Арет. leas; Арет. With all the abhorred births below crisp heaven Whose naked natures live in all the spite Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth Of wreakful heaven, whose bare unhoused shine ; trunks, Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate, To the conflicting elements exposed, 230 From forth thy plenteous bosom, one poor root! Answer mere nature ; bid them flatter thee; Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb, O, thou shalt findLet it no more bring out ingrateful man! Tim. A fool of thee : depart. Go great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and Apem. I love thee better now than e'er I did. bears ; [face Tim. I hate thee worse. Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward Why? Hath to the marbled mansion all above 191 Tim. Thou flatter'st misery. Never presented !-0, a root,-dear thanks !- Apem. I flatter not; but say thou art a Dry up thy marrows, vines, and plough-torn caitiff. Tim. Why dost thou seek me out ? Whereof ingrateful man, with liquorish To vex thee. draughts Tim. Always a villain's office or a fool's. And morsels unctuous, greases his pure mind, Dost please thyself in't? That from it all consideration slips ! Apem. Ay. What ! a knave too? Apem. If thou didst put this sour-cold More man ? plague, plague ! habit on 239 Apem. I was directed hither : men report To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou Thou dost affect my manners, and dost use Dost it enforcedly ; thou'ldst courtier be again, them. Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery Tim. "Tis, then, because thou dost not keep Outlives incertain pomp, is crown'd before : a dog, 200 The one is filling still, never complete ; Whom I would imitate : consumption catch The other, at high wish : best state, contentthee ! less, 249 Apem. This is in thee a nature but infected; Hath a distracted and most wretched being, A poor unmanly melancholy sprung Worse than the worst, content. From change of fortune. Why this spade ? Thou shouidst desire to die, being miserable. this place ? Tim. Not by his breath that is more miseraThis slave-like habit ? and these looks of care? ble. Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm soft ; With favor never clasp'd ; but bred a dog. Hug their diseased perfumes, and have forgot Hadst thou, like us from our first swath, proThat ever Timon was. Shame not these woods, ceeded By putting on the cunning of a carper. The sweet degrees that this brief world affords Bo thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive 210 To such as may the passive drugs of it By that which has undone thee : hinge thy Freely command, thou wouldst have plunged knee, thyself And let his very breath, whom thou’lt observe, In general riot ; melted down thy youth Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain, In different beds of lust; and never learn'd And call it excellent : thou wast told thus ; The icy precepts of respect, but follow'd Thou gavest thine ears like tapsters that bid The sugar'd game before thee. But myself, welcome Who had the world as my confectionary, 260 To knaves a..d all approachers : 'tis most just The mouths, the tongues, the eyes and hearts That thou turn rascal ; hadst thou wealth of men again, At duty, more than I could frame employment, Rascals should have 't. Do not assume my That numberless upon me stuck as leaves likeness. Do on the oak, lave with one winter's brush Tim. Were I like thee, I'ld throw away Fell from their boughs and left me open, bare myself. For every storm that blows : 1, to bear this, Apem. Thou hast cast away thyself, being That never knew but better, is some burden : like thyself ; 220 Thy nature did commence in sufferance, time A madman so long, now a fool. What, think'st Hath made thee hard in't. Why shouldst That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamber thon hate men ? lain, They never flatter'd thee : what hast thou Will put thy shirt on warm ? will these moss'd given ? 270 trees, If thou wilt curse, thy father, that poor ray, That have outlived the eagle, page thy heels, Must be thy subject, who in spite put stuff And skip where thou point'st out ? will the To some she beggar and compounded thee cold brook, Poor rogne hereditary. Hence, be gone ! Candied with ice, candle thy morning taste, If thon hadst not been born the worst of men, To cure thy o'er-night's surfeit? Call the crea- Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer. tures Apem. Art thou proud yet ? Tim. Ay, that I ain not thee. I, that I was I, that I am one now: Weru all the wealth I have shut up in thee, l’ld give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone. That the whole life of Athens were in this ! _S1 Thus would I eat it. [Eating a not. Apem. Here; I will mend thy feast. [Offcring him a root. Tim. First mend my company, take away thyself. Apem. So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of thine. Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd ; If not, I would it were. Apem. What wouldst 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. The best and truest ; 290 For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Apem. Where liest o' nights, Timon ? Under that's above me. Where feed'st thou o' days, Apeinantus ? Apem. Where my stomach finds meat ; or, rather, where I eat it. Tim. Would poison were obedient and kuew my mind ! Apem. Where wouldst thou send it ? 299 Apem. The middle of humanity thou never knewest, 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. Apem. An thou hadst hated meddlers sooner, thou shouldst have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know unthrist 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 ? 319 Tim. Women nearest ; but men, men are the things themselves. What wouldst thou do with the world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy power ? Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men. Tim. Wouldst thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts ? Apem. Ay, Timon. Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee t' attain to! Ifthou 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 dulness would torment thee, and still thou livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf : if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would amict 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 a bear, thou wouldst be killed liy the horse: wert thou a horse, thou wouldst be seized by the leopard : wert thou a leopard, thon wert german to the lion and the spots of tny kindred were jurors on thy life: all thy safety were remotion and thy defence absence. What beast couldst thon be, that were not subject to a beast ? and what a beast art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transformation ! 319 Apem. 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. Tim. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city ? Apem. Youder comes a poet and a painter : the plague of company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it and give way: wlien I know not what else to do, I'll see thee again. 359 Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog then Apemantus. Apem. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. Tim. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon ! Apem. A plague on thee ! thou art too bad to curse. Tim. All villains that do stand by thee are pure. Apen. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st. Tim. If I name thee. I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands. Apem. I would my tongue could rot them off! 370 Tim. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog! Choler does kill me that thou art alive ; I swound to see thee. Арет. Would thou wouldst burst! Tim. Away, Apem. Beast ! Slave ! Toad! Tim. Rogue, rogae, 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 grave-stone daily : make thine epitaphThat death in me at others' lives may laugh. [To the gold) ( thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce Scene 1.) TIMON OF ATHENS. 979 wooer. cian ; 'Twixt natural son and sire ! thou bright de filer Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars ! Thou ever young, fresh, loved and delicate Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow That lies on Dian's lap ! thou visible god, That solder'st close impossibilities, And makest 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 391 Set them into confounding odds, that beasts May have the world in empire! Åpem. Would 'twere so ! But not till I am dead. I'll say thou'st gold : Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly. Tim. Throng'd to ! Apem. Ay. Tim. Thy back, I prithee. Apem. Live, and love thy misery. Tim. Long live so, and so die. [Exit Ape mantus.] I am quit. Moe things like men ! Eat, Timon, and abhor them. Enter Banditti. First Ban. 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. Sec. Ban. It is noised he hath a mass of treasure. Third Ban. 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 You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con That you are thieves profess’d, that you work not 429 In Irolier shapes : for there is boundless theft In limited professions. Rascal thieves, Here's gold. Go, suck the subtle blood o' the grape, Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth, And so 'sci.pe hanging : trust not the physiHis antidotes are poison, and he slays Moe than you rob : take wealth and lives to gether ; Do villany, do, since you protest to do't, Like workmen. I'll example you with thiev ery : The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction 439 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 stolen From general excrement : each thing's a thief: The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power Have 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, 450 But thieves do lose it: steal no less for this I give you ; and gold confound you howsoe'er! Amen. Third Ban. Has almost charmed me from my profession, by persuading ine to it. First Ban. 'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises us ; not to have us thrive in our mystery. Sec. Ban. i'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade. 460 First Ban. Let us first see peace in Athens: there is no time so miserable but a man may be true. [Exeunt Banditti. Enter FLAVIUS. Flav. O you gods ! Is yond despised and ruinous man my lord ? Full of decay and failing ? O monument And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd ! What an alteration of honor Has desperate want made ! 469 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 ! ter! get it ; Sec. Ban True ; for he bears it not about ; him, 'tis hid. First Ban. Is not this he? 410 Banditti, Where? Sec. Ban. 'Tis his description. Third Ban. He ; I know him. Banditti. Save thee, Timon. Tim. Now, thieves ? Banditti. Soldiers, not thieves. Tim. Both too ; and women's sons. Banditti. We are not thieves, but men that much do want. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots ; 420 Within this mile break forth a hundred springs ; The oaks bear mast, the briers scarlet hips ; The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush (want ? Lays her full mess before you. Want! why First Ban. We cannot live on grass, on ber ries, water, As beasts and birds and fishes. Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; Tim. Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly honest man, 530 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 thoni relieve the beggar; give to dogs What thou deny'st to men ; let prisons swal. low 'em, Debts wither''em to nothing ; be men like blasted woods, And may diseases lick up their false bloods ! And so farewell and thrive. Flav. 0, let me stay, 540 And comfort you, my master. Tim. If thou hatest curses, Stay not ; fly, whilst thou art blest and free: Ne'er see thou man, and let me pe'er see thee, (Exit Flavius. Timon retires to his care. ACT V. Flav. Have you forgot me, sir ? Tim. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men ; 480 Then, if thou grant'st thou’rt a man, I have forgot thee Flav. An honest poor servant of yours. Tim. Then I know thee not : I never had honest man about me, I ; all I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to vil lains. Flav. The gods are witness, Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief For his undone lord than mine eyes for you. Tim. What, dost thou weep? Come nearer. Then I love thee, Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st 490 Flinty mankind ; whose eyes do never give But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleep ing : Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping! Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, To accept my grief and whilst this poor wealth lasts To entertain me as your steward still. Tim 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 500 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 redeein'st thyself : but all, save thee, I fell with curses. Methinks thou art more honest now than wise; For, by oppressing and betraying me, 510 Thou mightst have sooner got another service: For many so arrive at second masters, l'pon their first lord's neck. But tell me trueFor I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sureIs not thy kindness subtle, covetous, If not a usuring kindness, and, as rich men deal gifts, Expecting in return twenty for one ? Flav. No, my most worthy master ; in whose breast Doubt and suspect, alas, are placed too late : You should have fear'd false times when you did feast: 520 Suspect still comes where an estate is least. That which I show, heaven knows, is merely lore, Diity and zeal to your unmatched mind, Care of your food and living ; and, believe it, Vy most honor'd lord, For any benefit that points to me, Either in hope or present, I'ld exchange For this one wish, that you had power and wealth To requite me, by making rich yourself. SCENE I. The woods. Before Timon's ca care. Enter Poet and Painter ; TIMON watching them from his cave. 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 rumor hold for true, that he's so full of gold? Pain. Certain : Alcibiades reports it; Phrynia and Timandra had gold of him : he likewise enriched 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. 11 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 travail 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 visita. tion : only I will promise him an excellent piece. 21 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 ex. pectation : 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 teste, ment which argues a great sickness in his Tim. Ye're honest men : ye've heard that judgment that makes it. I have gold ; [Timon comes from his cave, behind. I am sure you have : speak truth ; ye're honTim. (Aside) Excellent workman ! thou est men. 80 canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself, Pain. So it is said, my noble lord ; but Poet. am thinking what I shall say I have therefore provided for him: it must be a personating of Came not my friend nor I. himself ; a satire against the softness of pros- Tim. Good honest men! Thou draw'st a perity, with a discovery of the infinite flatter counterfeit ies that follow youth and opulency. Best in all Athens : thou’rt, indeed, the best ; Tim. [Aside] Must thou needs stand for Thou counterfeit'st most lively. a villain in thine own work? wilt thou whip Pain. So, so, my lord. thine own faults in other mep? Do so, I have Tim. E'en so, sir, as I say. And, for thy gold for thee. fiction, Poet. Nay, let's seek him : Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and Then do we sin against our own estate, smooth When we may profit meet, and come too late. That thou art even natural in thine art. Pain. True; But, for all this, my honest-natured friends, When the day'serves, before black-corner'd I must needs say you have a little fault: 90 night, Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you, neither Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd wish I light. You take much pains to mend. Come. Both. Beseech your honor Tim. [Aside] I'll meet you at the turu. To make it known to us. What a god's gold, 50 Tim. You'll take it ill. That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple Both. Most thankfully, my lord. Than where swine feed ! Tim. Will you, indeed ? 'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark and plough'st Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. the foam, Tim. There's never a one of you but trusts Settlest admired reverence in a slave : a knave, To thee be worship ! and thy saints for aye That mightily deceives you. Be crown'd with plagues that thee alone obey ! Both. Do we, my lord ? Fit I meet them. [Coming forward. Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him Poet. Hail, worthy Timon ! dissemble, Pain. Our late noble master ! Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Tim. Have I once lived to see two honest Keep in your bosom : yet remain assured 100 men ? That he's a made-up villain. Poet. Sir, 60 Pain. I know none such, my lord. Having often of your open bounty tasted, Poet. Nor I. Hearing you were retired, your friends fall'n Tim. Look you, I love you well ; I ll give off, you gold, Whose thankless natures--O abhorred spirits !-- Rid me these villains from your companies : Not all the whips of heaven are large enough: | Hang them or stab them, drown them in a What ! to you, draught, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influ- Confound them by some course, and come to ence me, To their whole being ! I am rapt and cannot I'll give you gold enough. Both. Name them, my lord, let's know The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude them. With any size of words. Tim. You that way and you this, but two Tim. "Let it go naked, men may see't the in company ;. better : 70 Each man apart, all single and alone, 110 You that are honest, by being what you are, Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. Make them best seen and known. If where thou art two villains shall not be, Pain. He and myself Come not near him. If thou wouldst not reHave travail'd in the great shower of your side gifts, But where one villain is, then him abandon. And sweetly felt it. Hence, pack! there's gold ; you came for Tim. Ay, you are honest men. gold, ye slaves : Pain. We are hither come to offer you our [To Painter) You have work'd for me; there's service. payment for you : hence ! Tim. Most honest men ! Why, low shall I (To Poet] You are an alchemist ; make gold requite you? of that. Can you eat roots, and drink cold water ? no. Out, rascal dogs! (Beats them out, and then Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you retires to his cave, service, cover |