Tim. "Tis then, because thou dost not keep a dog Do on the oak-have with one winter's brush Whom I would imitate : Consumption catch thee! Fell from their boughs, and left me open, bare .4pem. This is in thee a nature but affected ; For every storm that blows;—1, to bear this, A poor unmanly melancholy, sprung That never knew but better, is some burden: From change of fortune. Why this spade? this place? Thy nature did commence in sufferance, time This slave-like habit ? and these looks of care? Hath made thee hard in't. Why should'si thou hatc Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft; men ? Hug their diseas'd perfumes, and have forgot They never flatter'd thee: What hast thou given ? That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods, If thou wilt curse,—thy father, that poor rag, By putting on the cunning of a carper. Must be thy subject; who, in spite, put stuff To some she beggar, and compounded thee- Apem. Art thou proud ret? Thou gav'st thine ears, like tapsters, that bid welcome Tim. Ay, that I am not thee. To knaves, and all approachers : 'Tis most just, Apem. I, that I was That thou turn rascal; had'st thou wealth again, No prodigal. Tim. Were I like thee, I'd throw away myself. Were all the wealth I have, shut up in thee, Apem. Thou hast cast away thyself, being like I'd give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone. thyself; That the whole life of Athens were in this! A madman so long, now a fool: What, think'st Thus would I eat it. (Eating a roo:. That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain, Apem. Here; I will mend thy feast. Will put thy shirt on warm ? Will these moss'd trees, [offering him something That have outliv'd the eagle, page thy heels, Tim. First mend my company; take away thyself. And skip when thou point’st out? Will the cold Apen. So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of brook, thine. Candied with ice, caudle thy morning taste, Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; Tocure thy o'er-night's surfeit? call the creatures,- If not, I would it were. Whose naked natures live in all the spite Apem. What would'st thou have to Athens ? Of wreakful heaven; whose bare unhoused trunks, Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, To the conflicting elements expos’d, Tell them there, I have gold; look, so I have. Answer mere nature, bid them flatter thee; Apem. Here is no use for gold. O! thou shalt find Tim. The best, and truest : Tim. A fool of thee: Depart. For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Tim. Under that's above me. Apem. . Why? Where feed’st thou o' days, Apemantus ? Tim. Thou Aatter'st misery. Apem. Where my stomach finds meat; or rather, Apem. I flatter not; but say, thou art a caitiff. where I eat it. l'im. Why dost thou seek me out ? Tim. 'Would poison were obedient, and knew my А рет. To vex thee. mind! Tim. Always a villain's office, or a fool's : Apem. Where would'st thou send it? Tim. To sauce thy dishes. Apem. The middle of humanity thou never knewTim. What! a knave too ? est, but the extremity of both ends: When thou wast Apem. If thou didst put this sour-cold habit on in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they mocked thee for To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou too much curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, Dost it enforcedly; thou’dst courtier be again, but art despised for the contrary. There's a medlar Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery for thee, eat it. Outlives incertain pomp, is crown'd before: Tim. On what I hate, I feed not. Apem. Dost hate a medlar ? Apem. An thou hadst hated medlers sooner, thou Worse than the worst, content. should'st have loved thyself better now. What man Thou should'st desire to die, being miserable. didst thou ever know unthrift, that was beloved after Tim. Not by his breath, that is more miserable. his ineans ? Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm Tim. Who, without those means thou talkest of, With favour never claspd; but bred a dog. didst thou ever know beloved ? Hadst thou, like us, from our first swath, proceeded Apem. Myself. The sweet degrecs that this brief world affords Tim. I understand thee; thou hadst some means To such as may the passive drugs of it to keep a dog, Freely command, thou would’st have plung'd thyself Apem. What things in the world canst thou In general riot; melted down thy youth nearest compare to thy flatterers ? In different beds of lust; and never learn'd Tim. Women nearest ; but men, men are the The icy precepts of respect, but follow'd things themselves. What would'st thou do with the The sugar'd game before thee. But myself, world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy power? Who had the world as my confectionary; Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men. The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts of men Tim. Woulds't thou have thyself fall in the conat duty, more than I could frame employment; fusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts? That numberless upon me stuck, as leaves Apem. Ay, Timon. Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant | May have the world in einpire ! thee to attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox Apem. 'Would 'twere so;hould beguile thee: if thou wert the lamb, the fox But not till I am dead!—I'll say, thou hast gold: would eat thee : if thou wert the fox, the lion would Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly. suspect thee, when, peradventure, thou wert ac- Tim. Throng'd to ? cused by the ass : if thou wert the ass, thy dulness Apem. Ay. would torment thee ; and still thoa livedst but as a Tim. Thy back, I prythee. breakfast to the wolf : if thou wert the wolf, thy Apem. Live, and love thy misery! greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst Tim. Long live so, and so die !-I am quit. hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the uni [Exit APEMANTUS. corn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and More things like men ?-Eat, Timon, and abhor make thine own self the conquest of thy fury: wert them. thou a bear, thou would'st be killed by the horse ; Enter Thieves. wert thou a horse, thou would'st be seized by the leopard: wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to 1 Thief. Where should he have this gold ? It is the lion, and the spots of thy kindred were jurors some poor fragment, some slender ort of his reon thy life: all thy safety were remotion; and thy mainder. The mere want of gold, and the falling. defence, absence.' What beast could'st thou be, from of his friends, drove him into this melancholy. that were not subject to a beast ? and what a beast 2 Thief. It is noised, he hath a mass of treasure. art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transform- 3 Thief. Let us make the assay upon him; if he ation ? care not for't, he will supply us easily; If he covetApem. If thou could'st please me with speaking to ously reserve it, how shall's get it? me, thou might'st have hit upon it here: The com- 2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis monwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts. hid. Tim. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou 1 Thief. Is not this he ? art out of the city ? Thieves. Where ? Apem. Yonder comes a poet, and a painter: The 2 Thief. 'Tis his description. plague of company light upon thee! I will fear to 3 Thief. He; I know him. catch it, and give way: When I know not wbat Thieves. Save thee, Timon. else to do, I'll see thee again. Tim. Now, thieves ? Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou Thieves. Soldiers, not thieves. shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog Tim. Both too; and women's sons. than Apemantus. Thieves. We are not thieves, but men that much Apem. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. do want. (meat. Tim. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of Apem. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots; Within this mile break forth a hundred springs : Tim. All villains, that do stand by thee, are pure. The oaks bear mast, the briars scarlet hips ; Apem. There is no leprosy, but what thou speak’st. The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush Tim. If I name thee. Lays her full mess before you. Want ? why want ? I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands. I Thief. We cannot live on grass, on berries, Apem, I would my tongue could rot them off ! water, Tim. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog! As beasts, and birds, and fishes. Choler does kill me, that thou art alive; Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, I swoon to see thee. and fishes; Apem. . 'Would thou would'st burst ! You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, Tim. Away, That you are thieves profess’d; that you work not Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry, I shall lose In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft A stone by thee. (Throws a stone at h m. In limited professions. Rascal thieves, Apem. Beast! Here's gold: Go, suck the subtle blood of the grape, Till the high fever seeth your blood to froth. And so 'scape hanging; trust not the physician; Tim. Rogue, rogue, rogue! His antidotes are poison, and he slays (APEMANTUS retreats backward, as going. More than you rob: take wealth and lives together; I am sick of this false world; and will love nought Do villainy, do, since you profess to do't, But even the mere necessities upon it. Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery: Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave; The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat Robs the vast sea : the moon's an arrant thief, Tby grave-stone daily; make thine epitaph, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun: That death in me at others' lives may laugh. The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce The moon into salt tears : the earth's a thief, (Looking on the gold. That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler From general excrement: each thing's a thief; Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars! The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power Thou ever voung, fresh, lov'd, and delicate wooer, Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves; away; Whose olusn cotn thaw the consecrated snow Rob one another. There's more gold: Cut throats ; That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god, All that you meet are thieves: To Athens, go, That solaer'st close impossibilities, Break open shops; nothing can you steal, And mak'st tnem kiss! that speak'st with every tongue But thieves do lose it: Steal not less, for this To every purpure! O thou touch of hearts ! I give you; and gold confound you howsoever! Think, thy slave man rebels; and by thy virtue Amen. (TIMON retires to his cave, Set them into confounding odds, that beasts 3 Thief. He lias almust charmed me from my pro curse. Sessior., by persuading me to it. Suspect still comes where an estate is least. i Thief: "Tis in the malice of mankind, that he That which I show, Heaven knows, is merely love thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery. Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind, 2 Thief.: I'll believe him as an enemy, and give Care of your food and living: and, believe ita over my trade. My mosi honour'd lord, I Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens : There For any benefit that points to me, is no time so miserable, but a man may be true. Either in hope, or present, I'd exchange (Eseunt Thieves. For this one wish, That you had power and weaith Enter Flavius. To requite me, by making rich yourself. Flav. O you gods ! Tim. Look thee, 'tis so !--Thou singly hones man Here, take :-the gods out of my misery Is yon despis’d and ruinous man my lord ? Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich, and happr. Full of decay and failing ? O monument But thus conditioned ; Thou shalt build from ..es And wonder of good deeds evil bestow'd ! Hate all, curse all : show charity to none; Wbat an alteration of honour has But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone, Desperate want made! Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs (them, What viler thing upon the earth, than friends, What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallos Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends! Debts wither them: Be men like blasted woods, How rarely does it meet with this time's guise, And may diseases lick up their false bloods ! When man was wish'd to love his enemies : And so, farewell, and thrive. Grant, I may ever love, and rather woo Flav. o, let me stay, Those that would mischief me, than those that do! And comfort you, my master. He has caught me in his eye: I will present Tim, If thou hat'st My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord, Curses, stay not; fly, whilst thou’rt bless'd and free; Still serve him with my life.—My dearest master ! Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. Timon comes forward from his cave. (Ereunt severall:. Tim. Away! what art thou ? Flav. Have you forgot me, sir ? ACT V. Then SCENE I.-- The same. Before Timon's Cure. I know thee not: I ne'er had honest man Enter Poet and Fainter; Tinon behind, unseen. About me, I; all that I kept were knaves, To serve in meat to villains. Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot be Flav. The gods are witness, far where he abides. Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief Poet. What's to be thougbt of him? Does the For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you. rumour hold for true, that he is so full of gold ? Tim. What, dost thou weep ?-Come nearer :- Pain. Certain: Alcibiades reports it; Phryna then I love thee, and Timandra had gold of him : he likewise enrichel Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st poor straggling soldiers with great quantity: 'Tis Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give, said, he gave unto his steward a mighty sum. But thorough lust, and laughter. Pity's sleeping : Poet. Then this breaking of his has been but a Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with try for his friends. weeping! Pain. Nothing else: you shall see him a pain in Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, Athens again, and flourish with the highest. TtereTo accept my grief, and, whilst this poor wealth lasts, fore, 'tis not amiss, we tender our loves to him, in To entertain me as your steward still. this supposed distress of his : it will show honestly Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and now in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with So comfortable? It almost turns what they travel for, if it be a just and true report My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold that goes of his having. Thy face.-Surely, this man was born of woman.- Poet. What have you now to present unto him? Forgive my general and exceptless rashness, Pain. Nothing at this time but my visitation ; Perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim only I will promise him an excellent piece. One honest man, —mistake me not,—but one; Poet. I must serve him so too; tell him of an inNo more, I pray,—and he is a steward. tent that's coming toward him. How fain would I have bated all mankind, Pain. Good as the best. Promising is the very And thou redeem'st thyself: But all, save thee, air o'the time; it opens the eyes of expectation : I fell with curses. performance is ever the duler for his act; and, but Methinks, thou art more honest now, than wise; in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the deed For, by oppressing and betraying me, of saying is quite out of use. To promise is most Thou might'st have sooner got another service: courtly and fashionable : perforinance is a kind of For many so arrive at second masters, will, or testament, which argues a great sickness in Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true, bis judgment that makes it. (For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,) Tim. Excellent workman! Thou canst not paia: Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous, gifto, a man so bad as is thyself. If not a usuring kindness; and as rich meo deal Poet. I am thinking, what I shall say I hare Expecting in return twenty for one ? provided for him : It must be a personating of him. Flav. No, my most worthy master, in whose breast self: a satire against the softness of prosperity; with Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late ; (feast: a discovery of the infinito flatteries, thet follow youth You should have foar'd false times, when you did and opulency Tim. Must thou needs stand for a villain in Keep in your bosom: yet remain assur'a, thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults That he's a made-up villain. in other men ? Do so, I have gold for thee. Pain. I know none such, my lord. Poet. Nay, let's seek him : Poet. Nor I. Then do we sin against our own estate, Tim. Look you, I love you well ; I'll give you gold, When we may profit meet, and come too late. Rid me these villains from your companies : Páin. True; Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught, When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Confound them by some course, and come to me, Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light. I'll give you gold enough. Come. [gold, Both. Name them, my lord; let's know them. Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's Tim. You that way, and you this, but two in That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple, company :Than where swine feed ! (foam; Each man apart, all single and alone, "Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough’st the Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. Settlest admired reverence in a slave : If where thou art, two villains shall not be, To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye | To the Painter. Be crown'd with plagues, that thee alone obey! Come not near him.- If thou would'st not reside 'Fit I do meet them. (Advancing. | To the Poet. Poet. Hail, worthy Timon ! But where one villain is, then him abandon.Pain. Our late noble master. Hence ! pack! there's gold ; ye came for gold, yo Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men ? slaves : (Hence! Poet. Sir, You have done work for me; there's payment : Having often of your open bounty tasted, You are an alchymist, make gold of that: Hearing you were retir'd, your friends fall'n off, Out, rascal dogs! Whose thankless natures—o abhorred spirits ! (Erit, beatiug and driving them out. Not all the whips of heaven are large enoughWhat! to you! SCENE II. - The same. Enter Flavius, and Two Senators. Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with With any size of words. Timon; Is friendly with him. Bring us to his cave: To speak with Timon. 2 Sen. At all times alike, Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. Men are not still the same : 'Twas time, and griefs, Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I re. That fram'd him thus : time, with his fairer hand, quite you ? Offering the fortunes of his former days, Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. The former man may make him Bring us to him, Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service. And chance it as it may. Tim. You are honest men: You have heard that Flav. Here is his cave, [men. Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! I'm sure, you have: speak truth: you are honest Look out, and speak to friends : The Athenians, Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore By two of their most reverend senate, greet thee Came not my friend, nor I. |terfeit Speak to them, noble Timon. Tim. Good honest men :- Thou draw'st a counBest in all Athens : thou art, indeed, the best ; Enter Timon. Thou counterfeit'st most lively. T'im. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn!-Sprak, Pain. So, so, my lord. and be hang'd: Tim. Even so, sir, as I say :-And, for thy fiction, For each true word, a blister ! and cach false ( To the Poet. Be as a caut'rizing to the root o' the tongue, Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth, Consuming it with speaking ! That thou art even natural in thine art. 1 Sen. Worthy Timun, But, for all this, my honest-natur'd friends, Tim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon I must needs say, you have a little fault: 2 Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon. Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you; neither wish I, Tim. I thank them; and would send them back You take much pains to mend. the plague, Both, Beseech your honour, Could I but catch it for them. To make it known to us. 1 Sen. O, forget Tim. You'll take it ill. What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. Both. Most thankfully, my lord. The senators, with one consent of love, Tim. Will you, indeed ? Entreat the back to Athens; who have thought Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. On special dignities, which vacant lie 2 Sen. They confess, Both. Do we, my lord ? Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross : Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dis- Which now the publick bory, which doth seldors: semble, Play the recanter,-feeling in itself Know bis gross patchery, love him, feed him, A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal of its own fall, restraining aid to Timon; Come hither, ere iny tree hath felt the axe, And send forth us, to make their sorrowed render, And hang himself:- I pray you, do my greeting. Together with a recompense inore fruitful Flav. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall Than their offence can weigh down by the dram; find him. Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and wealth, Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, As shall to thee blut out what wrongs were theirs, Timon hath made his everlasting mansion And write in thee the figures of their love, Upon the beached verge of the salt flood; Ever to read them thine. Which once a day with his embossed froth Tim. You witch me in it; The turbulent surge shall cover ; thither come, Surprize me to the very brink of tears. And let my grave-stone be your oracle.Lend me a fool's heart, and a woman's eyes, Lips, let sour words go by, and language end : And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy senators. What is amiss, plague and infection mend! 1 Sen. Therefore, so please thee to return with us, Graves only be men's works: and death their gain! And of our Athens (thine, and ours,) to take Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his reign. The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks, (Erit Tinox. Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good name 1 Sen. His discontents are unremoveably Live with authority :-so soon we shall drive back Coupled to nature. Of Alcibiades the approaches wild ; 2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up And strain what other means is left unto us His country's peace : In our dear peril. 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword 1 Sen. It requires swift foot. [Eseunt. SCENE III.- The Walls of Athens. Enter Two Senators, and a Messenger. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his files That-Timon cares not. But if he sack fair Athens, As full as thy report ? And take our goodly aged men by the beards, Mess. I have spoke the least : Giving our holy virgins to the stain Besides, his expedition promises Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war; Present approach. (Timon. Then, let him know,--and tell him, Timon speaks it, 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not In pity of our aged, and our youth, Mess. I met a courier, once mine ancient friend ;I cannot choose, but tell him, that I care not, Whom, though in general part we were opposid, And let him tak’t at worst; for their knives care not, Yet our old love made a particular force, While you have throats to answer : for myself, And made us speak like friends :--this man was riding There's not a whittle in the unruly camp, From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, But I do prize it at my love, before With letters of entreaty, which imported The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave you His fellowship i' the cause against your city, To the protection of the prosperous gods, In part for his sake mor'd. As thieves to keepers. Enter Senators from Timon. Flav. Stay not, all's in vain. Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph; 1 Sen. Here come our brothers. It will be seen to-morrow : My long sickness 3 Sen. No talk of Timon; nothing of him ex. of health, and living, now begins to mend, pect. And nothing brings me all things. Go, live still; The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring Be Alcibiades your plague, you his, Doth choke the air with dust : In, and prepare ; And last so long enough! Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes the snare. (Ereunt. 1 Sen. We speak in vain. Tomb-stone seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking Timon. Tim. Commend me to my loving countrymen, Sold. By all description this should be the place ; i Sen. These words become your lips as they Who's here? speak, 'ho !-No answer ? —What is pass through them. this? 2 Sen. And enter in our ears, like great triumphers Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span : In their applauding gates. Some beast rear'd this; there does not live a man. Tim. Commend me to them; Dead, sure; and this his grave. And tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs, What's on this tomb I cannot read; the character Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, I'll take with wax : Our captain hath in every figure skill; Whose fall the mark of his ambition is, (Exil. 2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, That mine own use invites me to cut down, SCENE V.—Before the Walls of Athens. And shortly must I fell it; Tell my friends, Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES and Forces. Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree, From high to low throughout, that whoso please Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town To stup affliction, let him take his hasta, Our terrible approach. (A parley sounded, |