SCENE IX.-Another part of the Field. Hect. Most putrified core, so fair without, seek. Enter ACHILLES and Myrmidons. And, stickler-like, the armies separates. SCENE X.-The same. Enter AGAMEMNON, AJAX, MENELAUS, NESTOR, (Within.) Achilles! Hector's slain! Achilles! Peace, drums. [les. Dio. The bruit is-Hector's slain, and by Achil- Agam. March patiently along:-Let one be sent If in his death the gods have us befriended, SCENE XI.-Another part of the Field. Tro. Hector is slain. All. Hector?-The gods forbid! Tro. He's dead; and at the murderer's horse's tail, In beastly sort, dragg'd through the shameful field.- Ene. My lord, you do discomfort all the host. siz'd coward! [Exeunt Æneas and Trojans. As TROILUS is going out, enter, from the other side, Pan. But hear you, hear you! Tro. Hence, broker lackey! ignomy and shame Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name. [Exit Troilus. Pan. A goodly med'cine for my aching bones!O world! world! world! thus is the poor agent despis'd! O traitors and bawds, how earnestly are you set a'work, and how ill requited! Why should our endeavour be so loved, and the performance so loathed? what verse for it? what instance for it? Let me see: Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing, As many as be here of pander's hall, [Exit. Mer. 'Tis a good form. (Looking at the jewel.) Jew. And rich; here is a water, look you. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication To the great lord. Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me. Our poesy is as a gum, which dozes From whence 'tis nourished: The fire i'the flint Shews not, till it be struck; our gentle flame Provokes itself, and, like the current, flies Each bound it chafes. What have you there? Pain. A picture, sir.-And when comes your book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Let's see your piece. Pain. 'Tis a good piece. Poet. So 'tis: this comes off well and excel- Admirable: How this grace Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch: Is't good? Poet. I'll say of it, It tutors nature: artificial strife Lives in these touches, livelier than life. SCENE 1.] TIMON OF ATHENS. 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 I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug With amplest entertainment: My free drift Halts not particularly, but moves itself In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice Infects one comma in the course I hold; But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on, Leaving no tract behind. Pain. How shall I understand you? I'll unbolt to you. Poet. You see how all conditions, how all minds, (As well of glib and slippery creatures, as Of grave and austere quality,) tender down Their services to lord Timon: his large fortune, Upon his good and gracious nature hanging, Subdues and properties to his love and tendance All sorts ofhearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer To Apemantus, that few things loves better Than to abhor himself: even he drops down The knee before him, and returns in peace Most rich in Timon's nod. Pain. I saw them speak together. Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The base o' the mount Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, Pain. "Tis conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this bill, methinks, With one man beckon'd from the rest below, Bowing his head against the steepy mount To climb his happiness, would be well express'd In our condition. 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 whisperings in his ear, Make sacred even his stirrop, and through him Drink 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, Pain. 'Tis common: A thousand moral paintings I can shew, Trumpet sounds. Enter TIMON, attended; the Ser- Tim. debt; His means most short, his creditors most strait: To those have shut him up; which failing to him, Tim. [him I do know Noble Ventidius! Well; Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him. And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me :- Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. Well; what further? Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin else, On whom I may confer what I have got: The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride, And I have bred her at my dearest cost, In qualities of the best. This man of thine Attempts her love: I pr'ythee, noble lord, Join with me to forbid him her resort; Myself have spoke in vain. 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? Old Ath. She is young, and apt: Tim. (To Lucilius.) Love you the maid? I call the gods to witness, I will choose Tim. How shall she be endow'd, [all. If she be mated with an equal husband? Old Ath. Three talents, on the present; in future, Tim. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me long; To build his fortune, I will strain a little, Give him thy daughter: For 'tis a bond in men. What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, And make him weigh with her. Most noble lord, Old Ath. Pawn me to this your honour, she is his. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise. 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 me anon: Go not away. What have you there, my friend?` Pain. A piece of painting, which I do beseech Your lordship to accept. Painting is welcome. The gods preserve you! hand; Things of like value, differing in the owners, Tim. Well mock'd. Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue, Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not! Apem. Traffic's thy god, and thy god confound thee! Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. Tim. What trumpet's that? us. "Tis Alcibiades, and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants, You must needs dine with me :-Go not you hence, Tim. Look, who comes here. Will you be chid? Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, Shew me this piece. I am joyful of your sights. Enter ALCIBIADES, with his company. Which all men speak with him. Enter APEMANTUS. Jew. We will bear, with your lordship. honest. Tim. Why dost thou call them knaves? thou know'st them not. Apem. Are they not Athenians? Tim. Yes. Apem. Then I repent not. Jew. You know me, Apemantas. Most welcome, sir! And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Tim. Apem. Thou knowest, I do; I call thee by thy In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in. name. Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus. Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon. Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. 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. Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apementus? not cost a man a doit. Tim. What dost thou think 'tis worth? [Exeunt all but Apemantus. Enter two Lords. 1 Lord. What time of day is't, Apemantus? Apem. Time to be honest. 1 Lord. That time serves still. Apem. The most accursed thou, that still omit'st it. 2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Should'st have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none. 1 Lord. Hang thyself. ass. thy bidding; [thee hence. or I'll spurn heels of the [Exit. 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall 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, Apem. Not worth my thinking.-How now, poet? But breeds the giver a return exceeding Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; If our betters play at that game, we must not dare Tim. (They all stand ceremoniously looking on Nay, my lords, ceremony none. Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes, (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. You shall not make me welcome: No, I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame :- Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; 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. I scorn 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 : The breath of him in a divided draught, Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov❜d. Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; notes: Great men should drink with harness on their throats. Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go 2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, APEMANTUS'S GRACE. Grant I may never prove so fond, Rich men sin, and I eat root. (Eats and drinks.) 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 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 your own behalf; and thus far I confirm 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! Ojoy, 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 that instant, like a babe sprung up. Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much. Apem. Much! (Tucket sounded.) Tim. What means that trump?-How now? Tim. I pray, let them be admitted. |