More than you rob: take wealth and lives together; But thieves do lose it: Steal not less, for this 1 Thief. 'Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mys tery. 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? Desperate want made! What viler thing upon the earth, than friends, • Compost, manure. + An alteration of honour is an alteration of an honourable state to a state of disgrace. Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends! Those that would mischief me, than those that do! Tim. Away! what art thou? Flav. Have you forgot me, sir? Tim. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men; Then, if thou grant'st thou'rt man, I have forgot thee. Flav. An honest poor servant of yours. Tim. I know thee not: I ne'er had honest man Then Flav. The gods are witness, For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you. 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 Thy face.-Surely, this man was born of woman.Forgive my general and exceptless rashness, Perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim One honest man,-mistake me not,-but one; • How happily. + Recommended. No more, I pray,-and he is a steward.- Methinks, thou art more honest now, than wise; Thou might'st have sooner got another service: If not a usuring kindness; and as rich men deal gifts, Flav. 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, Care of your food and living: and, believe it, 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. Tim. 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: What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow them, And so, farewell, and thrive. Away from human habitation. Flav. And comfort you, my master. Tim. O, let me stay, If thou hat'st Curses, stay not; fly, whilst thou'rt bless'd and free: Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. [Exeunt severally. ACT V. SCENE I. The same. Before Timon's cave. Enter Poet and Painter; Timon behind, unseen. Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where he abides. 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 enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quautity: 'Tis said, he gave unto his steward a mighty sum. Poct. 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 what they travel for, if it be a just and true report 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 judgement 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 a discovery of the infinite flatteries, that follow youth and opulency. 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. Poet. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, 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! 'Tis thou that rigg'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 do meet them. Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! Pain. [Advancing. Our late noble master. Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men? Poet. Sir, The doing of that we said we would do. |