Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment,4 sir. Let's see your piece. Pain. Poet. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; Is't good? Poet. I'll say of it, Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, (4) As soon as my book has been presented to Timon. (5) i. e. The contest of art with nature. (6) My design does not stop at any particular (3) i. e. Exceeds, goes beyond common bounds. || character. Leaving no track behind. Pain. How shall I understand you? Poet. Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ran- I'll unbolt1 to you. And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me : You see how all conditions, how all minds To Apemantus, that few things loves better Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, Pain. Poet. Nay, sir, but hear me on: All those which were his fellows but of late (Some better than his value,) on the moment Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance, Rain sacrificial whisperings4 in his ear, Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him Drink5 the free air. Pain. Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of mood, Spurns down her late-belov'd, all his dependants, Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top, Even on their knees and hands, let him slip down, Not one accompanying his declining foot. Pain. 'Tis common: A thousand moral paintings I can show Trumpets sound. Enter Timon, attended; the His means most short, his creditors most strait : To those have shut him up; which failing to him, Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well; Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius! Enter Lucilius. Luc. Here, at your lordship's service. By night frequents my house. I am a man Tim. Tim. The man is honest. Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon: His honesty rewards him in itself, It must not bear my daughter. Tim. Does she love him? Tim. This gentleman of mine hath served me long; To build his fortune, I will strain a little, Most noble lord, Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping Which is not ow'd to you! [Exeunt Lucilius and old Athenian. Poet. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lordship! Tim. I thank you; you shall hear from nie anon: Go not away. What have you there, my friend? (3) To advance their conditions of life. Tim. Thou are proud, Apemantus. Most welcome, sir! Apem. So, so; there! Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not Aches contract and starve your supple joints!— like Timon. That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves, Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus? Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? Apem. He wrought better, that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You are a dog. Apem. Thy mother's of my generation; What's she, if I be a dog? Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus? Tim. An thou should'st, thou'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies. Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. labour. (1) Pictures have no hypocrisy; they are what they profess to be. (2) To unclew a man, is to draw out the whole mass of his fortunes. And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.4 Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Most hungrily on your sight. Tim. Right welcome, sir: Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in. [Exeunt all but Apemantus. Enter two Lords. 1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Apem. Time to be honest. 1 Lord. That time serves still. Apem. The more accursed thou, that still omit'st it. 2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's feast. Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine heat fools. 2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice. (3) Alluding to the proverb: Plain dealing is a jewel, but they who use it beggars. (4) Man is degenerated; his strain or lineage is worn down into a monkey. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus? Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I For he does neither affect company, Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass. [Exit. 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in, And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes 2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but his steward: no meed, but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him, But breeds the giver a return exceeding All use of quittance.2 1 Lord.. The noblest mind he carries, That ever govern'd man. 2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 1 Lord. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A room of state in Timon's house. Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; Flavius and others attending; then enter Timon, Alcibiades, Lucius, Lucullus, Sempronius, and other Athenian Senators, with Ventidius, and attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, Apemantus, discontentedly. Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the gods remember My father's age, and call him to long peace. O, by no means, Tim. If our betters play at that game, we must not dare [They all stand ceremoniously looking on Timon. On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, none. Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes, Than my fortunes to me. [They sit 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not? Tim. O, Apemantus!—you are welcome. Apem. You shall not make me welcome : I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a mour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,3 But yond' man's ever angry. (1) Meed her means desert. No, Nor is he fit for it, indeed. Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; I come to observe; I give thee warning on't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. Iscorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men: Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; notes: throats. Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round. 2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow!-he keeps his tides well. Timon, Those healths will make thee, and thy state look ill. Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, Honest water, which ne'er left man i'the mire: This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds. Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. I APEMANTUS'S GRACE. Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; Rich men sin, and I eat root. [Eats and drinks. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now. Alcib. My heart is ever at your service, my lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends. Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like them; I could wish my best friend at such a feast. Apem. 'Would all those flatterers were thine ene mies then; that then thou might'st kill 'em, and bid hu-me to 'em. 1 Lord. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby (4) The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill; and the wonder is, that the (2) i. e. All the customary returns made in dis-animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to charge of obligations. (3) Anger is a short madness. the chase. (5) Armour. (6) With sincerity. (7) Foolish. |