humans will grow.

Back at Timon's house, Flavius and several servants discuss what has happened. They are shocked at the fall of Timon from grace yet are retincent to go into the wilderness with Timon to continue to serve him. Flavius is generous and shares out what is left amongst them all and gets them to agree to greet each other kindly if they ever meet again. As they disperse, Flavius contemplates how riches only seem to bring flattery, false friendships and misery to people. He thinks that Timon was brought so low by his own kindness and that kindness was Timon's only sin. Flavius decides to find Timon in the wilderness and to serve him once more.

Up in the hills, Timon contemplates how even nature even is at odds with itself. He raves against all mankind, wishing it only destruction. Then Timon digs for roots in the ground to eat and uncovers gold. he talks of gold as a "yellow slave" and aks the earth to hide the gold as he keeps some of the gold and reburies the rest.

Soon after Alcibiades enters, with two female prostitutes. He doesn't recognise Timon initially and when asked Timon says he is Misanthropos, hater of all men. Then Alcibiades recognizes Timon and extends his friendship to Timon who rejects it for he claims no man is able to follow through with true friendship. Alcibiades offers friendship a little gold to Timon who refuses both. Alcibiades says he will help Timon after he attacks Athens.

Timon becomes enthusiastic that Alcibiades is going to attack Athens and gives him gold to help the assault:

“That, by killing of villains,

Thou wast born to conquer my country.

Put up thy gold: go on,--here's gold,--go on;

Be as a planetary plague, when Jove

Will o'er some high-viced city hang his poison

In the sick air: let not thy sword skip one:

Pity not honour'd age for his white beard;

He is an usurer: strike me the counterfeit matron;

It is her habit only that is honest,

Herself's a bawd: let not the virgin's cheek

Make soft thy trenchant sword; for those milk-paps,

That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes,

Are not within the leaf of pity writ,

But set them down horrible traitors: spare not the babe,

Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their mercy;

Think it a bastard, whom the oracle

Hath doubtfully pronounced thy throat shall cut,

And mince it sans remorse: swear against objects;

Put armour on thine ears and on thine eyes;

Whose proof, nor yells of mothers, maids, nor babes,

Nor sight of priests in holy vestments bleeding,

Shall pierce a jot. There's gold to pay soldiers:

Make large confusion; and, thy fury spent,

Confounded be thyself! Speak not, be gone.”

The prostitutes ask for gold as well and Timon gives it to them telling them to continue in their profession and hopes that disease is spread amongst all that they service. Alcibiades and the ladies leave.

When digging for food, Timon berates all of mankind:

“ (Digging) That nature, being sick of man's unkindness,

Should yet be hungry! Common mother, thou,

Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast,
Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle,
Whereof thy proud child, arrogant man, is puff'd,
Engenders the black toad and adder blue,
The gilded newt and eyeless venom'd worm,
With all the abhorred births below crisp heaven
Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine;
Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate,
From forth thy plenteous bosom, one poor root!
Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb,
Let it no more bring out ingrateful man!
Go great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and bears;
Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward face
Hath to the marbled mansion all above
Never presented!--O, a root,--dear thanks!--
Dry up thy marrows, vines, and plough-torn leas;
Whereof ungrateful man, with liquorish draughts
And morsels unctuous, greases his pure mind,
That from it all consideration slips!

Apemantus then enters and he is cursed by Timon. Apemantus says it was inevitable that Timon would come to this and mockingly says that Timon should have the animals flatter him now. Timon tries to get Apemantus  to leave but he says he will stay and that he likes Timon more in this state than he did in Athens. Apemantus claims that Timon has willed himself into misery and Apemantus claims that if he had had Timon’s fortune, he would not have gone after respectability and furnished himself with flatterers. Timon asks why Apemantus hates mankind, and Apemantus says he probably hates mankind because of his father who abandoned him to a beggar woman. Timon then tries to get him to leave, saying if Apemantus had not been born the most miserable of men, he would have ended up just like Timon himself.

Apemantus stays and offers Timon food but Timon still rants and curses Apemantus who says that Timon’s problem is that:

“The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the

extremity of both ends: when thou wast in thy gilt

and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much

curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art

despised for the contrary.”

Then Timon asks Apemantus if he has ever loved, Apemantus says no and that he has only ever had himself. Then asks Apemantus if he had power over the whole world what would he do and Apemantus says he would give everything to the animals. Timon says this would not help because some animals would still seek power over other animals. Apemantus says Timon seems very astute in his philosophy:

“If thou couldst please me with speaking to me, thou

mightst have hit upon it here: the commonwealth of

Athens is become a forest of beasts.”

They then exchange insults and Timon throws a rock at Apemantus to dismiss him. Timon muses at the power the gold he looks at has had over mankind that it reduces man to the most lowly of beats. Apemantus sees thieves coming towards them and exits quickly. Timon stays.

The thieves approach and try to work out how they can get Timon to give up his gold but are surprised when Timon just gives them the gold and encourages them to do great evil with it. Timon says that robbery is part of nature because the sun is a thief who robs the sea, the moon in turn robs the sun, the sea takes its tides from the moon, and the earth is the greatest thief of all. The thieves like Timon's speech but at some point realise that it comes of misanthropy or hatred for mankind not love of stealing. They exit to head towards Athens intending to eventually give up their professions of robbery.

Flavius enters bemoaning his master, Timon's fate and how Timon's 'friends' treated him. Timon sees Flavius and Flavius reminds Timon that he Flavius was his loyal honest servant. Timon claims their is no honesty in men. Flavius weeps and Timon realise that Falvius' grief is real.

Flavius even offers his money to Timon who is genuinely moved by his servant's generousity. Timon admits that Flavius has shown him that  and ironically that person is a servant. Timon asks what Flavius wants in return for his kindness and Flavius says nothing and says that he wishes only to serve and love Timon. Flavius even claims that he wished that he was rich to make Timon rich again. Timon realizes that Flavius is honest and gives him gold:

“Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly honest man,

Here, take: the gods out of my misery

Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich and happy;

But thus condition'd: thou shalt build from men;

Hate all, curse all, show charity to none,

But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone,

Ere thou relieve the beggar; give to dogs

What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow 'em,

Debts wither 'em to nothing; be men like

blasted woods,

And may diseases lick up their false bloods!

And so farewell and thrive. “

Flavius begs to stay and serve Timon, but Timon frees him and says he does not want to see him again.

Timon of Athens Act Five – “Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate…”

We start Act Five with the Poet and the Painter making their way to Timon’s cave in the wilderness as they have heard that he has gold. Timon approaches them and asks if they are honest. They claim they are. Timon says he'll give them gold as soon as they find search out some villains and he sends them on a wild goose chase.

Flavius brings a couple of Senators to see Timon since they want him to return to Athens because the people have changed their minds and they want Timon to return so he can help them defend Athens against Alcibiades’ invasion. Timon dismisses them and sayst that Alcibiades can ransack Athens and kill everyone from children to old men.

Timon tells them that he is creating his epitaph. He tells them of a tree near his cave that he will cut down and hang himself. Timon dismisses them and asks them to tell all in Athens that he, Timon, has already died. Timon curses all humanity and goes back to his cave as the senators exit.

As a couple more senators think on the fate that awaits Athens, the senators see that getting Timon back to Athens is vital. The senators who visted Timon enter and say all is lost. A soldier in the woods seeking Timon finds his tombstone and takes a rubbing from it.

Then Alcibiades and his forces enter Athens and the senators say they wish they could placate Alcibiades and that they have tried to entice Timon back but to no avail. The senators plea that the men who banished Alcibiades are dead and they ask that he does not kill everyone but saves some people in the city. Alcibiades agrees to only kill a token number who are chosen by lot and he then demands that the senators bring out the people who drove Timon out and to poverty are punished and he decides that after they are punished that he will bring peace. The soldier enters with the rubbing from Timon's grave and Alcibiades reads Timon’s epitaph, before entering Athens:

‘Here lies a

wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft:

Seek not my name: a plague consume you wicked

caitiffs left!

Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate:

Pass by and curse thy fill, but pass and stay

not here thy gait.'

These well express in thee thy latter spirits:

Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs,

Scorn'dst our brain's flow and those our

droplets which

From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit

Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye

On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Dead

Is noble Timon: of whose memory

Hereafter more. Bring me into your city,

And I will use the olive with my sword,

Make war breed peace, make peace stint war, make each

Prescribe to other as each other's leech.

Let our drums strike.

Shakespeare returns in 'Anthony and Cleopatra'...