Scene 4

Summary

Alcibiades and his army are seen moving towards Athens. The Senators are standing behind the walls.

Alcibiades tells the Senators that their happy times have finally come to an end. He also accuses the Senators of often trampling upon justice, but now the time has changed. Wrong deeds will no longer be tolerated. The Senator tries to tell Alcibiades how they have tried to compensate for their act of unkindness. One of the Senators tells Timon that it wonÂ’t be fair on his part to destroy the structures of Athens, which have been built by generations of Athenians. He also tells Alcibiades that all those Senators, who had wronged against him, are no longer alive.

The Senator now tells Alcibiades that if he still wants his revenge, then he can come into the city and kill those that he feels are guilty. Alcibiades commands them to open the gates of the city. The Senators surrender the city of Athens to Alcibiades and his army.

Just as Alcibiades is about to enter the city of Athens, the soldier who has discovered TimonÂ’s grave enters and informs Alcibiades about TimonÂ’s death and hands over the epitaph to him. Alcibiades translates it, after which he promises that he is going to establish a righteous government in Athens and rule the city justly.

This is the last scene of the play. A conversation takes place between Alcibiades and the Senators.

Alcibiades points out how he himself was under the Senators who were powerful. He could not ask for fair justice.

The Senators try to convince Alcibiades that they have realized their faults. They tried sending messages to him repenting their ingratitude. They also tell Alcibiades that they have even tried to make peace with Timon. Hence they do not deserve the stroke of war. But in reality the Senators do all this only because they are scared and unprepared for the war. They hope that by saying this they can save Athens. Alcibiades agrees not to destroy the city but tells the Senators that he is going to take action against those who have wronged against both him and Timon.

A soldier hands over the epitaph, which he has brought from TimonÂ’s grave. While reading the epitaph, Alcibiades is sad and realizes that his friend Timon died a misanthrope. He muses that although Timon did not want anybodyÂ’s sympathies, his friends will express their grief on his humble grave. Alcibiades promises to establish a just government in Athens.

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