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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
The Life of Timon of Athens

June, 1999 [Etext #1798]


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1608

THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS

by William Shakespeare



DRAMATIS PERSONAE

    TIMON of Athens

    LUCIUS
    LUCULLUS
    SEMPRONIUS
       flattering lords

    VENTIDIUS, one of Timon's false friends
    ALCIBIADES, an Athenian captain
    APEMANTUS, a churlish philosopher
    FLAVIUS, steward to Timon

    FLAMINIUS
    LUCILIUS
    SERVILIUS
       Timon's servants

    CAPHIS
    PHILOTUS
    TITUS
    HORTENSIUS
       servants to Timon's creditors

    POET
    PAINTER
    JEWELLER
    MERCHANT
    MERCER
    AN OLD ATHENIAN
    THREE STRANGERS
    A PAGE
    A FOOL

    PHRYNIA
    TIMANDRA
       mistresses to Alcibiades

    CUPID
    AMAZONS
      in the Masque

    Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Servants, Thieves, and
      Attendants




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SCENE:
Athens and the neighbouring woods


ACT I. SCENE I.
Athens. TIMON'S house

Enter POET, PAINTER, JEWELLER, MERCHANT, and MERCER, at several
doors

  POET. Good day, sir.
  PAINTER. I am glad y'are well.
  POET. I have not seen you long; how goes the world?
  PAINTER. It wears, sir, as it grows.
  POET. Ay, that's well known.
    But what particular rarity? What strange,
    Which manifold record not matches? See,
    Magic of bounty, all these spirits thy power
    Hath conjur'd to attend! I know the merchant.
  PAINTER. I know them both; th' other's a jeweller.
  MERCHANT. O, 'tis a worthy lord!
  JEWELLER. Nay, that's most fix'd.
  MERCHANT. A most incomparable man; breath'd, as it were,
    To an untirable and continuate goodness.
    He passes.
  JEWELLER. I have a jewel here-
  MERCHANT. O, pray let's see't. For the Lord Timon, sir?
  JEWELLER. If he will touch the estimate. But for that-
  POET. When we for recompense have prais'd the vile,
    It stains the glory in that happy verse
    Which aptly sings the good.
  MERCHANT. [Looking at the jewel] 'Tis a good form.
  JEWELLER. And rich. Here is a water, look ye.
  PAINTER. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication
    To the great lord.
  POET. A thing slipp'd idly from me.
    Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes
    From whence 'tis nourish'd. The fire i' th' flint
    Shows not till it be struck: our gentle flame
    Provokes itself, and like the current flies
    Each bound it chafes. What have you there?
  PAINTER. A picture, sir. When comes your book forth?
  POET. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir.
    Let's see your piece.
  PAINTER. 'Tis a good piece.
  POET. So 'tis; this comes off well and excellent.
  PAINTER. Indifferent.
  POET. Admirable. How this grace
    Speaks his own standing! What a mental power
    This eye shoots forth! How big imagination
    Moves in this lip! To th' dumbness of the gesture
    One might interpret.
  PAINTER. It is a pretty mocking of the life.
    Here is a touch; is't good?
  POET. I will say of it
    It tutors nature. Artificial strife
    Lives in these touches, livelier than life.

              Enter certain SENATORS, and pass over

  PAINTER. How this lord is followed!
  POET. The senators of Athens- happy man!
  PAINTER. Look, more!
  POET. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors.
    I have in this rough work shap'd out a man
    Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug
    With amplest entertainment. My free drift
    Halts not particularly, but moves itself
    In a wide sea of tax. No levell'd malice
    Infects one comma in the course I hold,
    But flies an eagle flight, bold and forth on,
    Leaving no tract behind.
  PAINTER. How shall I understand you?
  POET. I will unbolt to you.
    You see how all conditions, how all minds-
    As well of glib and slipp'ry creatures as
    Of grave and austere quality, tender down
    Their services to Lord Timon. His large fortune,
    Upon his good and gracious nature hanging,
    Subdues and properties to his love and tendance
    All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer
    To Apemantus, that few things loves better
    Than to abhor himself; even he drops down
    The knee before him, and returns in peace
    Most rich in Timon's nod.
  PAINTER. I saw them speak together.
  POET. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill
    Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd. The base o' th' mount
    Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures
    That labour on the bosom of this sphere
    To propagate their states. Amongst them all
    Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd
    One do I personate of Lord Timon's frame,
    Whom Fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her;
    Whose present grace to present slaves and servants
    Translates his rivals.
  PAINTER. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope.
    This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks,
    With one man beckon'd from the rest below,
    Bowing his head against the steepy mount
    To climb his happiness, would be well express'd
    In our condition.
  POET. Nay, sir, but hear me on.
    All those which were his fellows but of late-
    Some better than his value- on the moment
    Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance,
    Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear,
    Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him
    Drink the free air.
  PAINTER. Ay, marry, what of these?
  POET. When Fortune in her shift and change of mood
    Spurns down her late beloved, all his dependants,
    Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top
    Even on their knees and hands, let him slip down,
    Not one accompanying his declining foot.
  PAINTER. 'Tis common.
    A thousand moral paintings I can show
    That shall demonstrate these quick blows of Fortune's
    More pregnantly than words. Yet you do well
    To show Lord Timon that mean eyes have seen
    The foot above the head.

         Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, addressing himself
          courteously to every suitor, a MESSENGER from
         VENTIDIUS talking with him; LUCILIUS and other
                       servants following

  TIMON. Imprison'd is he, say you?
  MESSENGER. Ay, my good lord. Five talents is his debt;
    His means most short, his creditors most strait.
    Your honourable letter he desires
    To those have shut him up; which failing,
    Periods his comfort.
  TIMON. Noble Ventidius! Well.
    I am not of that feather to shake of
    My friend when he must need me. I do know him
    A gentleman that well deserves a help,
    Which he shall have. I'll pay the debt, and free him.
  MESSENGER. Your lordship ever binds him.
  TIMON. Commend me to him; I will send his ransom;
    And being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me.
    'Tis not enough to help the feeble up,
    But to support him after. Fare you well.
  MESSENGER. All happiness to your honour!                  Exit

                      Enter an OLD ATHENIAN

  OLD ATHENIAN. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
  TIMON. Freely, good father.
  OLD ATHENIAN. Thou hast a servant nam'd Lucilius.
  TIMON. I have so; what of him?
  OLD ATHENIAN. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee.
  TIMON. Attends he here, or no? Lucilius!
  LUCILIUS. Here, at your lordship's service.
  OLD ATHENIAN. This fellow here, Lord Timon, this thy creature,
    By night frequents my house. I am a man
    That from my first have been inclin'd to thrift,
    And my estate deserves an heir more rais'd
    Than one which holds a trencher.
  TIMON. Well; what further?
  OLD ATHENIAN. One only daughter have I, no kin else,
    On whom I may confer what I have got.
    The maid is fair, o' th' youngest for a bride,
    And I have bred her at my dearest cost
    In qualities of the best. This man of thine
    Attempts her love; I prithee, noble lord,
    Join with me to forbid him her resort;
    Myself have spoke in vain.
  TIMON. The man is honest.
  OLD ATHENIAN. Therefore he will be, Timon.
    His honesty rewards him in itself;
    It must not bear my daughter.
  TIMON. Does she love him?
  OLD ATHENIAN. She is young and apt:
    Our own precedent passions do instruct us
    What levity's in youth.
  TIMON. Love you the maid?
  LUCILIUS. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it.
  OLD ATHENIAN. If in her marriage my consent be missing,
    I call the gods to witness I will choose
    Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world,
    And dispossess her all.
  TIMON. How shall she be endow'd,
    If she be mated with an equal husband?
  OLD ATHENIAN. Three talents on the present; in future, all.
  TIMON. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me long;.
    To build his fortune I will strain a little,
    For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter:
    What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise,
    And make him weigh with her.
  OLD ATHENIAN. Most noble lord,
    Pawn me to this your honour, she is his.
  TIMON. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise.
  LUCILIUS. Humbly I thank your lordship. Never may
    That state or fortune fall into my keeping
    Which is not owed to you!
                                Exeunt LUCILIUS and OLD ATHENIAN
  POET. [Presenting his poem] Vouchsafe my labour, and long live
your lordship!
  TIMON. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon;
    Go not away. What have you there, my friend?
  PAINTER. A piece of painting, which I do beseech
    Your lordship to accept.
  TIMON. Painting is welcome.
    The painting is almost the natural man;
    For since dishonour traffics with man's nature,
    He is but outside; these pencill'd figures are
    Even such as they give out. I like your work,
    And you shall find I like it; wait attendance
    Till you hear further from me.
  PAINTER. The gods preserve ye!
  TIMON. Well fare you, gentleman. Give me your hand;
    We must needs dine together. Sir, your jewel
    Hath suffered under praise.
  JEWELLER. What, my lord! Dispraise?
  TIMON. A mere satiety of commendations;
    If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd,
    It would unclew me quite.
  JEWELLER. My lord, 'tis rated
    As those which sell would give; but you well know
    Things of like value, differing in the owners,
    Are prized by their masters. Believe't, dear lord,
    You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
  TIMON. Well mock'd.

                      Enter APEMANTUS

  MERCHANT. No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue,
    Which all men speak with him.
  TIMON. Look who comes here; will you be chid?
  JEWELLER. We'll bear, with your lordship.
  MERCHANT. He'll spare none.
  TIMON. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apemantus!
  APEMANTUS. Till I be gentle, stay thou for thy good morrow;
    When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves honest.
  TIMON. Why dost thou call them knaves? Thou know'st them not.
  APEMANTUS. Are they not Athenians?
  TIMON. Yes.
  APEMANTUS. Then I repent not.
  JEWELLER. You know me, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Thou know'st I do; I call'd thee by thy name.
  TIMON. Thou art proud, Apemantus.
  APEMANTUS. Of nothing so much as that I am not like Timon.
  TIMON. Whither art going?
  APEMANTUS. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains.
  TIMON. That's a deed thou't die for.
  APEMANTUS. Right, if doing nothing be death by th' law.
  TIMON. How lik'st thou this picture, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. The best, for the innocence.
  TIMON. Wrought he not well that painted it?
  APEMANTUS. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet
he's
    but a filthy piece of work.
  PAINTER. Y'are a dog.
  APEMANTUS. Thy mother's of my generation; what's she, if I be a
dog?
  TIMON. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. No; I eat not lords.
  TIMON. An thou shouldst, thou'dst anger ladies.
  APEMANTUS. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.
  TIMON. That's a lascivious apprehension.
  APEMANTUS. So thou apprehend'st it take it for thy labour.
  TIMON. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Not so well as plain dealing, which will not cost a
man a doit.
  TIMON. What dost thou think 'tis worth?
  APEMANTUS. Not worth my thinking. How now, poet!
  POET. How now, philosopher!
  APEMANTUS. Thou liest.
  POET. Art not one?
  APEMANTUS. Yes.
  POET. Then I lie not.
  APEMANTUS. Art not a poet?
  POET. Yes.
  APEMANTUS. Then thou liest. Look in thy last work, where thou
hast feign'd him a worthy fellow.
  POET. That's not feign'd- he is so.
  APEMANTUS. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy
    labour. He that loves to be flattered is worthy o' th'
flatterer.
    Heavens, that I were a lord!
  TIMON. What wouldst do then, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. E'en as Apemantus does now: hate a lord with my
heart.
  TIMON. What, thyself?
  APEMANTUS. Ay.
  TIMON. Wherefore?
  APEMANTUS. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.- Art not thou
a merchant?
  MERCHANT. Ay, Apemantus.
  APEMANTUS. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not!
  MERCHANT. If traffic do it, the gods do it.
  APEMANTUS. Traffic's thy god, and thy god confound thee!

                Trumpet sounds. Enter a MESSENGER

  TIMON. What trumpet's that?
  MESSENGER. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse,
    All of companionship.
  TIMON. Pray entertain them; give them guide to us.
                                          Exeunt some attendants
    You must needs dine with me. Go not you hence
    Till I have thank'd you. When dinner's done
    Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.

                Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest

    Most welcome, sir!                             [They salute]
  APEMANTUS. So, so, there!
    Aches contract and starve your supple joints!
    That there should be small love amongst these sweet knaves,
    And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred out
    Into baboon and monkey.
  ALCIBIADES. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed
    Most hungerly on your sight.
  TIMON. Right welcome, sir!
    Ere we depart we'll share a bounteous time
    In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.
                                        Exeunt all but APEMANTUS

                        Enter two LORDS

  FIRST LORD. What time o' day is't, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Time to be honest.
  FIRST LORD. That time serves still.
  APEMANTUS. The more accursed thou that still omit'st it.
  SECOND LORD. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast.
  APEMANTUS. Ay; to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.
  SECOND LORD. Fare thee well, fare thee well.
  APEMANTUS. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice.
  SECOND LORD. Why, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to
give thee none.
  FIRST LORD. Hang thyself.
  APEMANTUS. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy
requests to thy friend.
  SECOND LORD. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence.
  APEMANTUS. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' th' ass.  Exit
  FIRST LORD. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in
    And taste Lord Timon's bounty? He outgoes
    The very heart of kindness.
  SECOND LORD. He pours it out: Plutus, the god of gold,
    Is but his steward; no meed but he repays
    Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him
    But breeds the giver a return exceeding
    All use of quittance.
  FIRST LORD. The noblest mind he carries
    That ever govern'd man.
  SECOND LORD. Long may he live in fortunes! shall we in?
  FIRST LORD. I'll keep you company.                      Exeunt




SCENE II.
A room of state in TIMON'S house

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet serv'd in;
FLAVIUS and others attending; and then enter LORD TIMON, the
states,
the ATHENIAN LORDS, VENTIDIUS, which TIMON redeem'd from prison.
Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like
himself

  VENTIDIUS. Most honoured Timon,
    It hath pleas'd the gods to remember my father's age,
    And call him to long peace.
    He is gone happy, and has left me rich.
    Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound
    To your free heart, I do return those talents,
    Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help
    I deriv'd liberty.
  TIMON. O, by no means,
    Honest Ventidius! You mistake my love;
    I gave it freely ever; and there's none
    Can truly say he gives, if he receives.
    If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
    To imitate them: faults that are rich are fair.
  VENTIDIUS. A noble spirit!
  TIMON. Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devis'd at first
    To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
    Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;
    But where there is true friendship there needs none.
    Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes
    Than my fortunes to me.                           [They sit]
  FIRST LORD. My lord, we always have confess'd it.
  APEMANTUS. Ho, ho, confess'd it! Hang'd it, have you not?
  TIMON. O, Apemantus, you are welcome.
  APEMANTUS. No;
    You shall not make me welcome.
    I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.
  TIMON. Fie, th'art a churl; ye have got a humour there
    Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame.
    They say, my lords, Ira furor brevis est; but yond man is
ever
    angry. Go, let him have a table by himself; for he does
neither
    affect company nor is he fit for't indeed.
  APEMANTUS. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon.
    I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.
  TIMON. I take no heed of thee. Th'art an Athenian, therefore
    welcome. I myself would have no power; prithee let my meat
make
    thee silent.
  APEMANTUS. I scorn thy meat; 't'would choke me, for I should
ne'er
    flatter thee. O you gods, what a number of men eats Timon,
and he
    sees 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in
one
    man's blood; and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.
    I wonder men dare trust themselves with men.
    Methinks they should invite them without knives:
    Good for their meat and safer for their lives.
    There's much example for't; the fellow that sits next him
now,
    parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a divided
    draught, is the readiest man to kill him. 'T has been proved.
If
    I were a huge man I should fear to drink at meals.
    Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes:
    Great men should drink with harness on their throats.
  TIMON. My lord, in heart! and let the health go round.
  SECOND LORD. Let it flow this way, my good lord.
  APEMANTUS. Flow this way! A brave fellow! He keeps his tides
well.
    Those healths will make thee and thy state look ill, Timon.
    Here's that which is too weak to be a sinner, honest water,
which
    ne'er left man i' th' mire.
    This and my food are equals; there's no odds.
    Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.

                  APEMANTUS' Grace

           Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
           I pray for no man but myself.
           Grant I may never prove so fond
           To trust man on his oath or bond,
           Or a harlot for her weeping,
           Or a dog that seems a-sleeping,
           Or a keeper with my freedom,
           Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
           Amen. So fall to't.
           Rich men sin, and I eat root.       [Eats and drinks]

    Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!
  TIMON. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now.
  ALCIBIADES. My heart is ever at your service, my lord.
  TIMON. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than dinner
of
    friends.
  ALCIBIADES. So they were bleeding new, my lord, there's no meat
    like 'em; I could wish my best friend at such a feast.
  APEMANTUS. Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then,
that
    then thou mightst kill 'em, and bid me to 'em.
  FIRST LORD. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you
    would once use our hearts, whereby we might express some part
of
    our zeals, we should think ourselves for ever perfect.
  TIMON. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves
have
    provided that I shall have much help from you. How had you
been
    my friends else? Why have you that charitable title from
    thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have
told
    more of you to myself than you can with modesty speak in your
own
    behalf; and thus far I confirm you. O you gods, think I, what
    need we have any friends if we should ne'er have need of 'em?
    They were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er
    have use for 'em; and would most resemble sweet instruments
hung
    up in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I
have
    often wish'd myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you.
We
    are born to do benefits; and what better or properer can we
call
    our own than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious
    comfort 'tis to have so many like brothers commanding one
    another's fortunes! O, joy's e'en made away ere't can be
born!
    Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks. To forget their
    faults, I drink to you.
  APEMANTUS. Thou weep'st to make them drink, Timon.
  SECOND LORD. Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
    And at that instant like a babe sprung up.
  APEMANTUS. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard.
  THIRD LORD. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much.
  APEMANTUS. Much!                                [Sound tucket]
  TIMON. What means that trump?

                        Enter a SERVANT

    How now?
  SERVANT. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most
    desirous of admittance.
  TIMON. Ladies! What are their wills?
  SERVANT. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which
bears
    that office to signify their pleasures.
  TIMON. I pray let them be admitted.

                          Enter CUPID
  CUPID. Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all
    That of his bounties taste! The five best Senses
    Acknowledge thee their patron, and come freely
    To gratulate thy plenteous bosom. Th' Ear,
    Taste, Touch, Smell, pleas'd from thy table rise;
    They only now come but to feast thine eyes.
  TIMON. They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance.
    Music, make their welcome.                        Exit CUPID
  FIRST LORD. You see, my lord, how ample y'are belov'd.

      Music. Re-enter CUPID, witb a Masque of LADIES as Amazons,
          with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing

  APEMANTUS. Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!
    They dance? They are mad women.
    Like madness is the glory of this life,
    As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
    We make ourselves fools to disport ourselves,
    And spend our flatteries to drink those men
    Upon whose age we void it up again
    With poisonous spite and envy.
    Who lives that's not depraved or depraves?
    Who dies that bears not one spurn to their graves
    Of their friends' gift?
    I should fear those that dance before me now
    Would one day stamp upon me. 'T has been done:
    Men shut their doors against a setting sun.

         The LORDS rise from table, with much adoring of
        TIMON; and to show their loves, each single out an
          Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a lofty
            strain or two to the hautboys, and cease

  TIMON. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies,
    Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
    Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
    You have added worth unto't and lustre,
    And entertain'd me with mine own device;
    I am to thank you for't.
  FIRST LADY. My lord, you take us even at the best.
  APEMANTUS. Faith, for the worst is filthy, and would not hold
    taking, I doubt me.
  TIMON. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you;
    Please you to dispose yourselves.
  ALL LADIES. Most thankfully, my lord.
                                         Exeunt CUPID and LADIES
  TIMON. Flavius!
  FLAVIUS. My lord?
  TIMON. The little casket bring me hither.
  FLAVIUS. Yes, my lord. [Aside] More jewels yet!
    There is no crossing him in's humour,
    Else I should tell him- well i' faith, I should-
    When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could.
    'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind,
    That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.          Exit
  FIRST LORD. Where be our men?
  SERVANT. Here, my lord, in readiness.
  SECOND LORD. Our horses!

               Re-enter FLAVIUS, with the casket

  TIMON. O my friends,
    I have one word to say to you. Look you, my good lord,
    I must entreat you honour me so much
    As to advance this jewel; accept it and wear it,
    Kind my lord.
  FIRST LORD. I am so far already in your gifts-
  ALL. So are we all.

                       Enter a SERVANT

  SERVANT. My lord, there are certain nobles of the Senate newly
    alighted and come to visit you.
  TIMON. They are fairly welcome.                   Exit SERVANT
  FLAVIUS. I beseech your honour, vouchsafe me a word; it does
    concern you near.
  TIMON. Near! Why then, another time I'll hear thee. I prithee
let's
    be provided to show them entertainment.
  FLAVIUS. [Aside] I scarce know how.

                     Enter another SERVANT

  SECOND SERVANT. May it please vour honour, Lord Lucius, out of
his
    free love, hath presented to you four milk-white horses,
trapp'd
    in silver.
  TIMON. I shall accept them fairly. Let the presents
    Be worthily entertain'd.                        Exit SERVANT

                      Enter a third SERVANT

    How now! What news?
  THIRD SERVANT. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman,
Lord
    Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him
and
    has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds.
  TIMON. I'll hunt with him; and let them be receiv'd,
    Not without fair reward.                        Exit SERVANT
  FLAVIUS. [Aside] What will this come to?
    He commands us to provide and give great gifts,
    And all out of an empty coffer;
    Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this,
    To show him what a beggar his heart is,
    Being of no power to make his wishes good.
    His promises fly so beyond his state
    That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes
    For ev'ry word. He is so kind that he now
    Pays interest for't; his land's put to their books.
    Well, would I were gently put out of office
    Before I were forc'd out!
    Happier is he that has no friend to feed
    Than such that do e'en enemies exceed.
    I bleed inwardly for my lord.                           Exit
  TIMON. You do yourselves much wrong;
    You bate too much of your own merits.
    Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.
  SECOND LORD. With more than common thanks I will receive it.
  THIRD LORD. O, he's the very soul of bounty!
  TIMON. And now I remember, my lord, you gave good words the
other
    day of a bay courser I rode on. 'Tis yours because you lik'd
it.
  THIRD LORD. O, I beseech you pardon me, my lord, in that.
  TIMON. You may take my word, my lord: I know no man
    Can justly praise but what he does affect.
    I weigh my friend's affection with mine own.
    I'll tell you true; I'll call to you.
  ALL LORDS. O, none so welcome!
  TIMON. I take all and your several visitations
    So kind to heart 'tis not enough to give;
    Methinks I could deal kingdoms to my friends
    And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,
    Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich.
    It comes in charity to thee; for all thy living
    Is 'mongst the dead, and all the lands thou hast
    Lie in a pitch'd field.
  ALCIBIADES. Ay, defil'd land, my lord.
  FIRST LORD. We are so virtuously bound-
  TIMON. And so am I to you.
  SECOND LORD. So infinitely endear'd-
  TIMON. All to you. Lights, more lights!
  FIRST LORD. The best of happiness, honour, and fortunes, keep
with
    you, Lord Timon!
  TIMON. Ready for his friends.
                              Exeunt all but APEMANTUS and TIMON
  APEMANTUS. What a coil's here!
    Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums!
    I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums
    That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs:
    Methinks false hearts should never have sound legs.
    Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on curtsies.
  TIMON. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen
    I would be good to thee.
  APEMANTUS. No, I'll nothing; for if I should be brib'd too,
there
    would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst
sin
    the faster. Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me thou wilt
give
    away thyself in paper shortly. What needs these feasts,
pomps,
    and vain-glories?
  TIMON. Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn
not to
    give regard to you. Farewell; and come with better music.
 Exit
  APEMANTUS. So. Thou wilt not hear me now: thou shalt not then.
I'll
    lock thy heaven from thee.
    O that men's ears should be
    To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!                   Exit




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ACT II. SCENE I.
A SENATOR'S house

Enter A SENATOR, with papers in his hand

  SENATOR. And late, five thousand. To Varro and to Isidore
    He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
    Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion
    Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
    If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog
    And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold.
    If I would sell my horse and buy twenty more
    Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon,
    Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me straight,
    And able horses. No porter at his gate,
    But rather one that smiles and still invites
    All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason
    Can sound his state in safety. Caphis, ho!
    Caphis, I say!

                         Enter CAPHIS

  CAPHIS. Here, sir; what is your pleasure?
  SENATOR. Get on your cloak and haste you to Lord Timon;
    Importune him for my moneys; be not ceas'd
    With slight denial, nor then silenc'd when
    'Commend me to your master' and the cap
    Plays in the right hand, thus; but tell him
    My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn
    Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
    And my reliances on his fracted dates
    Have smit my credit. I love and honour him,
    But must not break my back to heal his finger.
    Immediate are my needs, and my relief
    Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
    But find supply immediate. Get you gone;
    Put on a most importunate aspect,
    A visage of demand; for I do fear,
    When every feather sticks in his own wing,
    Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
    Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
  CAPHIS. I go, sir.
  SENATOR. Take the bonds along with you,
    And have the dates in compt.
  CAPHIS. I will, sir.
  SENATOR. Go.                                            Exeunt




SCENE II.
Before TIMON'S house

Enter FLAVIUS, TIMON'S Steward, with many bills in his hand

  FLAVIUS. 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.
    What shall be done? He will not hear till feel.
    I must be round with him. Now he comes from hunting.
    Fie, fie, fie, fie!

       Enter CAPHIS, and the SERVANTS Of ISIDORE and VARRO

  CAPHIS. Good even, Varro. What, you come for money?
  VARRO'S SERVANT. Is't not your business too?
  CAPHIS. It is. And yours too, Isidore?
  ISIDORE'S SERVANT. It is so.
  CAPHIS. Would we were all discharg'd!
  VARRO'S SERVANT. I fear it.
  CAPHIS. Here comes the lord.

            Enter TIMON and his train, with ALCIBIADES

  TIMON. So soon as dinner's done we'll forth again,
    My Alcibiades.- With me? What is your will?
  CAPHIS. My lord, here is a note of certain dues.
  TIMON. Dues! Whence are you?
  CAPHIS. Of Athens here, my lord.
  TIMON. Go to my steward.
  CAPHIS. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off
    To the succession of new days this month.
    My master is awak'd by great occasion
    To call upon his own, and humbly prays you
    That with your other noble parts you'll suit
    In giving him his right.
  TIMON. Mine honest friend,
    I prithee but repair to me next morning.
  CAPHIS. Nay, good my lord-
  TIMON. Contain thyself, good friend.
  VARRO'S SERVANT. One Varro's servant, my good lord-
  ISIDORE'S SERVANT. From Isidore: he humbly prays your speedy
    payment-
  CAPHIS. If you did know, my lord, my master's wants-
  VARRO'S SERVANT. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks
and
    past.
  ISIDORE'S SERVANT. Your steward puts me off, my lord; and
    I am sent expressly to your lordship.
  TIMON. Give me breath.
    I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;
    I'll wait upon you instantly.
                                     Exeunt ALCIBIADES and LORDS
    [To FLAVIUS] Come hither. Pray you,
    How goes the world that I am thus encount'red
    With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds
    And the detention of long-since-due debts,
    Against my honour?
  FLAVIUS. Please you, gentlemen,
    The time is unagreeable to this business.
    Your importunacy cease till after dinner,
    That I may make his lordship understand
    Wherefore you are not paid.
  TIMON. Do so, my friends.
    See them well entertain'd.                              Exit
  FLAVIUS. Pray draw near.                                  Exit

                      Enter APEMANTUS and FOOL

  CAPHIS. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus.
    Let's ha' some sport with 'em.
  VARRO'S SERVANT. Hang him, he'll abuse us!
  ISIDORE'S SERVANT. A plague upon him, dog!
  VARRO'S SERVANT. How dost, fool?
  APEMANTUS. Dost dialogue with thy shadow?
  VARRO'S SERVANT. I speak not to thee.
  APEMANTUS. No, 'tis to thyself. [To the FOOL] Come away.
  ISIDORE'S SERVANT. [To VARRO'S SERVANT] There's the fool hangs
on
    your back already.
  APEMANTUS. No, thou stand'st single; th'art not on him yet.
  CAPHIS. Where's the fool now?
  APEMANTUS. He last ask'd the question. Poor rogues and usurers'
    men! Bawds between gold and want!
  ALL SERVANTS. What are we, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Asses.
  ALL SERVANTS. Why?
  APEMANTUS. That you ask me what you are, and do not know
    yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool.
  FOOL. How do you, gentlemen?
  ALL SERVANTS. Gramercies, good fool. How does your mistress?
  FOOL. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you
    are. Would we could see you at Corinth!
  APEMANTUS. Good! gramercy.

                           Enter PAGE

  FOOL. Look you, here comes my mistress' page.
  PAGE. [To the FOOL] Why, how now, Captain? What do you in this
wise
    company? How dost thou, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer
thee
    profitably!
  PAGE. Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these
    letters; I know not which is which.
  APEMANTUS. Canst not read?
  PAGE. No.
  APEMANTUS. There will little learning die, then, that day thou
art
    hang'd. This is to Lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou
wast
    born a bastard, and thou't die a bawd.
  PAGE. Thou wast whelp'd a dog, and thou shalt famish dog's
death.
    Answer not: I am gone.                             Exit PAGE
  APEMANTUS. E'en so thou outrun'st grace.
    Fool, I will go with you to Lord Timon's.
  FOOL. Will you leave me there?
  APEMANTUS. If Timon stay at home. You three serve three
usurers?
  ALL SERVANTS. Ay; would they serv'd us!
  APEMANTUS. So would I- as good a trick as ever hangman serv'd
    thief.
  FOOL. Are you three usurers' men?
  ALL SERVANTS. Ay, fool.
  FOOL. 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?
  VARRO'S SERVANT. I could render one.
  APEMANTUS. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster
and a
    knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.
  VARRO'S SERVANT. What is a whoremaster, fool?
  FOOL. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a
    spirit. Sometime 't appears like a lord; sometime like a
lawyer;
    sometime like a philosopher, with two stones more than's
    artificial one. He is very often like a knight; and,
generally,
    in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to
    thirteen, this spirit walks in.
  VARRO'S SERVANT. Thou art not altogether a fool.
  FOOL. Nor thou altogether a wise man.
    As much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lack'st.
  APEMANTUS. That answer might have become Apemantus.
  VARRO'S SERVANT. Aside, aside; here comes Lord Timon.

                    Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS

  APEMANTUS. Come with me, fool, come.
  FOOL. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman;
    sometime the philosopher.
                                       Exeunt APEMANTUS and FOOL
  FLAVIUS. Pray you walk near; I'll speak with you anon.
                                                 Exeunt SERVANTS
  TIMON. You make me marvel wherefore ere this time
    Had you not fully laid my state before me,
    That I might so have rated my expense
    As I had leave of means.
  FLAVIUS. You would not hear me
    At many leisures I propos'd.
  TIMON. Go to;
    Perchance some single vantages you took
    When my indisposition put you back,
    And that unaptness made your minister
    Thus to excuse yourself.
  FLAVIUS. O my good lord,
    At many times I brought in my accounts,
    Laid them before you; you would throw them off
    And say you found them in mine honesty.
    When, for some trifling present, you have bid me
    Return so much, I have shook my head and wept;
    Yea, 'gainst th' authority of manners, pray'd you
    To hold your hand more close. I did endure
    Not seldom, nor no slight checks, when I have
    Prompted you in the ebb of your estate
    And your great flow of debts. My lov'd lord,
    Though you hear now- too late!- yet now's a time:
    The greatest of your having lacks a half
    To pay your present debts.
  TIMON. Let all my land be sold.
  FLAVIUS. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone;
    And what remains will hardly stop the mouth
    Of present dues. The future comes apace;
    What shall defend the interim? And at length
    How goes our reck'ning?
  TIMON. To Lacedaemon did my land extend.
  FLAVIUS. O my good lord, the world is but a word;
    Were it all yours to give it in a breath,
    How quickly were it gone!
  TIMON. You tell me true.
  FLAVIUS. If you suspect my husbandry or falsehood,
    Call me before th' exactest auditors
    And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,
    When all our offices have been oppress'd
    With riotous feeders, when our vaults have wept
    With drunken spilth of wine, when every room
    Hath blaz'd with lights and bray'd with minstrelsy,
    I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock
    And set mine eyes at flow.
  TIMON. Prithee no more.
  FLAVIUS. 'Heavens,' have I said 'the bounty of this lord!
    How many prodigal bits have slaves and peasants
    This night englutted! Who is not Lord Timon's?
    What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is Lord Timon's?
    Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon!'
    Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise,
    The breath is gone whereof this praise is made.
    Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter show'rs,
    These flies are couch'd.
  TIMON. Come, sermon me no further.
    No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;
    Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.
    Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack
    To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart:
    If I would broach the vessels of my love,
    And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,
    Men and men's fortunes could I frankly use
    As I can bid thee speak.
  FLAVIUS. Assurance bless your thoughts!
  TIMON. And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd
    That I account them blessings; for by these
    Shall I try friends. You shall perceive how you
    Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends.
    Within there! Flaminius! Servilius!

           Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and another SERVANT

  SERVANTS. My lord! my lord!
  TIMON. I will dispatch you severally- you to Lord Lucius; to
Lord
    Lucullus you; I hunted with his honour to-day. You to
Sempronius.
    Commend me to their loves; and I am proud, say, that my
occasions
    have found time to use 'em toward a supply of money. Let the
    request be fifty talents.
  FLAMINIUS. As you have said, my lord.          Exeunt SERVANTS
  FLAVIUS. [Aside] Lord Lucius and Lucullus? Humh!
  TIMON. Go you, sir, to the senators,
    Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have
    Deserv'd this hearing. Bid 'em send o' th' instant
    A thousand talents to me.
  FLAVIUS. I have been bold,
    For that I knew it the most general way,
    To them to use your signet and your name;
    But they do shake their heads, and I am here
    No richer in return.
  TIMON. Is't true? Can't be?
  FLAVIUS. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice,
    That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot
    Do what they would, are sorry- you are honourable-
    But yet they could have wish'd- they know not-
    Something hath been amiss- a noble nature
    May catch a wrench- would all were well!- 'tis pity-
    And so, intending other serious matters,
    After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions,
    With certain half-caps and cold-moving nods,
    They froze me into silence.
  TIMON. You gods, reward them!
    Prithee, man, look cheerly. These old fellows
    Have their ingratitude in them hereditary.
    Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows;
    'Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind;
    And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
    Is fashion'd for the journey dull and heavy.
    Go to Ventidius. Prithee be not sad,
    Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak,
    No blame belongs to thee. Ventidius lately
    Buried his father, by whose death he's stepp'd
    Into a great estate. When he was poor,
    Imprison'd, and in scarcity of friends,
    I clear'd him with five talents. Greet him from me,
    Bid him suppose some good necessity
    Touches his friend, which craves to be rememb'red
    With those five talents. That had, give't these fellows
    To whom 'tis instant due. Nev'r speak or think
    That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.
  FLAVIUS. I would I could not think it.
    That thought is bounty's foe;
    Being free itself, it thinks all others so.           Exeunt




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ACT III. SCENE I.
LUCULLUS' house

FLAMINIUS waiting to speak with LUCULLUS. Enter SERVANT to him

  SERVANT. I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you.
  FLAMINIUS. I thank you, sir.

                           Enter LUCULLUS

  SERVANT. Here's my lord.
  LUCULLUS. [Aside] One of Lord Timon's men? A gift, I warrant.
Why,
    this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer
to-night-
    Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very respectively
welcome,
    sir. Fill me some wine. [Exit SERVANT] And how does that
    honourable, complete, freehearted gentleman of Athens, thy
very
    bountiful good lord and master?
  FLAMINIUS. His health is well, sir.
  LUCULLUS. I am right glad that his health is well, sir. And
what
    hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?
  FLAMINIUS. Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir, which in my
lord's
    behalf I come to entreat your honour to supply;  who, having
    great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to
    your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present
    assistance therein.
  LUCULLIUS. La, la, la, la! 'Nothing doubting' says he? Alas,
good
    lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a
    house. Many a time and often I ha' din'd 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.

                    Re-enter SERVANT, with wine

  SERVANT. Please your lordship, here is the wine.
  LUCULLUS. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to
thee.
  FLAMINIUS. Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
  LUCULLUS. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt
spirit,
    give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason,
and
    canst use the time well, if the time use thee well. Good
parts in
    thee. [To SERVANT] Get you gone, sirrah. [Exit SERVANT] Draw
    nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman;
but
    thou art wise, and thou know'st well enough, although thou
com'st
    to me, that this is no time to lend money, especially upon
bare
    friendship without security. Here's three solidares for thee.
    Good boy, wink at me, and say thou saw'st me not. Fare thee
well.
  FLAMINIUS. Is't possible the world should so much differ,
    And we alive that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness,
    To him that worships thee.         [Throwing the money back]
  LUCULLUS. Ha! Now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy
master.
 Exit
  FLAMINIUS. May these add to the number that may scald thee!
    Let molten coin be thy damnation,
    Thou disease of a friend and not himself!
    Has friendship such a faint and milky heart
    It turns in less than two nights? O you gods,
    I feel my master's passion! This slave
    Unto his honour has my lord's meat in him;
    Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment
    When he is turn'd to poison?
    O, may diseases only work upon't!
    And when he's sick to death, let not that part of nature
    Which my lord paid for be of any power
    To expel sickness, but prolong his hour!                Exit




SCENE II.
A public place

Enter Lucius, with three STRANGERS

  LUCIUS. Who, the Lord Timon? He is my very good friend, and an
    honourable gentleman.
  FIRST STRANGER. We know him for no less, though we are but
    strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and
    which I hear from common rumours: now Lord Timon's happy
hours
    are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.
  LUCIUS. Fie, no: do not believe it; he cannot want for money.
  SECOND STRANGER. But believe you this, my lord, that not long
ago
     one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow so many
    talents; nay, urg'd extremely for't, and showed what
necessity
    belong'd to't, and yet was denied.
  LUCIUS. How?
  SECOND STRANGER. I tell you, denied, my lord.
  LUCIUS. What a strange case was that! Now, before the gods, I
am
    asham'd on't. Denied that honourable man! There was very
little
    honour show'd in't. For my own part, I must needs confess I
have
    received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate,
jewels,
    and such-like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he
    mistook him and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his
    occasion so many talents.

                             Enter SERVILIUS

  SERVILIUS. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to
see
    his honour.- My honour'd lord!
  LUCIUS. Servilius? You are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well;
commend
    me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend.
  SERVILIUS. May it please your honour, my lord hath sent-
  LUCIUS. Ha! What has he sent? I am so much endeared to that
lord:
    he's ever sending. How shall I thank him, think'st thou? And
what
    has he sent now?
  SERVILIUS. Has only sent his present occasion now, my lord,
    requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so
many
    talents.
  LUCIUS. I know his lordship is but merry with me;
    He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.
  SERVILIUS. But in the mean time he wants less, my lord.
    If his occasion were not virtuous
    I should not urge it half so faithfully.
  LUCIUS. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?
  SERVILIUS. Upon my soul, 'tis true, sir.
  LUCIUS. What a wicked beast was I to disfurnish myself against
such
    a good time, when I might ha' shown myself honourable! How
    unluckily it happ'ned that I should purchase the day before
for a
    little part and undo a great deal of honour! Servilius, now
    before the gods, I am not able to do- the more beast, I say!
I
    was sending to use Lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can
    witness; but I would not for the wealth of Athens I had
done't
    now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship, and I hope
his
    honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no
power
    to be kind. And tell him this from me: I count it one of my
    greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an
    honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so
far
    as to use mine own words to him?
  SERVILIUS. Yes, sir, I shall.
  LUCIUS. I'll look you out a good turn, Servilius.
                                                  Exit SERVILIUS
    True, as you said, Timon is shrunk indeed;
    And he that's once denied will hardly speed.            Exit
  FIRST STRANGER. Do you observe this, Hostilius?
  SECOND STRANGER. Ay, too well.
  FIRST STRANGER. Why, this is the world's soul; and just of the
same
      piece
    Is every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him his friend
    That dips in the same dish? For, in my knowing,
    Timon has been this lord's father,
    And kept his credit with his purse;
    Supported his estate; nay, Timon's money
    Has paid his men their wages. He ne'er drinks
    But Timon's silver treads upon his lip;
    And yet- O, see the monstrousness of man
    When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!-
    He does deny him, in respect of his,
    What charitable men afford to beggars.
  THIRD STRANGER. Religion groans at it.
  FIRST STRANGER. For mine own part,
    I never tasted Timon in my life,
    Nor came any of his bounties over me
    To mark me for his friend; yet I protest,
    For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue,
    And honourable carriage,
    Had his necessity made use of me,
    I would have put my wealth into donation,
    And the best half should have return'd to him,
    So much I love his heart. But I perceive
    Men must learn now with pity to dispense;
    For policy sits above conscience.                     Exeunt




SCENE III.
SEMPRONIUS' house

Enter SEMPRONIUS and a SERVANT of TIMON'S

  SEMPRONIUS. Must he needs trouble me in't? Hum! 'Bove all
others?
    He might have tried Lord Lucius or Lucullus;
    And now Ventidius is wealthy too,
    Whom he redeem'd from prison. All these
    Owe their estates unto him.
  SERVANT. My lord,
    They have all been touch'd and found base metal, for
    They have all denied him.
  SEMPRONIUS. How! Have they denied him?
    Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him?
    And does he send to me? Three? Humh!
    It shows but little love or judgment in him.
    Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,
    Thrice give him over. Must I take th' cure upon me?
    Has much disgrac'd me in't; I'm angry at him,
    That might have known my place. I see no sense for't,
    But his occasions might have woo'd me first;
    For, in my conscience, I was the first man
    That e'er received gift from him.
    And does he think so backwardly of me now
    That I'll requite it last? No;
    So it may prove an argument of laughter
    To th' rest, and I 'mongst lords be thought a fool.
    I'd rather than the worth of thrice the sum
    Had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake;
    I'd such a courage to do him good. But now return,
    And with their faint reply this answer join:
    Who bates mine honour shall not know my coin.           Exit
  SERVANT. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil
    knew not what he did when he made man politic- he cross'd
himself
    by't; and I cannot think but, in the end, the villainies of
man
    will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear
foul!
    Takes virtuous copies to be wicked, like those that under hot
    ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire.
    Of such a nature is his politic love.
    This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
    Save only the gods. Now his friends are dead,
    Doors that were ne'er acquainted with their wards
    Many a bounteous year must be employ'd
    Now to guard sure their master.
    And this is all a liberal course allows:
    Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.         Exit




SCENE IV.
A hall in TIMON'S house

Enter two Of VARRO'S MEN, meeting LUCIUS' SERVANT, and others,
all being servants of TIMON's creditors, to wait for his coming
out.
Then enter TITUS and HORTENSIUS

  FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. Well met; good morrow, Titus and
Hortensius.
  TITUS. The like to you, kind Varro.
  HORTENSIUS. Lucius! What, do we meet together?
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Ay, and I think one business does command us
all;
    for mine is money.
  TITUS. So is theirs and ours.

                          Enter PHILOTUS

  LUCIUS' SERVANT. And Sir Philotus too!
  PHILOTUS. Good day at once.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. welcome, good brother, what do you think the
hour?
  PHILOTUS. Labouring for nine.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. So much?
  PHILOTUS. Is not my lord seen yet?
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Not yet.
  PHILOTUS. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Ay, but the days are wax'd shorter with him;
    You must consider that a prodigal course
    Is like the sun's, 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.
  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.
  HORTENSIUS. It is against my heart.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. 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.
  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.
  FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns;
what's
    yours?
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Five thousand mine.
  FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. 'Tis much deep; and it should seem by
th'
      sum
    Your master's confidence was above mine,
    Else surely his had equall'd.

                           Enter FLAMINIUS

  TITUS. One of Lord Timon's men.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Flaminius! Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord 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 to
diligent.
 Exit

                 Enter FLAVIUS, in a cloak, muffled

  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so?
    He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.
  TITUS. Do you hear, sir?
  SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT. By your leave, sir.
  FLAVIUS. What do ye ask of me, my friend?
  TITUS. We wait for certain money here, sir.
  FLAVIUS. Ay,
    If money were as certain as your waiting,
    'Twere sure enough.
    Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills
    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.
    Believe't, my lord and I have made an end:
    I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Ay, but this answer will not serve.
  FLAVIUS. If 'twill not serve, 'tis not so base as you,
    For you serve knaves.                                   Exit
  FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. How! What does his cashier'd worship
mutter?
  SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT. 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 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 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' SERVANT. Many do keep their chambers are not sick;
    And if it be so far beyond his health,
    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!

           Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following

  TIMON. What, are my doors oppos'd against my passage?
    Have I been ever free, and must my house
    Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?
    The place which I have feasted, does it now,
    Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Put in now, Titus.
  TITUS. My lord, here is my bill.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Here's mine.
  HORTENSIUS. And mine, my lord.
  BOTH VARRO'S SERVANTS. And ours, my lord.
  PHILOTUS. All our bills.
  TIMON. Knock me down with 'em; cleave me to the girdle.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Alas, my lord-
  TIMON. Cut my heart in sums.
  TITUS. Mine, fifty talents.
  TIMON. Tell out my blood.
  LUCIUS' SERVANT. Five thousand crowns, my lord.
  TIMON. Five thousand drops pays that. What yours? and yours?
  FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT. My lord-
  SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT. My lord-
  TIMON. Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!      Exit
  HORTENSIUS. Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps
at
    their money. These debts may well be call'd desperate ones,
for a
    madman owes 'em.                                      Exeunt

                    Re-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?
  FLAMINIUS. My lord-
  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.
  FLAVIUS. O my lord,
    You only speak from your distracted soul;
    There is not so much left to furnish out
    A moderate table.
  TIMON. Be it not in thy care.
    Go, I charge thee, invite them all; let in the tide
    Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.        Exeunt




SCENE V.
The Senate House

Enter three SENATORS at one door, ALCIBIADES meeting them, with
attendants

  FIRST SENATOR. My lord, you have my voice to't: the fault's
bloody.
    'Tis necessary he should die:
    Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.
  SECOND SENATOR. Most true; the law shall bruise him.
  ALCIBIADES. Honour, health, and compassion, to the Senate!
  FIRST SENATOR. Now, Captain?
  ALCIBIADES. I am an humble suitor to your virtues;
    For pity is the virtue of the law,
    And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
    It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy
    Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
    Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
    To those that without heed do plunge into't.
    He is a man, setting his fate aside,
    Of comely virtues;
    Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice-
    An honour in him which buys out his fault-
    But with a noble fury and fair spirit,
    Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
    He did oppose his foe;
    And with such sober and unnoted passion
    He did behove his anger ere 'twas spent,
    As if he had but prov'd an argument.
  FIRST SENATOR. You undergo too strict a paradox,
    Striving to make an ugly deed look fair;
    Your words have took such pains as if they labour'd
    To bring manslaughter into form and set
    Quarrelling upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
    Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
    When sects and factions were newly born.
    He's truly valiant that can wisely suffer
    The worst that man can breathe,
    And make his wrongs his outsides,
    To wear them like his raiment, carelessly,
    And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,
    To bring it into danger.
    If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,
    What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!
  ALCIBIADES. My lord-
  FIRST SENATOR. You cannot make gross sins look clear:
    To revenge is no valour, but to bear.
  ALCIBIADES. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me
    If I speak like a captain:
    Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
    And not endure all threats? Sleep upon't,
    And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
    Without repugnancy? If there be
    Such valour in the bearing, what make we
    Abroad? Why, then, women are more valiant,
    That stay at home, if bearing carry it;
    And the ass more captain than the lion; the fellow
    Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,
    If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,
    As you are great, be pitifully good.
    Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
    To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;
    But, in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.
    To be in anger is impiety;
    But who is man that is not angry?
    Weigh but the crime with this.
  SECOND SENATOR. You breathe in vain.
  ALCIBIADES. In vain! His service done
    At Lacedaemon and Byzantium
    Were a sufficient briber for his life.
  FIRST SENATOR. What's that?
  ALCIBIADES. Why, I say, my lords, has done fair service,
    And slain in fight many of your enemies;
    How full of valour did he bear himself
    In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!
  SECOND SENATOR. He has made too much plenty with 'em.
    He's a sworn rioter; he has a sin that often
    Drowns him and takes his valour prisoner.
    If there were no foes, that were enough
    To overcome him. In that beastly fury
    He has been known to commit outrages
    And cherish factions. 'Tis inferr'd to us
    His days are foul and his drink dangerous.
  FIRST SENATOR. He dies.
  ALCIBIADES. Hard fate! He might have died in war.
    My lords, if not for any parts in him-
    Though his right arm might purchase his own time,
    And be in debt to none- yet, more to move you,
    Take my deserts to his, and join 'em both;
    And, for I know your reverend ages love
    Security, I'll pawn my victories, all
    My honours to you, upon his good returns.
    If by this crime he owes the law his life,
    Why, let the war receive't in valiant gore;
    For law is strict, and war is nothing more.
  FIRST SENATOR. We are for law: he dies. Urge it no more
    On height of our displeasure. Friend or brother,
    He forfeits his own blood that spills another.
  ALCIBIADES. Must it be so? It must not be. My lords,
    I do beseech you, know me.
  SECOND SENATOR. How!
  ALCIBIADES. Call me to your remembrances.
  THIRD SENATOR. What!
  ALCIBIADES. I cannot think but your age has forgot me;
    It could not else be I should prove so base
    To sue, and be denied such common grace.
    My wounds ache at you.
  FIRST SENATOR. Do you dare our anger?
    'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect:
    We banish thee for ever.
  ALCIBIADES. Banish me!
    Banish your dotage! Banish usury
    That makes the Senate ugly.
  FIRST SENATOR. If after two days' shine Athens contain thee,
    Attend our weightier judgment. And, not to swell our spirit,
    He shall be executed presently.              Exeunt SENATORS
  ALCIBIADES. Now the gods keep you old enough that you may live
    Only in bone, that none may look on you!
    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.         Exit




SCENE VI.
A banqueting hall in TIMON'S house

Music. Tables set out; servants attending. Enter divers LORDS,
friends of TIMON, at several doors

  FIRST LORD. The good time of day to you, sir.
  SECOND LORD. I also wish it to you. I think this honourable
lord
    did but try us this other day.
  FIRST LORD. Upon that were my thoughts tiring when we
encount'red.
    I hope it is not so low with him as he made it seem in the
trial
    of his several friends.
  SECOND LORD. It should not be, by the persuasion of his new
    feasting.
  FIRST LORD. I should think so. He hath sent me an earnest
inviting,
    which many my near occasions did urge me to put off; but he
hath
    conjur'd me beyond them, and I must needs appear.
  SECOND LORD. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate
    business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am sorry, when
he
    sent to borrow of me, that my provision was out.
  FIRST LORD. I am sick of that grief too, as I understand how
all
    things go.
  SECOND LORD. Every man here's so. What would he have borrowed
of
    you?
  FIRST LORD. A thousand pieces.
  SECOND LORD. A thousand pieces!
  FIRST LORD. What of you?
  SECOND LORD. He sent to me, sir- here he comes.

                   Enter TIMON and attendants

  TIMON. With all my heart, gentlemen both! And how fare you?
  FIRST LORD. Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship.
  SECOND LORD. The swallow follows not summer more willing than
we
    your lordship.
  TIMON. [Aside] Nor more willingly leaves winter; such
summer-birds
    are men- Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompense this long
    stay; feast your ears with the music awhile, if they will
fare so
    harshly o' th' trumpet's sound; we shall to't presently.
  FIRST LORD. I hope it remains not unkindly with your lordship
that
    I return'd you an empty messenger.
  TIMON. O sir, let it not trouble you.
  SECOND LORD. My noble lord-
  TIMON. Ah, my good friend, what cheer?
  SECOND LORD. My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of shame
that,
    when your lordship this other day sent to me, I was so
    unfortunate a beggar.
  TIMON. Think not on't, sir.
  SECOND LORD. If you had sent but two hours before-
  TIMON. Let it not cumber your better remembrance. [The banquet
    brought in] Come, bring in all together.
  SECOND LORD. All cover'd dishes!
  FIRST LORD. Royal cheer, I warrant you.
  THIRD LORD. Doubt not that, if money and the season can yield
it.
  FIRST LORD. How do you? What's the news?
  THIRD LORD. Alcibiades is banish'd. Hear you of it?
  FIRST AND SECOND LORDS. Alcibiades banish'd!
  THIRD LORD. 'Tis so, be sure of it.
  FIRST LORD. How? how?
  SECOND LORD. I pray you, upon what?
  TIMON. My worthy friends, will you draw near?
  THIRD LORD. I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble feast
toward.
  SECOND LORD. This is the old man still.
  THIRD LORD. Will't hold? Will't hold?
  SECOND LORD. It does; but time will- and so-
  THIRD LORD. I do conceive.
  TIMON. 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 prais'd; 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 god-heads 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 foes, 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.        [The dishes are uncovered and
                                  seen to he full of warm water]
  SOME SPEAK. What does his lordship mean?
  SOME OTHER. I know not.
  TIMON. May you a better feast never behold,
    You knot of mouth-friends! Smoke and lukewarm water
    Is your perfection. This is Timon's last;
    Who, stuck and spangled with your flatteries,
    Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces
                             [Throwing the water in their faces]
    Your reeking villainy. Live loath'd 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-lacks!
    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!                          Exit

                           Re-enter the LORDS

  FIRST LORD. How now, my lords!
  SECOND LORD. Know you the quality of Lord Timon's fury?
  THIRD LORD. Push! Did you see my cap?
  FOURTH LORD. I have lost my gown.
  FIRST LORD. He's but a mad lord, and nought but humours sways
him.
    He gave me a jewel th' other day, and now he has beat it out
of
    my hat. Did you see my jewel?
  THIRD LORD. Did you see my cap?
  SECOND LORD. Here 'tis.
  FOURTH LORD. Here lies my gown.
  FIRST LORD. Let's make no stay.
  SECOND LORD. Lord Timon's mad.
  THIRD LORD. I feel't upon my bones.
  FOURTH LORD. One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.
                                                          Exeunt




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ACT IV. SCENE I.
Without the walls of Athens

Enter TIMON

  TIMON. Let me look back upon thee. O thou wall
    That girdles in those wolves, dive in the earth
    And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent.
    Obedience, fail in children! Slaves and fools,
    Pluck the grave wrinkled Senate from the bench
    And minister in their steads. To general filths
    Convert, o' th' instant, green virginity.
    Do't in your parents' eyes. Bankrupts, hold fast;
    Rather than render back, out with your knives
    And cut your trusters' throats. Bound servants, steal:
    Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
    And pill by law. Maid, to thy master's bed:
    Thy mistress is o' th' brothel. Son of sixteen,
    Pluck the lin'd crutch from thy old limping sire,
    With it beat out his brains. Piety and fear,
    Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
    Domestic awe, night-rest, and neighbourhood,
    Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,
    Degrees, observances, customs and laws,
    Decline to your confounding contraries
    And let confusion live. Plagues incident to men,
    Your potent and infectious fevers heap
    On Athens, ripe for stroke. Thou cold sciatica,
    Cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt
    As lamely as their manners. Lust and liberty,
    Creep in the minds and marrows of our youth,
    That 'gainst the stream of virtue they may strive
    And drown themselves in riot. Itches, blains,
    Sow all th' Athenian bosoms, and their crop
    Be general leprosy! Breath infect breath,
    That their society, as their friendship, may
    Be merely poison! Nothing I'll bear from thee
    But nakedness, thou detestable town!
    Take thou that too, with multiplying bans.
    Timon will to the woods, where he shall find
    Th' unkindest beast more kinder than mankind.
    The gods confound- hear me, you good gods all-
    The Athenians both within and out that wall!
    And grant, as Timon grows, his hate may grow
    To the whole race of mankind, high and low!
    Amen.                                                   Exit




SCENE II.
Athens. TIMON's house

Enter FLAVIUS, with two or three SERVANTS

  FIRST SERVANT. Hear you, Master Steward, where's our master?
    Are we undone, cast off, nothing remaining?
  FLAVIUS. Alack, my fellows, what should I say to you?
    Let me be recorded by the righteous gods,
    I am as poor as you.
  FIRST SERVANT. Such a house broke!
    So noble a master fall'n! All gone, and not
    One friend to take his fortune by the arm
    And go along with him?
  SECOND SERVANT. As we do turn our backs
    From our companion, thrown into his grave,
    So his familiars to his buried fortunes
    Slink all away; leave their false vows with him,
    Like empty purses pick'd; and his poor self,
    A dedicated beggar to the air,
    With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty,
    Walks, like contempt, alone. More of our fellows.

                     Enter other SERVANTS

  FLAVIUS. All broken implements of a ruin'd house.
  THIRD SERVANT. Yet do our hearts wear Timon's livery;
    That see I by our faces. We are fellows still,
    Serving alike in sorrow. Leak'd is our bark;
    And we, poor mates, stand on the dying deck,
    Hearing the surges threat. We must all part
    Into this sea of air.
  FLAVIUS. Good fellows all,
    The latest of my wealth I'll share amongst you.
    Wherever we shall meet, for Timon's sake,
    Let's yet be fellows; let's shake our heads and say,
    As 'twere a knell unto our master's fortune,
    'We have seen better days.' Let each take some.
                                             [Giving them money]
    Nay, put out all your hands. Not one word more!
    Thus part we rich in sorrow, parting poor.
                                [Embrace, and part several ways]
    O the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us!
    Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,
    Since riches point to misery and contempt?
    Who would be so mock'd with glory, or to live
    But in a dream of friendship,
    To have his pomp, and all what state compounds,
    But only painted, like his varnish'd friends?
    Poor honest lord, brought low by his own heart,
    Undone by goodness! Strange, unusual blood,
    When man's worst sin is he does too much good!
    Who then dares to be half so kind again?
    For bounty, that makes gods, does still mar men.
    My dearest lord- blest to be most accurst,
    Rich only to be wretched- thy great fortunes
    Are made thy chief afflictions. Alas, kind lord!
    He's flung in rage from this ingrateful seat
    Of monstrous friends; nor has he with him to
    Supply his life, or that which can command it.
    I'll follow and enquire him out.
    I'll ever serve his mind with my best will;
    Whilst I have gold, I'll be his steward still.          Exit




SCENE III.
The woods near the sea-shore. Before TIMON'S cave

Enter TIMON in the woods

  TIMON. O blessed breeding sun, draw from the earth
    Rotten humidity; below thy sister's orb
    Infect the air! Twinn'd brothers of one womb-
    Whose procreation, residence, and birth,
    Scarce is dividant- touch them with several fortunes:
    The greater scorns the lesser. Not nature,
    To whom all sores lay siege, can bear great fortune
    But by contempt of nature.
    Raise me this beggar and deny't that lord:
    The senator shall bear contempt hereditary,
    The beggar native honour.
    It is the pasture lards the rother's sides,
    The want that makes him lean. Who dares, who dares,
    In purity of manhood stand upright,
    And say 'This man's a flatterer'? If one be,
    So are they all; for every grise of fortune
    Is smooth'd by that below. The learned pate
    Ducks to the golden fool. All's oblique;
    There's nothing level in our cursed natures
    But direct villainy. Therefore be abhorr'd
    All feasts, societies, and throngs of men!
    His semblable, yea, himself, Timon disdains.
    Destruction fang mankind! Earth, yield me roots.
                                                       [Digging]
    Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate
    With thy most operant poison. What is here?
    Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious gold? No, gods,
    I am no idle votarist. Roots, you clear heavens!
    Thus much of this will make black white, foul fair,
    Wrong right, base noble, old young, coward valiant.
    Ha, you gods! why this? What, this, you gods? Why, this
    Will lug your priests and servants from your sides,
    Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads-
    This yellow slave
    Will knit and break religions, bless th' accurs'd,
    Make the hoar leprosy ador'd, place thieves
    And give them title, knee, and approbation,
    With senators on the bench. This is it
    That makes the wappen'd widow wed again-
    She whom the spital-house and ulcerous sores
    Would cast the gorge at this embalms and spices
    To th 'April day again. Come, damn'd earth,
    Thou common whore of mankind, that puts odds
    Among the rout of nations, I will make thee
    Do thy right nature.                        [March afar off]
    Ha! a drum? Th'art quick,
    But yet I'll bury thee. Thou't go, strong thief,
    When gouty keepers of thee cannot stand.
    Nay, stay thou out for earnest.          [Keeping some gold]

          Enter ALCIBIADES, with drum and fife, in warlike
                  manner; and PHRYNIA and TIMANDRA

  ALCIBIADES. What art thou there? Speak.
  TIMON. A beast, as thou art. The canker gnaw thy heart
    For showing me again the eyes of man!
  ALCIBIADES. What is thy name? Is man so hateful to thee
    That art thyself a man?
  TIMON. I am Misanthropos, and hate mankind.
    For thy part, I do wish thou wert a dog,
    That I might love thee something.
  ALCIBIADES. I know thee well;
    But in thy fortunes am unlearn'd and strange.
  TIMON. I know thee too; and more than that I know thee
    I not desire to know. Follow thy drum;
    With man's blood paint the ground, gules, gules.
    Religious canons, civil laws, are cruel;
    Then what should war be? This fell whore of thine
    Hath in her more destruction than thy sword
    For all her cherubin look.
  PHRYNIA. Thy lips rot off!
  TIMON. I will not kiss thee; then the rot returns
    To thine own lips again.
  ALCIBIADES. How came the noble Timon to this change?
  TIMON. As the moon does, by wanting light to give.
    But then renew I could not, like the moon;
    There were no suns to borrow of.
  ALCIBIADES. Noble Timon,
    What friendship may I do thee?
  TIMON. None, but to
    Maintain my opinion.
  ALCIBIADES. What is it, Timon?
  TIMON. Promise me friendship, but perform none. If thou wilt
not
    promise, the gods plague thee, for thou art man! If thou dost
    perform, confound thee, for thou art a man!
  ALCIBIADES. I have heard in some sort of thy miseries.
  TIMON. Thou saw'st them when I had prosperity.
  ALCIBIADES. I see them now; then was a blessed time.
  TIMON. As thine is now, held with a brace of harlots.
  TIMANDRA. Is this th' Athenian minion whom the world
    Voic'd so regardfully?
  TIMON. Art thou Timandra?
  TIMANDRA. Yes.
  TIMON. Be a whore still; they love thee not that use thee.
    Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust.
    Make use of thy salt hours. Season the slaves
    For tubs and baths; bring down rose-cheek'd youth
    To the tub-fast and the diet.
  TIMANDRA. Hang thee, monster!
  ALCIBIADES. Pardon him, sweet Timandra, for his wits
    Are drown'd and lost in his calamities.
    I have but little gold of late, brave Timon,
    The want whereof doth daily make revolt
    In my penurious band. I have heard, and griev'd,
    How cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth,
    Forgetting thy great deeds, when neighbour states,
    But for thy sword and fortune, trod upon them-
  TIMON. I prithee beat thy drum and get thee gone.
  ALCIBIADES. I am thy friend, and pity thee, dear Timon.
  TIMON. How dost thou pity him whom thou dost trouble?
    I had rather be alone.
  ALCIBIADES. Why, fare thee well;
    Here is some gold for thee.
  TIMON. Keep it: I cannot eat it.
  ALCIBIADES. When I have laid proud Athens on a heap-
  TIMON. War'st thou 'gainst Athens?
  ALCIBIADES. Ay, Timon, and have cause.
  TIMON. The gods confound them all in thy conquest;
    And thee after, when thou hast conquer'd!
  ALCIBIADES. Why me, Timon?
  TIMON. 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-vic'd 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 pronounc'd thy throat shall cut,
    And mince it sans remorse. Swear against abjects;
    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 thy soldiers.
    Make large confusion; and, thy fury spent,
    Confounded be thyself! Speak not, be gone.
  ALCIBIADES. Hast thou gold yet? I'll take the gold thou givest
me,
    Not all thy counsel.
  TIMON. Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse upon thee!
  PHRYNIA AND TIMANDRA. Give us some gold, good Timon.
    Hast thou more?
  TIMON. Enough to make a whore forswear her trade,
    And to make whores a bawd. Hold up, you sluts,
    Your aprons mountant; you are not oathable,
    Although I know you'll swear, terribly swear,
    Into strong shudders and to heavenly agues,
    Th' immortal gods that hear you. Spare your oaths;
    I'll trust to your conditions. Be whores still;
    And he whose pious breath seeks to convert you-
    Be strong in whore, allure him, burn him up;
    Let your close fire predominate his smoke,
    And be no turncoats. Yet may your pains six months
    Be quite contrary! And thatch your poor thin roofs
    With burdens of the dead- some that were hang'd,
    No matter. Wear them, betray with them. Whore still;
    Paint till a horse may mire upon your face.
    A pox of wrinkles!
  PHRYNIA AND TIMANDRA. Well, more gold. What then?
    Believe't that we'll do anything for gold.
  TIMON. Consumptions sow
    In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins,
    And mar men's spurring. Crack the lawyer's voice,
    That he may never more false title plead,
    Nor sound his quillets shrilly. Hoar the flamen,
    That scolds against the quality of flesh
    And not believes himself. Down with the nose,
    Down with it flat, take the bridge quite away
    Of him that, his particular to foresee,
    Smells from the general weal. Make curl'd-pate ruffians bald,
    And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war
    Derive some pain from you. Plague all,
    That your activity may defeat and quell
    The source of all erection. There's more gold.
    Do you damn others, and let this damn you,
    And ditches grave you all!
  PHRYNIA AND TIMANDRA. More counsel with more money, bounteous
    Timon.
  TIMON. More whore, more mischief first; I have given you
earnest.
  ALCIBIADES. Strike up the drum towards Athens. Farewell, Timon;
    If I thrive well, I'll visit thee again.
  TIMON. If I hope well, I'll never see thee more.
  ALCIBIADES. I never did thee harm.
  TIMON. Yes, thou spok'st well of me.
  ALCIBIADES. Call'st thou that harm?
  TIMON. Men daily find it. Get thee away, and take
    Thy beagles with thee.
  ALCIBIADES. We but offend him. Strike.
                                Drum beats. Exeunt all but TIMON
  TIMON. That nature, being sick of man's unkindness,
    Should yet be hungry! Common mother, thou,         [Digging]
    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 th' abhorred births below crisp heaven
    Whereon Hyperion's quick'ning 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 ingrateful man, with liquorish draughts
    And morsels unctuous, greases his pure mind,
    That from it all consideration slips-

                        Enter APEMANTUS

    More man? Plague, plague!
  APEMANTUS. I was directed hither. Men report
    Thou dost affect my manners and dost use them.
  TIMON. 'Tis, then, because thou dost not keep a dog,
    Whom I would imitate. Consumption catch thee!
  APEMANTUS. This is in thee a nature but infected,
    A poor unmanly melancholy sprung
    From change of fortune. Why this spade, this place?
    This slave-like habit and these looks of care?
    Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft,
    Hug their diseas'd perfumes, and have forgot
    That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods
    By putting on the cunning of a carper.
    Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive
    By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee,
    And let his very breath whom thou'lt observe
    Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain,
    And call it excellent. Thou wast told thus;
    Thou gav'st thine ears, like tapsters that bade welcome,
    To knaves and all approachers. 'Tis most just
    That thou turn rascal; hadst thou wealth again
    Rascals should have't. Do not assume my likeness.
  TIMON. Were I like thee, I'd throw away myself.
  APEMANTUS. Thou hast cast away thyself, being like thyself;
    A madman so long, now a fool. What, think'st
    That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain,
    Will put thy shirt on warm? Will these moist trees,
    That have outliv'd the eagle, page thy heels
    And skip when thou point'st out? Will the cold brook,
    Candied with ice, caudle thy morning taste
    To cure thy o'ernight's surfeit? Call the creatures
    Whose naked natures live in all the spite
    Of wreakful heaven, whose bare unhoused trunks,
    To the conflicting elements expos'd,
    Answer mere nature- bid them flatter thee.
    O, thou shalt find-
  TIMON. A fool of thee. Depart.
  APEMANTUS. I love thee better now than e'er I did.
  TIMON. I hate thee worse.
  APEMANTUS. Why?
  TIMON. Thou flatter'st misery.
  APEMANTUS. I flatter not, but say thou art a caitiff.
  TIMON. Why dost thou seek me out?
  APEMANTUS. To vex thee.
  TIMON. Always a villain's office or a fool's.
    Dost please thyself in't?
  APEMANTUS. Ay.
  TIMON. What, a knave too?
  APEMANTUS. If thou didst put this sour-cold habit on
    To castigate thy pride, 'twere well; but thou
    Dost it enforcedly. Thou'dst courtier be again
    Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery
    Outlives incertain pomp, is crown'd before.
    The one is filling still, never complete;
    The other, at high wish. Best state, contentless,
    Hath a distracted and most wretched being,
    Worse than the worst, content.
    Thou should'st desire to die, being miserable.
  TIMON. Not by his breath that is more miserable.
    Thou art a slave whom Fortune's tender arm
    With favour never clasp'd, but bred a dog.
    Hadst thou, like us from our first swath, proceeded
    The sweet degrees that this brief world affords
    To such as may the passive drugs of it
    Freely command, thou wouldst have plung'd thyself
    In general riot, melted down thy youth
    In different beds of lust, and never learn'd
    The icy precepts of respect, but followed
    The sug'red game before thee. But myself,
    Who had the world as my confectionary;
    The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts of men
    At duty, more than I could frame employment;
    That numberless upon me stuck, as leaves
    Do on the oak, have with one winter's brush
    Fell from their boughs, and left me open, bare
    For every storm that blows- I to bear this,
    That never knew but better, is some burden.
    Thy nature did commence in sufferance; time
    Hath made thee hard in't. Why shouldst thou hate men?
    They never flatter'd thee. What hast thou given?
    If thou wilt curse, thy father, that poor rag,
    Must be thy subject; who, in spite, put stuff
    To some she-beggar and compounded thee
    Poor rogue hereditary. Hence, be gone.
    If thou hadst not been born the worst of men,
    Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer.
  APEMANTUS. Art thou proud yet?
  TIMON. Ay, that I am not thee.
  APEMANTUS. I, that I was
    No prodigal.
  TIMON. I, that I am one now.
    Were all the wealth I have shut up in thee,
    I'd give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone.
    That the whole life of Athens were in this!
    Thus would I eat it.                         [Eating a root]
  APEMANTUS. Here! I will mend thy feast.
                                             [Offering him food]
  TIMON. First mend my company: take away thyself.
  APEMANTUS. So I shall mend mine own by th' lack of thine.
  TIMON. 'Tis not well mended so; it is but botch'd.
    If not, I would it were.
  APEMANTUS. What wouldst thou have to Athens?
  TIMON. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt,
    Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have.
  APEMANTUS. Here is no use for gold.
  TIMON. The best and truest;
    For here it sleeps and does no hired harm.
  APEMANTUS. Where liest a nights, Timon?
  TIMON. Under that's above me.
    Where feed'st thou a days, Apemantus?
  APEMANTUS. Where my stomach. finds meat; or rather, where I eat
it.
  TIMON. Would poison were obedient, and knew my mind!
  APEMANTUS. Where wouldst thou send it?
  TIMON. To sauce thy dishes.
  APEMANTUS. The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the
    extremity of both ends. When thou wast in thy gilt and thy
    perfume, they mock'd thee for too much curiosity; in thy rags

    thou know'st none, but art despis'd for the contrary. There's
a
    medlar for thee; eat it.
  TIMON. On what I hate I feed not.
  APEMANTUS. Dost hate a medlar?
  TIMON. Ay, though it look like thee.
  APEMANTUS. An th' hadst hated medlars sooner, thou shouldst
have
    loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know
unthrift
    that was beloved after his means?
  TIMON. Who, without those means thou talk'st of, didst thou
ever
    know belov'd?
  APEMANTUS. Myself.
  TIMON. I understand thee: thou hadst some means to keep a dog.
  APEMANTUS. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare
to
    thy flatterers?
  TIMON. Women nearest; but men, men are the things themselves.
What
    wouldst thou do with the world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy
    power?
  APEMANTUS. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men.
  TIMON. Wouldst thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men,
and
    remain a beast with the beasts?
  APEMANTUS. Ay, Timon.
  TIMON. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee t' attain
to!
    If thou wert the lion, the fox would beguile thee; if thou
wert
    the lamb, the fox would eat thee; if thou wert the fox, the
lion
    would suspect thee, when, peradventure, thou wert accus'd by
the
    ass. If thou wert the ass, thy dulness would torment thee;
and
    still thou liv'dst but as a breakfast to the wolf. If thou
wert
    the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou
    shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner. Wert thou the
unicorn,
    pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self
the
    conquest of thy fury. Wert thou bear, thou wouldst be kill'd
by
    the horse; wert thou a horse, thou wouldst be seiz'd by the
    leopard; wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion,
and
    the spots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life. All thy
safety
    were remotion, and thy defence absence. What beast couldst
thou
    be that were not subject to a beast? And what beast art thou
    already, that seest not thy loss in transformation!
  APEMANTUS. 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.
  TIMON. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the
    city?
  APEMANTUS. Yonder comes a poet and a painter. The plague of
company
    light upon thee! I will fear to catch it, and give way. When
I
    know not what else to do, I'll see thee again.
  TIMON. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be
    welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog than Apemantus.
  APEMANTUS. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive.
  TIMON. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon!
  APEMANTUS. A plague on thee! thou art too bad to curse.
  TIMON. All villains that do stand by thee are pure.
  APEMANTUS. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st.
  TIMON. If I name thee.
    I'll beat thee- but I should infect my hands.
  APEMANTUS. I would my tongue could rot them off!
  TIMON. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog!
    Choler does kill me that thou art alive;
    I swoon to see thee.
  APEMANTUS. Would thou wouldst burst!
  TIMON. Away,
    Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry I shall lose
    A stone by thee.                     [Throws a stone at him]
  APEMANTUS. Beast!
  TIMON. Slave!
  APEMANTUS. Toad!
  TIMON. Rogue, rogue, rogue!
    I am sick of this false world, and will love nought
    But even the mere necessities upon't.
    Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave;
    Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat
    Thy gravestone daily; make thine epitaph,
    That death in me at others' lives may laugh.
    [Looks at the gold] O thou sweet king-killer, and dear
divorce
    'Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler
    Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars!
    Thou ever young, fresh, lov'd, and delicate wooer,
    Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow
    That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god,
    That sold'rest close impossibilities,
    And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every tongue
    To every purpose! O thou touch of hearts!
    Think thy slave man rebels, and by thy virtue
    Set them into confounding odds, that beasts
    May have the world in empire!
  APEMANTUS. Would 'twere so!
    But not till I am dead. I'll say th' hast gold.
    Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly.
  TIMON. Throng'd to?
  APEMANTUS. Ay.
  TIMON. Thy back, I prithee.
  APEMANTUS. Live, and love thy misery!
  TIMON. Long live so, and so die! [Exit APEMANTUS] I am quit.
More
    things like men? Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

                       Enter the BANDITTI

  FIRST BANDIT. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor
    fragment, some slender ort of his remainder. The mere want of
    gold and the falling-from of his friends drove him into this
    melancholy.
  SECOND BANDIT. It is nois'd he hath a mass of treasure.
  THIRD BANDIT. Let us make the assay upon him; if he care not
for't,
    he will supply us easily; if he covetously reserve it, how
    shall's get it?
  SECOND BANDIT. True; for he bears it not about him. 'Tis hid.
  FIRST BANDIT. Is not this he?
  BANDITTI. Where?
  SECOND BANDIT. 'Tis his description.
  THIRD BANDIT. He; I know him.
  BANDITTI. Save thee, Timon!
  TIMON. Now, thieves?
  BANDITTI. Soldiers, not thieves.
  TIMON. Both too, and women's sons.
  BANDITTI. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.
  TIMON. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat.
    Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots;
    Within this mile break forth a hundred springs;
    The oaks bear mast, the briars scarlet hips;
    The bounteous housewife Nature on each bush
    Lays her full mess before you. Want! Why want?
  FIRST BANDIT. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water,
    As beasts and birds and fishes.
  TIMON. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes;
    You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con
    That you are thieves profess'd, that you work not
    In holier shapes; for there is boundless theft
    In limited professions. Rascal thieves,
    Here's gold. Go, suck the subtle blood o' th' grape
    Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth,
    And so scape hanging. Trust not the physician;
    His antidotes are poison, and he slays
    more than you rob. Take wealth and lives together;
    Do villainy, do, since you protest to do't,
    Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery:
    The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
    Robs the vast sea; the moon's an arrant thief,
    And her pale fire she snatches from the sun;
    The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
    The moon into salt tears; the earth's a thief,
    That feeds and breeds by a composture stol'n
    From gen'ral excrement- each thing's a thief.
    The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
    Has uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves; away,
    Rob one another. There's more gold. Cut throats;
    All that you meet are thieves. To Athens go,
    Break open shops; nothing can you steal
    But thieves do lose it. Steal not less for this
    I give you; and gold confound you howsoe'er!
    Amen.
  THIRD BANDIT. Has almost charm'd me from my profession by
    persuading me to it.
  FIRST BANDIT. 'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus
advises
    us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.
  SECOND BANDIT. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my
    trade.
  FIRST BANDIT. Let us first see peace in Athens. There is no
time so
    miserable but a man may be true.              Exeunt THIEVES

                         Enter FLAVIUS, to TIMON

  FLAVIUS. O you gods!
    Is yond despis'd and ruinous man my lord?
    Full of decay and failing? O monument
    And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd!
    What an alteration of honour
    Has desp'rate want made!
    What viler thing upon the earth than friends,
    Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!
    How rarely does it meet with this time's guise,
    When man was wish'd to love his enemies!
    Grant I may ever love, and rather woo
    Those that would mischief me than those that do!
    Has caught me in his eye; I will present
    My honest grief unto him, and as my lord
    Still serve him with my life. My dearest master!
  TIMON. Away! What art thou?
  FLAVIUS. Have you forgot me, sir?
  TIMON. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men;
    Then, if thou grant'st th'art a man, I have forgot thee.
  FLAVIUS. An honest poor servant of yours.
  TIMON. Then I know thee not.
    I never had honest man about me, I.
    All I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains.
  FLAVIUS. The gods are witness,
    Nev'r did poor steward wear a truer grief
    For his undone lord than mine eyes for you.
  TIMON. What, dost thou weep? Come nearer. Then I love thee
    Because thou art a woman and disclaim'st
    Flinty mankind, whose eyes do never give
    But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping.
    Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping!
  FLAVIUS. I beg of you to know me, good my lord,
    T' accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth lasts
    To entertain me as your steward still.
  TIMON. Had I a steward
    So true, so just, and now so comfortable?
    It almost turns my dangerous nature mild.
    Let me behold thy face. Surely, this man
    Was born of woman.
    Forgive my general and exceptless rashness,
    You perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim
    One honest man- mistake me not, but one;
    No more, I pray- and he's a steward.
    How fain would I have hated all mankind!
    And thou redeem'st thyself. But all, save thee,
    I fell with curses.
    Methinks thou art more honest now than wise;
    For by oppressing and betraying me
    Thou mightst have sooner got another service;
    For many so arrive at second masters
    Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true,
    For I must ever doubt though ne'er so sure,
    Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,
    If not a usuring kindness, and as rich men deal gifts,
    Expecting in return twenty for one?
  FLAVIUS. No, my most worthy master, in whose breast
    Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late!
    You should have fear'd false times when you did feast:
    Suspect still comes where an estate is least.
    That which I show, heaven knows, is merely love,
    Duty, and zeal, to your unmatched mind,
    Care of your food and living; and believe it,
    My most honour'd lord,
    For any benefit that points to me,
    Either in hope or present, I'd exchange
    For this one wish, that you had power and wealth
    To requite me by making rich yourself.
  TIMON. 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 deniest 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. O, let me stay
    And comfort you, my master.
  TIMON. If thou hat'st curses,
    Stay not; fly whilst thou art blest and free.
    Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee.
                                                Exeunt severally




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ACT V. SCENE I.
The woods. Before TIMON's cave

Enter POET and PAINTER

  PAINTER. As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where he
    abides.
  POET. to be thought of him? Does the rumour hold for true that
he's
    so full of gold?
  PAINTER. Certain. Alcibiades reports it; Phrynia and Timandra
had
    gold of him. He likewise enrich'd poor straggling soldiers
with
    great quantity. 'Tis said he gave unto his steward a mighty
sum.
  POET. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his
friends?
  PAINTER. Nothing else. You shall see him a palm in Athens
again,
    and flourish with the highest. Therefore 'tis not amiss we
tender
    our loves to him in this suppos'd distress of his; it will
show
    honestly in us, and is very likely to load our purposes with
what
    they travail for, if it be just and true report that goes of
his
    having.
  POET. What have you now to present unto him?
  PAINTER. Nothing at this time but my visitation; only I will
    promise him an excellent piece.
  POET. I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent that's
coming
    toward him.
  PAINTER. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o' th'
time;
    it opens the eyes of expectation. Performance is ever the
duller
    for his act, and but in the plainer and simpler kind of
people
    the deed of saying is quite out of use. To promise is most
    courtly and fashionable; performance is a kind of will or
    testament which argues a great sickness in his judgment that
    makes it.

                    Enter TIMON from his cave

  TIMON. [Aside] Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so
bad
    as is thyself.
  POET. I am thinking what I shall say I have provided for him.
It
    must be a personating of himself; a satire against the
softness
    of prosperity, with a discovery of the infinite flatteries
that
    follow youth and opulency.
  TIMON. [Aside] Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own
    work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so, I
have
    gold for thee.
  POET. Nay, let's seek him;
    Then do we sin against our own estate
    When we may profit meet and come too late.
  PAINTER. True;
    When the day serves, before black-corner'd night,
    Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light.
    Come.
  TIMON. [Aside] I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's gold,
    That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple
    Than where swine feed!
    'Tis thou that rig'st the bark and plough'st the foam,
    Settlest admired reverence in a slave.
    To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye
    Be crown'd with plagues, that thee alone obey!
    Fit I meet them.                   [Advancing from his cave]
  POET. Hail, worthy Timon!
  PAINTER. Our late noble master!
  TIMON. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men?
  POET. Sir,
    Having often of your open bounty tasted,
    Hearing you were retir'd, your friends fall'n off,
    Whose thankless natures- O abhorred spirits!-
    Not all the whips of heaven are large enough-
    What! to you,
    Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence
    To their whole being! I am rapt, and cannot cover
    The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude
    With any size of words.
  TIMON. Let it go naked: men may see't the better.
    You that are honest, by being what you are,
    Make them best seen and known.
  PAINTER. He and myself
    Have travail'd in the great show'r of your gifts,
    And sweetly felt it.
  TIMON. Ay, you are honest men.
  PAINTER. We are hither come to offer you our service.
  TIMON. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you?
    Can you eat roots, and drink cold water- No?
  BOTH. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service.
  TIMON. Y'are honest men. Y'have heard that I have gold;
    I am sure you have. Speak truth; y'are honest men.
  PAINTER. So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore
    Came not my friend nor I.
  TIMON. Good honest men! Thou draw'st a counterfeit
    Best in all Athens. Th'art indeed the best;
    Thou counterfeit'st most lively.
  PAINTER. So, so, my lord.
  TIMON. E'en so, sir, as I say. [To POET] And for thy
fiction,
    Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth
    That thou art even natural in thine art.
    But for all this, my honest-natur'd friends,
    I must needs say you have a little fault.
    Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you; neither wish I
    You take much pains to mend.
  BOTH. Beseech your honour
    To make it known to us.
  TIMON. You'll take it ill.
  BOTH. Most thankfully, my lord.
  TIMON. Will you indeed?
  BOTH. Doubt it not, worthy lord.
  TIMON. There's never a one of you but trusts a knave
    That mightily deceives you.
  BOTH. Do we, my lord?
  TIMON. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,
    Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,
    Keep in your bosom; yet remain assur'd
    That he's a made-up villain.
  PAINTER. I know not such, my lord.
  POET. Nor I.
  TIMON. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold,
    Rid me these villains from your companies.
    Hang them or stab them, drown them in a draught,
    Confound them by some course, and come to me,
    I'll give you gold enough.
  BOTH. Name them, my lord; let's know them.
  TIMON. You that way, and you this- but two in company;
    Each man apart, all single and alone,
    Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.
    [To the PAINTER] If, where thou art, two villians shall not
be,
    Come not near him. [To the POET] If thou wouldst not reside
    But where one villain is, then him abandon.-
    Hence, pack! there's gold; you came for gold, ye slaves.
    [To the PAINTER] You have work for me; there's payment;
hence!
    [To the POET] You are an alchemist; make gold of that.-
    Out, rascal dogs!                [Beats and drives them out]

                    Enter FLAVIUS and two SENATORS

  FLAVIUS. It is vain that you would speak with Timon;
    For he is set so only to himself
    That nothing but himself which looks like man
    Is friendly with him.
  FIRST SENATOR. Bring us to his cave.
    It is our part and promise to th' Athenians
    To speak with Timon.
  SECOND SENATOR. At all times alike
    Men are not still the same; 'twas time and griefs
    That fram'd him thus. Time, with his fairer hand,
    Offering the fortunes of his former days,
    The former man may make him. Bring us to him,
    And chance it as it may.
  FLAVIUS. Here is his cave.
    Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon!
    Look out, and speak to friends. Th' Athenians
    By two of their most reverend Senate greet thee.
    Speak to them, noble Timon.

                   Enter TIMON out of his cave

  TIMON. Thou sun that comforts, burn. Speak and be hang'd!
    For each true word a blister, and each false
    Be as a cauterizing to the root o' th' tongue,
    Consuming it with speaking!
  FIRST SENATOR. Worthy Timon-
  TIMON. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon.
  FIRST SENATOR. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon.
  TIMON. I thank them; and would send them back the plague,
    Could I but catch it for them.
  FIRST SENATOR. O, forget
    What we are sorry for ourselves in thee.
    The senators with one consent of love
    Entreat thee back to Athens, who have thought
    On special dignities, which vacant lie
    For thy best use and wearing.
  SECOND SENATOR. They confess
    Toward thee forgetfulness too general, gross;
    Which now the public body, which doth seldom
    Play the recanter, feeling in itself
    A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal
    Of it own fail, restraining aid to Timon,
    And send forth us to make their sorrowed render,
    Together with a recompense more fruitful
    Than their offence can weigh down by the dram;
    Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and wealth
    As shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs
    And write in thee the figures of their love,
    Ever to read them thine.
  TIMON. You witch me in it;
    Surprise me to the very brink of tears.
    Lend me a fool's heart and a woman's eyes,
    And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy senators.
  FIRST SENATOR. Therefore so please thee to return with us,
    And of our Athens, thine and ours, to take
    The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks,
    Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good name
    Live with authority. So soon we shall drive back
    Of Alcibiades th' approaches wild,
    Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up
    His country's peace.
  SECOND SENATOR. And shakes his threat'ning sword
    Against the walls of Athens.
  FIRST SENATOR. Therefore, Timon-
  TIMON. Well, sir, I will. Therefore I will, sir, thus:
    If Alcibiades kill my countrymen,
    Let Alcibiades know this of Timon,
    That Timon cares not. But if he sack fair Athens,
    And take our goodly aged men by th' beards,
    Giving our holy virgins to the stain
    Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war,
    Then let him know- and tell him Timon speaks it
    In pity of our aged and our youth-
    I cannot choose but tell him that I care not,
    And let him take't at worst; for their knives care not,
    While you have throats to answer. For myself,
    There's not a whittle in th' unruly camp
    But I do prize it at my love before
    The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you
    To the protection of the prosperous gods,
    As thieves to keepers.
  FLAVIUS. Stay not, all's in vain.
  TIMON. Why, I was writing of my epitaph;
    It will be seen to-morrow. My long sickness
    Of health and living now begins to mend,
    And nothing brings me all things. Go, live still;
    Be Alcibiades your plague, you his,
    And last so long enough!
  FIRST SENATOR. We speak in vain.
  TIMON. But yet I love my country, and am not
    One that rejoices in the common wreck,
    As common bruit doth put it.
  FIRST SENATOR. That's well spoke.
  TIMON. Commend me to my loving countrymen-
  FIRST SENATOR. These words become your lips as they pass
through
    them.
  SECOND SENATOR. And enter in our ears like great triumphers
    In their applauding gates.
  TIMON. Commend me to them,
    And tell them that, to ease them of their griefs,
    Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses,
    Their pangs of love, with other incident throes
    That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain
    In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them-
    I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath.
  FIRST SENATOR. I like this well; he will return again.
  TIMON. I have a tree, which grows here in my close,
    That mine own use invites me to cut down,
    And shortly must I fell it. Tell my friends,
    Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree
    From high to low throughout, that whoso please
    To stop affliction, let him take his haste,
    Come hither, ere my tree hath felt the axe,
    And hang himself. I pray you do my greeting.
  FLAVIUS. Trouble him no further; thus you still shall find him.
  TIMON. Come not to me again; but say to Athens
    Timon hath made his everlasting mansion
    Upon the beached verge of the salt flood,
    Who once a day with his embossed froth
    The turbulent surge shall cover. Thither come,
    And let my gravestone be your oracle.
    Lips, let sour words go by and language end:
    What is amiss, plague and infection mend!
    Graves only be men's works and death their gain!
    Sun, hide thy beams. Timon hath done his reign.
                                        Exit TIMON into his cave
  FIRST SENATOR. His discontents are unremovably
    Coupled to nature.
  SECOND SENATOR. Our hope in him is dead. Let us return
    And strain what other means is left unto us
    In our dear peril.
  FIRST SENATOR. It requires swift foot.                  Exeunt




SCENE II.
Before the walls of Athens

Enter two other SENATORS with a MESSENGER

  FIRST SENATOR. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his files
    As full as thy report?
  MESSENGER. I have spoke the least.
    Besides, his expedition promises
    Present approach.
  SECOND SENATOR. We stand much hazard if they bring not Timon.
  MESSENGER. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend,
    Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd,
    Yet our old love had a particular force,
    And made us speak like friends. This man was riding
    From Alcibiades to Timon's cave
    With letters of entreaty, which imported
    His fellowship i' th' cause against your city,
    In part for his sake mov'd.

               Enter the other SENATORS, from TIMON

  FIRST SENATOR. Here come our brothers.
  THIRD SENATOR. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect.
    The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring
    Doth choke the air with dust. In, and prepare.
    Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes the snare.         Exeunt




SCENE III.
The TIMON's cave, and a rude tomb seen

Enter a SOLDIER in the woods, seeking TIMON

  SOLDIER. By all description this should be the place.
    Who's here? Speak, ho! No answer? What is this?
    Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span.
    Some beast rear'd this; here does not live a man.
    Dead, sure; and this his grave. What's on this tomb
    I cannot read; the character I'll take with wax.
    Our captain hath in every figure skill,
    An ag'd interpreter, though young in days;
    Before proud Athens he's set down by this,
    Whose fall the mark of his ambition is.                 Exit




SCENE IV.
Before the walls of Athens

Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES with his powers before Athens

  ALCIBIADES. Sound to this coward and lascivious town
    Our terrible approach.

       Sound a parley. The SENATORS appear upon the walls

    Till now you have gone on and fill'd the time
    With all licentious measure, making your wills
    The scope of justice; till now, myself, and such
    As slept within the shadow of your power,
    Have wander'd with our travers'd arms, and breath'd
    Our sufferance vainly. Now the time is flush,
    When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong,
    Cries of itself 'No more!' Now breathless wrong
    Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease,
    And pursy insolence shall break his wind
    With fear and horrid flight.
  FIRST SENATOR. Noble and young,
    When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit,
    Ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear,
    We sent to thee, to give thy rages balm,
    To wipe out our ingratitude with loves
    Above their quantity.
  SECOND SENATOR. So did we woo
    Transformed Timon to our city's love
    By humble message and by promis'd means.
    We were not all unkind, nor all deserve
    The common stroke of war.
  FIRST SENATOR. These walls of ours
    Were not erected by their hands from whom
    You have receiv'd your griefs; nor are they such
    That these great tow'rs, trophies, and schools, should fall
    For private faults in them.
  SECOND SENATOR. Nor are they living
    Who were the motives that you first went out;
    Shame, that they wanted cunning, in excess
    Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord,
    Into our city with thy banners spread.
    By decimation and a tithed death-
    If thy revenges hunger for that food
    Which nature loathes- take thou the destin'd tenth,
    And by the hazard of the spotted die
    Let die the spotted.
  FIRST SENATOR. All have not offended;
    For those that were, it is not square to take,
    On those that are, revenge: crimes, like lands,
    Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
    Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage;
    Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin
    Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall
    With those that have offended. Like a shepherd
    Approach the fold and cull th' infected forth,
    But kill not all together.
  SECOND SENATOR. What thou wilt,
    Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile
    Than hew to't with thy sword.
  FIRST SENATOR. Set but thy foot
    Against our rampir'd gates and they shall ope,
    So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before
    To say thou't enter friendly.
  SECOND SENATOR. Throw thy glove,
    Or any token of thine honour else,
    That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress
    And not as our confusion, all thy powers
    Shall make their harbour in our town till we
    Have seal'd thy full desire.
  ALCIBIADES. Then there's my glove;
    Descend, and open your uncharged ports.
    Those enemies of Timon's and mine own,
    Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof,
    Fall, and no more. And, to atone your fears
    With my more noble meaning, not a man
    Shall pass his quarter or offend the stream
    Of regular justice in your city's bounds,
    But shall be render'd to your public laws
    At heaviest answer.
  BOTH. 'Tis most nobly spoken.
  ALCIBIADES. Descend, and keep your words.
                       [The SENATORS descend and open the gates]

                 Enter a SOLDIER as a Messenger

  SOLDIER. My noble General, Timon is dead;
    Entomb'd upon the very hem o' th' sea;
    And on his grave-stone this insculpture, which
    With wax I brought away, whose soft impression
    Interprets for my poor ignorance.

                  ALCIBIADES reads the Epitaph

    '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.                                 Exeunt

THE END





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End of this Etext of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Life of
Timon of Athens