Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough; that you may live Only in bone, that none may look on you! I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes, [Exit. SCENE VI-A magnificent room in Timon's 2 Lord. I also wish it to you. I think, this honourable lord did but try us this other day. 2 Tim. Think not on't, sir. 2 Lord. If you had sent but two hours before,Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrarce.3-Come, bring in all together. 2 Lord. All covered dishes! 1 Lord. Royal cheer, I warrant you. 3 Lord. Doubt not that, if money and the season, can yield it. 1 Lord. How do you? What's the news? 3 Lord. Alcibiades is banished: Hear you of 'LI 1 & 2 Lord. Alcibiades banished! 3 Lord. 'Tis so, be sure of it. 1 Lord. How? how? 2 Lord. I pray you, upon what? Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near? 3 Lord. I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble feast toward. 2 Lord. This is the old man still. 3 Lord. Will't hold? will't hold ? 2 Lord. It does: but time will-and so- Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be 1 Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to when we encountered: I hope, it is not so low with let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first him, as he made it seem in the trial of his several place: Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. friends. 2 Lord. It should not be, by the persuasion of with thankfulness. his new feasting. 1 Lord. I should think so: He hath sent me an earnest inviting, which many my near occasions did urge me to put off; but he hath conjured me beyond them, and I must needs appear. You great benefactors, sprinkle our society For your own gifts, make your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest that one need not lend to another: for, were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake 2 Lord. In like manner was I in debt to my the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty the gods. Make the meat be beloved, more than importunate business, but he would not hear my be without a score of villains: If there sit twelve excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of women at the table, let a dozen of them be—as they me, that my provision was out. Lord. I am sick of that grief too, as I under-are.-The rest of your fees, O gods, the sena stand how all things go. 2 Lord. Every man here's so. have borrowed of you? 1 Lord. A thousand pieces. 2 Lord. A thousand pieces! 1 Lord. What of you? tors of Athens, together with the common lag of What would he people-what is amiss in them, you gods, make S Lord. He sent to me, sir,-Here he comes. Enter Timon, and attendants. -And Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both :-/ how fare you? 1 Lord. Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship. 2 Lord. The swallow follows not summer more willing, than we your lordship. Tim. Aside. Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer-birds are men.-Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompense this long stay: feast your ears with the music awhile; if they will fare so harshly on the trumpet's sound: we shall to't presently. 1 Lord. I hope, it remains not unkindly with your lordship, that I returned you an empty mes senger. Tim. O sir, let it not trouble you. 2 Lord. My noble lord, Tim. Ah, my good friend! what cheer? [The banquet brought in. 2 Lord. My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of shame, that, when your lordship this other day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a beggar. (1) We should now say-to lay out for hearts; i. e. the affections of the people. (2) To tire on a thing meant, to be idly employed on it suitable for destruction. For these my present friends, as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to nothing they are welcome. Uncover, dogs, and lap. [The dishes uncovered are full of warm water. Some speak. What does his lordship mean? Some other. I know not. Tim. May you a better feast never behold, Is your perfection. This is Timon's last; [Throwing water in their faces them out. (3) i. e. Your good memory. (4) The lowest. (5) Flies of a season. (6) Jacks of the clock; like those at St. Dun stan's church, in Fleet-street. Re-enter the Lords, with other Lords and Senators. | SCENE II.-Athens. A room in Timon's house. 1 Lord. How now, my lords? 2 Lord. Know you the quality of lord Timon's fury? 3 Lord. Pish! did you see my cap? 4 Lord. I have lost my gown. 3 Lord. He's but a mad lord, and nought but humour sways him. He gave me a jewel the other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat:-Did you see my jewel? 4 Lord. Did you see my cap? 2 Lord. Here 'tis. 4 Lord. Here lies my gown. 1 Lord. Let's make no stay. 2 Lord. Lord Timon's mad. $ Lord. I feel't upon my bones. 4 Lord. One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE 1.-Without the walls of Athens. Enter Timon. Tim. Let me look back upon thee, O thou wall, Large handed robbers your grave masters are, And yet confusion live!-Plagues, incident to men, (1) Common sewers. [Exit. (2) i. e. Contrarieties. whose nature it is to waste or destroy each other. (3) For libertinism. VOL. II. (4) Accumulated curses. Enter Flavius, with two or three Servants. 1 Serv. Hear you, master steward, where's our master? Are we undone? cast off? nothing remaining? Flav. Alack, my fellows, what should I say to you? Let me be recorded by the righteous gods, am as poor as you. I 1 Serv. Such a house broke! So noble a master fallen! All gone! and not One friend, to take his fortune by the arm, And go along with him! 2 Serv. As we do turn our backs With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty, Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd house. O, the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us! To have his pomp, and all what state compounds, 189 TIMON OF ATHENS. The greater scorns the lesser Not nature, To whom all sores lay siege, can bear great fortune, Raise me this beggar, and denude that lord; The beggar native honour. It is the pasture lards the brother's sides, The want that makes him lean. Who dares, who dares, In purity of manhood stand upright, And say, This man's a flatterer? if one be, Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate Ha, you gods! why this? What this, you gods? Will lug your priests and servants from your sides; Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd; But yet I'll bury thee: Thou'lt go, strong thief, a [Keeping some gold. Enter Alcibiades, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; Phrynia and Timandra. Alcib. What art thou there? Speak. thy heart, Religious canons, civil laws are cruel; Thy lips rot off! Phr. Alcib. How came the noble Timon to this change? give: But then renew I could not, like the moon, Alcib. What friendship may I do thee? Maintain my opinion. Noble Timon, None, but to What is it, Timon? Alcib. thee, For thou'rt a man! Alcib. I have heard in some sort of thy miseries. Tim. As thine is now, held with a brace of harlots. Tim. Art thou Timandra? Yes. Tim. Be a whore still! they love thee not, that Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust. Hang thee, monster! I have but little gold of late, brave Timon, In my penurious band: I have heard, and griev'd, Tim. A beast, as thou art. The canker gnaw I had rather be alone. For showing me again the eyes of man! Alcib. What is thy name? Is man so hateful to By killing villains, thou wast born to conquer Put up thy gold; Go on,-here's gold,-go on; (5) i. . Gold restores her to all the sweetness Gold and freshness of youth. (6) Alluding to the cure of the lues "eren, ther in practice. Be as a planetary plague, when Jove Herself's a bawd: Let not the virgin's cheek That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes, Set them down horrible traitors: Spare not the babe, mercy; 2 Think it a bastard, whom the oracle Hath doubtfully pronounc'd thy throat shall cut, Put armour on thine ears, and on thine eyes; Should yet be hungry!—Common mother, thou, Alcib. Hast thou gold yet? I'll take the gold Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast, thou giv'st me, Not all thy counsel. Tim. Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse Phr. & Timan. Give us some gold, good Timon: Tim. Enough to make a whore forswear her And to make whores, a bawd. Hold up, you sluts, I'll trust to your conditions; Be whores still; Be quite contrary: And thatch your poor thin roofs Paint till a horse may mire upon your face: Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle, Enter Apemantus. More man? Plague! plague! Apem. I was directed hither: Men report, Phr. & Timan. Well, more gold;-What then?-A poor unmanly melancholy, sprung Tim. Consumptions sow In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins, And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war From change of fortune. Why this spade? this This slave-like habit? and these looks of care? come, To knaves, and all approachers: 'Tis most just. (8) Boundless surface. (9) The serpent called the blind-worm. (11) i. e. Their diseased perfumed mistresses. Rascals should have't. Do not assume my likeness. Tim. Were like thee, I'd throw away myself. Apem. Thou hast cast away thyself, being like thyself; A madman so long, now a fool: What, think'st That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain, Will put thy shirt on warm? Will these moss'd trees, If thou hadst not been born the worst of men, Tim. Ay, that I am not thee. Apem. No prodigal. Tim. I, that I was. I, that I am one now; Were all the wealth I have, shut up in thee, That have outliv'd the eagle, page thy heels, I'd give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone.And skip when thou point'st out? Will the cold That the whole life of Athens were in this! brook, Candied with ice, caudle thy morning taste, To cure thy o'er-night's surfeit? call the creatures,Whose naked natures live in all the spite Of wreakful heaven; whose bare unhoused trunks, Answer mere nature,-bid them flatter thee; Apem. Ay. 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:1 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,2 that is more miserable. Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm With favour never clasp'd; but bred a dog. Hadst thou, like us, from our first swath, proceeded The sweet degrees that this brief world afferds self In general riot; melted down thy youth Thus would I eat it. Apem. [Eating a root. Here; I will mend thy feast. [Offering him something. Tim. First mend my company, take away thyself. Apem. So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of thine. Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; If not, I would it were. Apem. What would'st thou have to Athens? Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have. Apem. Here is no use for gold. Tim. The best, and truest. For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. Apem. Where li'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? Tim. To sauce thy dishes. 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. 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 thy-didst thou ever know beloved. Apem. Myself. The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts of men At duty, more than I could frame employment; They never flatter'd thee: What hast thou given? (1) i. e. Arrives sooner at the completion of its wishes. (2) By his voice, sentence. (3) From infancy. 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 con fusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts? Apem. Av, 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 livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, (4) The cold admonitions of cautious prudence (5) For too much finical delicacy. |