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 berries, water, As beasts and birds and fishes. Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; away, Rob one another. There's more gold. Cut throats: All that you meet are thieves: to Athens go, Third Ban. Has almost charmed me from my profession, by persuading me 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. Flav. all men ; 480 Then, if thou grant'st thou'rt a man, I have forgot thee. Flav. An honest poor servant of yours. I never had honest man about me, I ; all I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains. 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 sleeping: 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 Methinks thou art more honest now than wise; For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure- 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 love, Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind, For any benefit that points to me, To requite me, by making rich yourself. Tim. Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly hon est 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, Debts wither 'em to nothing; be men like blasted woods, And may diseases lick up their false bloods! And so farewell and thrive. Flav. O, 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 ne'er see thee. [Exit Flavius. Timon retires to his cave. ACT V. SCENE I. The woods. Before Timon's cave. 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 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 testa, ment which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it. [Timon comes from his cave, behind. Tim. [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. Tim. [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. Pain. True; When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd Come. light. Look you, I love you well; Ill 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. Tim. You that way and you this, but two in company; Each man apart, all single and alone, 110 If where thou art two villains shall not be, Come not near him. 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 Painter] You have work'd for me; there's payment for you: hence! [To Poet] You are an alchemist; make gold of that. Out, rascal dogs! [Beats them out, and then retires to his cave. In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them: I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath [again. First Sen. I like this well; he will return Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, That mine own use invites me to cut down, To stop affliction, let him take his haste, Flav. Trouble him no further; thus you still shall find him. Tim. Come not to me again but say to Timon hath made his everlasting mansion Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his Coupled to nature. Sec. Sen. Our hope in him is dead let us return, And strain what other means is left unto us 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 woods. Timon's cave, and a rude tomb seen. Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON. Sold. 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; there does not live a wrong Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease, And pursy insolence shall break his wind With fear and horrid flight. First Sen. Noble and young, When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, Ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear, Sec. Sen. By humble message and by promised means: First Sen. These walls of ours Were not erected by their hands from whom You have received your griefs; nor are they such That these great towers, trophies and schools should fall |