The Shakespeare Book

263

water and forces them from
his home, berating them for
their falsity.
Timon leaves Athens for the
woods and prays for the city’s
destruction. A vengeful soldier
called Alcibiades enters the woods
at the same time, intent upon
destroying the city. He has been
banished for attempting to save
the life of a soldier who has been
sentenced to death. When Timon
reaches the woods, he digs for
roots, but discovers gold, and news
soon spreads to Athens that he is
rich once again. Hating humankind

for the ingratitude he has been

shown, Timon rails at his former

friends, who now come to seek him

(and his gold) in the woods. Timon

provides the soldier Alcibiades

with money to finance his attack on

Athens, and gives money to whores

to spread disease among citizens.

Both Apemantus and Flavius visit

Timon, and the Athenian lord

reluctantly acknowledges Flavius’s

goodness, despite his hatred of

humankind. He writes his epitaph

and dies by the sea, as Alcibiades

enters Athens, spares the city, and

promises peace. ❯❯

THE KING’S MAN

That what he speaks

is all in debt,

he owes

For every word.

Flavius

Act 1, Scene 2

3.6

3.7 4.1 4.3

3.7 4.3 5.2

The soldier

Alcibiades is

banished from

Athens.

Timon hosts a

banquet at which

he serves his guests

stones and warm

water.

Timon leaves the

city and determines

to live alone in the

woods, turning his

back on humanity.

Timon is visited

by his old

“friends,” who have

discovered he is

wealthy once more.

Timon chastises

his dinner guests,

then chases them

from his home.

While digging for roots

Timon unearths

gold in the woods.

Timon’s faithful

steward Flavius

makes the

Athenian lord

reconsider his

hatred for the whole

of humankind.

5.3

Timon writes his epitaph

and dies alone by the sea

shore. Alcibiades returns

to Athens, but brings

peace rather than war.

Act 3 Act 4 Act 5