of shame, that, when your lordship this other day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a beggar. Tim. Think not on't, sir. 2 Lord. If you had sent but two hours before,Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance.-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 it? 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 so3 Lord. I do conceive. Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another: for, were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the gods. Make the meat be beloved, more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains: If there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be-as they (1) i. e. Your good memory. are. The rest of your fees, O gods, the senators of Athens, together with the common lag of people,-what is amiss in them, you gods, make 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, You knot of mouth-friends! smoke, and lukewarm water Is your perfection. This is Timon's last; [Throwing water in their faces. Your reeking villany. Live loath'd, and long, Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites, Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears, You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies,2 Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks !3 Of man, and beast, the infinite malady Crust you quite o'er!-What, dost thou go? Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.- [Exit. Re-enter the Lords, with other Lords and Senators. 1 Lord. How now, my lords? (1) The lowest. (2) Flies of a season. (3) Jacks of the clock; like those at St. Dunstan's church, in Fleet-street. 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. 3 Lord. I feel't upon my bones, 4 Lord. One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I-Without the walls of Athens. Enter Timon. Tim. Let me look back upon thee, O thou wall, That girdlest in those wolves! Dive in the earth, And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent; Obedience fail in children! slaves, and fools, Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench, And minister in their steads! to general filths! Convert o'the instant, green virginity! Do't in your parents' eyes! bankrupts, hold fast; Rather than render back, out with your knives, And cut your trusters' throats! bound servants, steal! Large handed robbers your grave masters are, (1) Common sewers. Pluck the lin'd crutch from the old limping sire, Take thou that too, with multiplying banns !3 master? Are we undone? cast off? nothing remaining? Flav. Alack, my fellows, what should I say to you? (1) i. e. Contrarieties, whose nature it is to waste or destroy each other. (2) For libertinism. (3) Accumulated curses. Let me be recorded by the righteous gods, I am as poor as you. 1 Serv. Such a house broke! So noble a master fallen! All gone! and not 2 Serv. As we do turn our backs Slink all away; leave their false vows with him, With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty, Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd house. Into this sea of air. Flav. Good fellows all, Nay, put out all your hands. Let each take some; O, the fiercel wretchedness that glory brings us! (1) Hasty, precipitate. |