Tim. What! a knave too? Apem. If thou didst put this sour-cold habit on To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou Dost it enforcedly; thou'dst courtier be again, Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery Outlives incertain pomp, is crown'd before: The one is filling still, never complete; The other, at high wish: Best state, contentless, Hath a distracted and most wretched being, Worse than the worst, content. Thou should'st desire to die, being miserable. Tim. Not by his breath, that is more miserable. Do on the oak, have with one winter's brush hate men? They never flatter'd thee: What hast thou given? For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Apem. Where ly'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? 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. Dost hate a medlar? 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 things themselves. What would'st thou do with 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 confusion 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 dulness would torment thee; and still thou lived 'st but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou should'st 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 would'st be killed by the horse; wert thou a horse, thou would'st be seized by the leopard; wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion, and the spots of thy kindred were jarors on thy life: all thy safety were remotion; and thy defence, absence. What beast could'st thou be, that were not subject to a beast! and what a beast art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transformation? Apem. If thou could'st 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. '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 pore. Apem. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st. Tim. If I name thee. I'll beat thee-but I should infect my hands. Choler does kill me, that thou art alive; Apem. Tim. 'Would thou would'st burst! Away, Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry, I shall lose Slave! Toad! Rogue, rogue, rogue! [Apemantus retreats backward, as going. I am sick of this false world; and will love nought But even the mere necessities upon it. Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave; Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat Thy grave-stone daily make thine epitaph, That death in me at others' lives may laugh ت SCENE 3.] TIMON OF ATHENS. O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce That solder'st close impossibilities, And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every tongue, To every purpose! O thou touch of hearts! May have the world in empire! Apem. 'Would 'twere so ; But not till I am dead!-I'll say, thou hast gold: Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly. Tim. Apem. Tim. Thy back, I pr'ythee. Apem. Throng'd to ? Ay. Live, and love thy misery! Tim. Long live so, and so die!-I am quit.- More things like men?-Eat, Timon, and abhor Enter Thieves. 1 Thief. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some slender ort of his remainder: The mere want of gold, and the fallingfrom 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? 2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid. 1 Thief. Is not this he? Thieves. Where? 2 Thief. 'Tis his description. 3 Thief. He; I know him. Thieves. Save thee, Timon. Tim. Now, thieves? Thieves, Soldiers, not thieves. Tim. Both too; and women's sons. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of i Thief. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water, As beasts, and birds, and fishes. Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, In limited professions. Rascal thieves, And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician; More than you rob: take wealth and lives together; Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery: Break open shops; nothing can you steal, 3 Thief. He has almost charmed me from my 1 Thief. "Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery. 2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade. 1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens: There Enter FLAVIUS. Flav. O you gods! Is yon despis'd and ruinous man my lord? Timon comes forward from his cave. Tim. Away! what art thou? 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 My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold One honest man, -mistake me not, -but one; Methinks, thou art more honest now than wise; Thou might'st have sooner got another service: Expecting in return twenty for one? Flav. No, my most worthy master, in whose Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late : feast: Suspect still comes, where an estate is least. Care of your food and living: and, believe it, My most honour'd lord, For any benefit that points to me, Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!-Thou singly honest man, But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone, Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs And may diseases lick up their false bloods! And so, farewell, and thrive. Flav. And comfort you, my master. Tim. O, let me stay, If thou hat'st 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 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 shew honesty 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, or 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 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 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 light. Come foam; Settlest admired reverence in a slave: Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! 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: You, that are honest, by being what you are, Make them best seen, and known. Pain. He, and myself, Have travell'd in the great shower of your gifts, And sweetly felt it. Tim. Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I re quite 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 [men. I have gold; I am sure, you have: speak truth: you are honest Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend, nor I. Tim. Good honest men: - Thou draw'st a coun terfeit Best in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best; Thou counterfeit'st most lively. Pain. So, so, my lord. Tim. Even so, sir, as I say:-And, for thy fiction, (To the Poet.) Why, thy verses swell with stuff so fine and smooth, To make it known to us. Beseech your honour, You'll take it ill. Both. Most thankfully, my lord. Will you indeed? Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. Tim. There's ne'er a one of you but trusts a knave, That mightily deceives you. Both. Do we, my lord? Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble, Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Pain. I know none such, my lord. Poet. Nor I. Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll 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 incom Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. You have done work for me, there's payment: Hence! And shakes his threat'ning sword 2 Sen. Therefore, Timon. Tim. Well, sir, I will; therefore, I will, sir; If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, [Exit, beating and driving them out. Then, let him know, and tell him, Timon speaks it, SCENE II.-The same. Enter FLAVIUS and two Senators. In pity of our aged, and our youth, I cannot choose but tell him, that I care not, Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with There's not a whittle in the unruly camp, For he is set so only to himself, That nothing but himself, which looks like man, Is friendly with him. 1 Sen. Bring us to his cave: It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, To speak with Timon. 2 Sen. At all times alike Men are not still the same: 'Twas time and griefs, The former man may make him: Bring us to him, Flav. Here is his cave. Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! O, forget For thy best use and wearing. 2 Sen. They confess Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross: A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal Than their offence can weigh down by the dram; Ever to read them thine. Tim. And of our Athens (thine, and ours,) to take 2 Sen. Andenter in our ears like great triumphers In their applauding gates. Tim. Commend me to them; And tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs, Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath. Flav. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall find him. Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, 1 Sen. His discontents are unremoveably 2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, And strain what other means is left unto us In our dear peril. 1 Sen. Enter Senators from Timon. Here come our brothers. 3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect. The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful sconring 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. 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: SCENE V. Before the Walls of Athens. Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES and Forces. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our terrible approach. (A parley sounded.) Enter Senators on the walls. Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time With fear, and horrid flight. 1 Sen. Above their quantity. 2 Sen. So did we woo Transformed Timon to our city's love, The common stroke of war. 2 Sen. Nor are they living, Who were the motives that you first went out; Shame, that they wunted cunning, in excess Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord, Into our city with thy banners spread: By decimation, and a tithed death, (If thy revenges hunger for that food, Which nature loaths,) take thou the destin'd tenth; And by the hazard of the spotted die, Let die the spotted. 1 Sen. All have not offended; For those that were, it is not square to take, On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands, Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman, Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage: Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin, Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall With those that have offended: like a shepherd, Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth, But kill not all together. 2 Sen. 1 Sen. What thou wilt, Or any token of thine honour else, Then there's my glove; Both. "Tis most nobly spoken. Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. The Senators descend, and open the gates. From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit make each Prescribe to other, as each other's leech.一 Let our drums strike. [Exeunt. |
