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Timon of Athens

Act IV, Scene 2

Athens. A room in Timon's house.
 
[Enter FLAVIUS, with two or three Servants]
 
FIRST SERVANT
        ,         ,         ,          ,           ,
      Hear you | master | steward,| where's our | master?
       ,    2     T     T   T     ,     2     ,
      Are we un|done, cast off,| nothing re|maining?
 
FLAVIUS
         ,        ,          ,          2   ,        ,
      Alack | my fel|lows, what | should I say | to you?
       ,        ,     ,         2      ,          ,
      Let me | be re|corded | by the right|eous gods,
      ,           ,        ,
      I am | as poor | as you.
 
FIRST SERVANT
                                 T  .   T     T
                               Such a house broke?
           x        ,         x      T    T    .   T
      So noble | a mast|er fallen,| all gone, and^not
       T     T    .   T         ,        ,        ,
      One friend to take | his for|tune by | the arm,
           ,      ,        3   3
      And go | along | with him.
 
SECOND SERVANT
                                     ,        ,          ,
                                 As we | do turn | our backs
        ,            ,          ,      ,           ,
      From our | compan|ion, thrown | into | his grave,
       ,    2      ,       ,        ,        ,
      So his fam|iliars | to his | buried | fortunes
        T    T  . T      ,             ,     ,
      Slink all away,| leave their | false vows / with him
            ,       ,        ,                 ,    ,
      Like^emp|ty purs|es picked;| and his / poor self
         ,    ,      ,       ,        ,
      A ded|ica|ted beg|gar to | the air,
        ,            ,      .  T     T     T     ,
      With his | disease | of all-shunned pov|erty,
        ,              ,        ,      ,    2       ,
      Walks like^|contempt | alone.| More of our | fellows.
 
[Enter other Servants]
 
FLAVIUS
       T    Tx    T      ,       2   ,        ,
      All broken imp|lements | of a ru|ined house.
 
THIRD SERVANT
       ,    2         T     T   T        ,    ,
      Yet do^our | hearts wear Tim|on's liv|ery,
        ,       ,   2       ,        2     ,         ,
      That see^|I by our | faces:| we are fel|lows still,
       ,     2    ,        ,          ,              ,
      Serving a|like in | sorrow:| leaked is | our bark,
       .   T   T    T       ,             ,       ,
      And we poor mates,| stand on | the dy|ing deck,
        ,            ,         ,               ,    ,
      Hearing | the sur|ges threat:| we must^/all part
       ,           ,        ,
      Into | this sea | of air.
 
FLAVIUS
                                       ,        ,
                                Good*^fel|lows all,
           ,     2           ,     ,      ,        ,
      The lat|est of my / wealth I'll | share a|mongst you.
          ,      ,           ,         ,         ,
      Wherev|er we | shall meet,| for Tim|on's sake,
             ,        ,                ,         ,         ,
      Let's^yet | be fel|lows. Let's^shake our heads, and say  ????
            ,         ,      ,  2       ,          ,
      As 'twere | a knell | unto our | master's | fortunes,
        2       ,     ,         ,          T    T    T
      We have seen | better | days. Let^|each take some:
            ,         ,           ,      .   T    T    T
      Nay* put | out^all | your hands:| not^one word more,
             ,         ,        ,         ,        ,
      Thus part | we rich | in sor|row, part|ing poor.
 
[Servants embrace, and part several ways]
       ,          ,      ,                  ,           x
      Oh the | fierce wretch/edness | that glo|ry brings us!
       ,                ,        ,           ,         ,
      Who would | not wish | to be | from wealth | exempt,
              ,       ,          ,      ,         ,
      Since^rich|es point | to mise|ry and | contempt?
       ,              ,      ,           ,        2     ,
      Who would | be so | mocked with | glory,| or to live
       ,           ,           ,
      But in | a dream | of friend|ship,  \\
           ,          ,         ,           ,           ,
      To have | his pomp,| and all | what state | compounds,
           ,      ,        ,          ,           ,
      But on|ly paint|ed like | his varn|ished friends:
        T    Tx     T             ,              ,    ,
      Poor honest lord,| brought^low | by his / own heart,
          ,         ,           ,        ,  2     ,
      Undone | by good|ness: Strange | unus|ual blood,
             ,       ,      x                T    T    T
      When man's | worst sin is,/ he does*| too much good.
       T     T     T       2     ,         ,       ,
      Who, then, dares | to be half | so kind | again?
            ,    2       ,       ,           T    T   T
      For boun|ty that makes | gods, does^|still mar men.
           ,        ,       ,              ,         ,
      My dear|est lord,| blessed to | be most | accursed,
        ,   ,      2        ,             ,      ,
      Rich on/ly to be | wretched;| thy great | fortunes
            ,          ,         ,           ,          ,
      Are made | thy chief | afflic|tions. Alas (kind lord)  ????
             ,          ,           ,        ,         ,
      He's flung | in rage | from this | ingrate|ful seat
           ,           ,
      Of monst|rous friends:  \\
           ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      Nor has | he with | him to | supply | his life,
           ,           ,         ,
      Or that | which can | command | it:  \\
            ,       ,        ,          ,    oo
      I'll fol|low and | inquire | him out.|
            ,      ,           ,      .   T   T    T
      I'll ev|er serve | his mind,| with^my best will,
             ,          ,          ,         ,        ,
      Whilst I | have^gold,| I'll be | his stew|ard still.
 
[Exit]

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