Apem, Tim. Ay. What! a knave too? Thou should'st desire to die, being miserable. ceeded pro The sweet degrees that this brief world affords self In general riot; melted down thy youth of thine. Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; If not, I would it were. Apem. What would'st thou have to Athens ? Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have. Apem. Here is no use for gold. Tim. The best, and truest: For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Apem. Where li'st o'nights, Timon? Tim. Under that's above me. Where feed'st thou o'days, Apemantus? Apem. Where my stomach finds meat; or, rather, where I eat it. Tim. 'Would poison were obedient, and knew my mind! Apem. Where would'st thou send it? Tim. To sauce thy dishes. Apem. The middle of humanity thou never knew. est, but the extremity of both ends: When thou wast in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art despised for the contrary. There's a medlar for thee, eat it. Tim. On what I hate, I feed not. Tim. Ay, though it look like thee. Apem. An thou hadst hated meddlers sooner, thou should'st have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know unthrift, that was beloved after his means? Tim. Who, without those means thou talkest of didst thou ever know beloved. Apem, Myself. Tim. I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a dog. Apem. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers? Tim. Women nearest; but men, men are the The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts of things themselves. What would'st thou do with men At duty, more than I could frame employment; They never flatter'd thee: What hast thou given? (1) i. e. Arrives sooner at the completion of its wishes. (2) By his voice, sentence," (3) From infancy. the world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy power? Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men. Tim. Would'st thou have thyself fall in the con fusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts? Apem. Ay, Timon. Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee to 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 accused by the ass: if thou wert the ass, thy dul ness would torment thee: and still thou livedst 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, (4) The cold admonitions of cautious prudence, (5) For too much finical delicacy, TIMON OF ATHENS. Apem. Live, and love thy misery. Scene III. Tim. Long live so, and so die!-I am quit.- german to the lion, and the spots of thy kinared were jurors on thy life: all thy safety were remotion; and thy defence, absence. What beast 1 Thief. Where should he have this gold? It is could'st thou be, that wert not subject to a beast? and what a beast art thou already, that seest not some poor fragment, some slender ort of his remainder; The mere want of gold, and the fallingthy loss in transformation? from of his friends, drove him into this melancholy. 2 Thief. It is noised, he hath a mass of treasure. 3 Thief. 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? Apem. If thou couldst please me with speaking to me, thou might'st have hit upon it here: The commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts. Tim. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city. Apem. 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. Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog, than Apemantus. Apem. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath Within this mile break forth a hundred springs: As beasts, and birds, and fishes. Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, More than you rob: take wealth and lives together; 1 Thief 'Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mys altaitai bds to votery. (1) Remoteness, the being placed at a distance from the lion. (2) The top, the principal, nd most yow (B) (3) For touchstone.no (4) For legal, A (1) 2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade. 1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens: There is no time so miserable, but a man may be true. [Exeunt Thieves. Enter Flavius. Flav. O you gods! Is yon despis'd and ruinous man my lord? What viler thing upon the earth, than friends, Suspect still comes where an estate is least. 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 Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!Thou singly honest man, Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich, and happy: What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow them, And so, farewell, and thrive. Those that would mischief me, than those that do! And may diseases lick up their false bloods! Timon comes forward from his cave. Then I know thee not: I ne'er had honest man Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and now So comfortable? It almost turns My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold O, let me stay, ACT V. SCENE 1.-The same. Before Timon's cave. Poet. What's to be thought of him? Does the rumour hold for true, that he is so full of gold? Pain. 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. Pain. 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 supposed distress of his: it will show honestly in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with Thy face. Surely, this man was born of woman.-what they travel for, if it be a just and true report Forgive my general and exceptless rashness, Methinks, thou art more honest now, than wise; If not a usuring kindness; and as rich men deal gifts, Flav. No, my most worthy master, in whose breast (1) An alteration of honour is an alteration of an honourable state to a state of disgrace. (2) How happily. (3) Recommended. that goes of his having. Poet. What have you now to present unto him? Pain. 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. Pain. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o'the 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 and testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it. Tim. 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 discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency.uh pada tete (4) Away from human habitation. (5) The doing of that we said we would do. Tim. 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. Poel. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, When we may profit meet, and come too late. When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Tim. 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! Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold, 'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the Confound them by some course, and come to me, 'Fit I do meet them." Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! [Advancing. Our late noble master. Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men? Poet. Sir, Having often of your open bounty tasted, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence Tim. Let it go naked, men may see't the better: Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. Tim. 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. Tim. You are honest men: You have heard that I have gold; I am sure you have: speak truth: you are honest men. Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend, nor I. -Thou draw'st a coun Tim. Good honest men:- Best in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best! Pain. To make it known to us. Tim. I'll give you gold enough. Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Tim. You that way, and you this, but two in company : Each man apart, all single and alone, [To the Painter. Come not near him.-If thou would'st not reside [To the Poet. But where one villain is, then him abandon. Hence! pack! there's gold, ye came for gold, ye slaves: You have done work for me, there's payment: You are an alchymist, make gold of that:- [Exit, beating and driving them out. SCENE II.-The same. Enter Flavius, and two Senators. Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with For he is set so only to himself, 1 Sen. Bring us to his cave: It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, At all times alike Enter Timon. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn!-Speak, and be hang'd: For each true word, a blister! and each false 1 Sen. Worthy Timon— Tim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon. 2 Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon. Tim. I thank them; and would send them back the plague, Could I but catch it for them. 1 Sen. Will you, indeed? What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. The senators, with one consent of love, Beseech your honour, You'll take it ill. Both. Most thankfully, my lord. Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. A portrait was so called. (2) A complete, a finished villain. Entreat tnee back to Athens; who have thought 2 Sen. A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal Tim. You witch me in it; 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Sen. If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, That-Timon cares not. But if he sack fair Athens, Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath. Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, 2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd ; are his files Then, let him know,-and tell him Timon speaks it, Besides, his expedition promises In pity of our aged, and our youth, I cannot choose but tell him, that I care not, But I do prize it at my love, before Present approach. 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon. Mess. I met a courier, once mine ancient friend ;Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd, Yet our old love made a particular force, The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you And made us speak like friends:-this man was To the protection of the prosperous gods,* As thieves to keepers. Flav. Stay not, all's in vain. Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph, And last so long enough! 1 Sen. 1 Sen. 2 Sen. And enter in our ears like great triumphers riding From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, Enter Senators from Timon. 1 Sen. Here come our brothers. 3 Sen. 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 IV.-The woods. Timon's cave, and a tomb-stone seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking Timon. Sol. 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: (5) He means—the disease of life begins to promise me a period. |