TIMON OF ATHENS. The play of Timon is a domestic tragedy, and therefore strongly fastens on the attention of the reader. In the plan there is not much art, but the incidents are natural, and the characters various and exact. The catastrophe afords a very powerful warning against that ostentatious liberality, which scatters bounty, but confers no benefits. and buys flattery, but not friendship. Is this tragedy, are many passages perplexed, and probably corrupt, which I have endeavoured to rectify, or explain with due diligence; but having only one copy, cannot promise myself that my endeavours shall be much plauded. Johnson. Poet. I have not seen you long; How goes the the vile, It stains the glory in that happy verse 'Tis a good form. (Looking at the jewel.) Jee. And rich; here is a water, look you. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication Tthe great lord. From whence 'tis nourished: The fire i'the flint Poef. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Pain. 'Tis a good piece. Speaks his own standing! what a mental power This eye shoots forth! how big imagination Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the gesture One might interpret. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch: Is't good? Poet. It tutors nature: artificial strife I'll say of it, Lives in these touches, livelier than life. Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Pain. How this lord's follow'd! Poet. The senators of Athens ;-Happy men! Pain. Look, more! [visitors. Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of Pain. How shall I understand you? You see how all conditions, how all minds Poet. So 'tis: this comes off well and excel- Translates his rivals. Port. Admirable: How this grace Pain. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope, This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, With one man beckon'd from the rest below Botang his head against the steepy mount Port. Nay, sir, but hear me on: Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him Pain. Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants, Pain. Tis common: A thousand moral paintings I can shew, Trumpet sounds. 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; I am not of that feather, to shake of Luc. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it Old Ath. If in her marriage my consent be missing, I call the gods to witness, I will choose Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world, And dispossess her all. Tim. How shall she be endow'd, Old Ath. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise. [Exeunt Lucilius and old Athenim Poet. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your Tim. lordship! Tim. I thank you; you shall hear from me anoD Pain. We must needs dine together-Sir, your jewel Jew. Jew. My lord, 'tis rated As those, which sell, would give: But you wel know, Things of like value, differing in the owners, Are prized by their masters: believ't, dear lord, You mend the jewel by wearing it. Tim. Well mock'd Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the comma tongue, Which all men speak with him. Tim. Look, who comes here. Will you be chid Enter APEMANTUS. Jew. We will bear with your lordship. Apem. Are they not Athenians? Apem. Then I repent not. Jew. You know me, Apemantus. Apem. Thou knowest, I do; I call thee by thy Dame. Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus. Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not lik Timon. Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou 'lt die for. Does she love him? Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the low and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Old Ath. She is young, and apt: Our own precedent passions do instruct us What levity's in youth. Tim. To Lucilius: Love you the maid Mer. Ay, Apemantus. Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not! Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it. Apem. Trathic's thy god, and thy god confound thee! Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. 'Tis Alcibiades, and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray entertain them; give them guide to us. [Exeunt some Attendants. Ya mast needs dine with me:-Go not you hence, To have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, how me this piece.-I am joyful of your sights. 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 My father's age, and call him to long peace. (They all stand ceremoniously looking Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shewn; But where there is true friendship, there needs 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: No, I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fy, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame :- Go, let him have a table by himself; 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 Athe nian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke I should me, Ape. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice. Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus? Of men eat Timon, and he sees them not! for It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men : Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd. Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes: Great men should drink with harness on their 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: Thus, and my food, are equals; there's no odds. Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. 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 DOW. Aleib. 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 enemies then; that then thou might'st kill 'em, and bid me to 'em. 1 Lord. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might express some part of our zeals, we should think ourselves for ever perfect. Tim. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I shall have much help from you: How had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did you not chiefly belong to my heart: I have told more of you to myself, than you can with modesty speak in you, own behalf; and thus far I contirin you. O, you gods, think I, what need we have any friends, if we should never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for them; and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We are born to do benefits: and what better or properer can we call our own, than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you. Apem. Thou weep'st to make them drink, Timon. 2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And, at the instant, like a babe sprung up. Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;-and to all That of his bounties taste!-The five best senses Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely To gratulate thy plenteous bosom: The ear, Taste, touch, smell, all pleas'd from thy table rise. They only now come but to feast thine eyes. Tim. They are welcome all; let them have kind admittance: (Exit Capt Music, make their welcome. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd. Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a masque of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing. Apem. Hey-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way! They dance! they are mad women. Like madness is the glory of this life, As this pomp shews to a little oil, and root. The Lords rise from table, with much adering d TIMON; and, to shew their loves, each singles on an Amazon, and all dance, men with woMEN, 4 lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, 1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best. Apem. Faith, for the worst is filthy; and woud net hold taking, I doubt me. Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet Attends you: Please you to dispose yourselves. All Lad. Most thankfully, my lord. [Exeunt Cupid and Ladies Aside Tim. Flavius,Flav. My lord. Tim. The little casket bring me hither. Flav. Yes, my lord.-More jewels yet! There is no crossing him in his humour; Else I should tell him,-Well,-i'faith, I should, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind; That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. (Exit, and returns with the casket. 1 Lord. Where be our men? Sere. Here, my lord, in readiness. 2 Lord. Our horses. Tim. O my friends, I have one word To say to you;-Look you, my good lord, I must Extreat you, honour me so much, as to Advance this jewel; Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts, All. So are we all. Enter a Servant. Tim. Ready for his friends. Арет. [Exeunt Alcibiades, Lords, ScWhat a coil's here! Serving of becks, and jutting out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs. senate Newly alighted, and come to visit you. I scarce know how. (Aside.) 2 Serv. May it please your honour, the lord Lucius, Out of his free love, hath presented to you Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver. Tim. I shall accept them fairly: let the presents Enter a third Servant. Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news? 3 Serv. Please you, my lord, that honourable tleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company -orrow to haut with him; and has sent your bonour two brace of greyhounds. Tim. I'll hunt with him; and let them be receiv'd, Not without fair reward. Flar. (Aside.) What will this come to? He commands us to provide, and give great gifts, And all out of an empty coffer. Ne will he know his purse; or yield me this, Hippier is he that has no friend to feed, such as do even enemies exceed. Ieed inwardly for my lord. [Exit. Tim. You do yourselves Nach wrong, you bate too much of your own me rits : here, my lord, a trifle of our love. 2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it. 3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty! In And now I remember me, my lord, you gave d words the other day of a bay courser ide on it is yours, because you lik'd it! 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that. Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know, Do man fa instly praise, but what he does affect: sich my friend's affection with mine own; Litli you true. I'll call on you. All Lords. None so welcome Tim. I take all and your several visitations od to beart, 'tis not enough to give; wetLinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends, Ad e'er be weary.-Alcibiades, itou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich, comes in charity to thee: for all thy living mongst the dead; and all the lands thou hast pitch'd field. Lib. Ay, defiled land, my lord. 1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound,— T.m. - I to you. And so 2 Lord So infinitely endear'd,— T. All to you.-Lights, more lights! A Lord. The best of happiness, Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon! SCENE 1.-The same. A Room in a Senator's House. Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand. He owes nine thousand ; besides my former sum, Caph. Enter CAPHIS. Here, sir; What is your pleasure? Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord Timon; Impórtune him for my moneys; be not ceas'd A visage of demand; for, I do fear, Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you, And have the dates in compt. |