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The Life of Timon of Athens
by William Shakespeare
July, 2000 [Etext #2262]
***The Project Gutenberg's Etext of Shakespeare's First Folio***
******************The Life of Timon of Athens*******************
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Project Gutenberg's Etext of Shakespeare's The Life of Timon of Athens
Executive Director's Notes:
In addition to the notes below, and so you will *NOT* think all the spelling errors introduced by the printers of the time have been corrected, here are the first few lines of Hamlet, as they are presented herein:
Barnardo. Who's there?
Fran. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold
your selfe
Bar. Long liue the King
***
As I understand it, the printers often ran out of certain words or letters they had often packed into a "cliche". . .this is the original meaning of the term cliche. . .and thus, being unwilling to unpack the cliches, and thus you will see some substitutions that look very odd. . .such as the exchanges of u for v, v for u, above. . .and you may wonder why they did it this way, presuming Shakespeare did not actually write the play in this manner. . . .
The answer is that they MAY have packed "liue" into a cliche at a time when they were out of "v"'s. . .possibly having used "vv" in place of some "w"'s, etc. This was a common practice of the day, as print was still quite expensive, and they didn't want to spend more on a wider selection of characters than they had to.
You will find a lot of these kinds of "errors" in this text, as I have mentioned in other times and places, many "scholars" have an extreme attachment to these errors, and many have accorded them a very high place in the "canon" of Shakespeare. My father read an assortment of these made available to him by Cambridge University in England for several months in a glass room constructed for the purpose. To the best of my knowledge he read ALL those available . . .in great detail. . .and determined from the various changes, that Shakespeare most likely did not write in nearly as many of a variety of errors we credit him for, even though he was in/famous for signing his name with several different spellings.
So, please take this into account when reading the comments below made by our volunteer who prepared this file: you may see errors that are "not" errors. . . .
So. . .with this caveat. . .we have NOT changed the canon errors, here is the Project Gutenberg Etext of Shakespeare's The Life of Timon of Athens.
Michael S. Hart
Project Gutenberg
Executive Director
***
Scanner's Notes: What this is and isn't. This was taken from a copy of Shakespeare's first folio and it is as close as I can come in ASCII to the printed text.
The elongated S's have been changed to small s's and the conjoined ae have been
Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are textual differences between various copies of the first folio. So there may be differences (other than what I have mentioned above) between this and other first folio editions. This is due to the printer's habit of setting the type and running off a number of copies and then proofing the printed copy and correcting the type and then continuing the printing run. The proof run wasn't thrown away but incorporated into the printed copies. This is just the way it is. The text I have used was a composite of more than 30 different First Folio editions' best pages.
If you find any scanning errors, out and out typos, punctuation errors, or if you disagree with my spelling choices please feel free to email me those errors. I wish to make this the best etext possible. My email address for right now are [email protected] and [email protected]. I hope that you enjoy this.
David Reed
The Life of Timon of Athens
Enter Poet, Painter, Ieweller, Merchant, and Mercer, at seuerall doores.
Poet. Good day Sir
Pain. I am glad y'are well
Poet. I haue not seene you long, how goes
the World?
Pain. It weares sir, as it growes
Poet. I that's well knowne:
But what particular Rarity? What strange,
Which manifold record not matches: see
Magicke of Bounty, all these spirits thy power
Hath coniur'd to attend.
I know the Merchant
Pain. I know them both: th' others a Ieweller
Mer. O 'tis a worthy Lord
Iew. Nay that's most fixt
Mer. A most incomparable man, breath'd as it were,
To an vntyreable and continuate goodnesse:
He passes
Iew. I haue a Iewell heere
Mer. O pray let's see't. For the Lord Timon, sir?
Iewel. If he will touch the estimate. But for that-
Poet. When we for recompence haue prais'd the vild,
It staines the glory in that happy Verse,
Which aptly sings the good
Mer. 'Tis a good forme
Iewel. And rich: heere is a Water looke ye
Pain. You are rapt sir, in some worke, some Dedication
to the great Lord
Poet. A thing slipt idlely from me.
Our Poesie is as a Gowne, which vses
From whence 'tis nourisht: the fire i'th' Flint
Shewes not, till it be strooke: our gentle flame
Prouokes it selfe, and like the currant flyes
Each bound it chases. What haue you there?
Pain. A Picture sir: when comes your Booke forth?
Poet. Vpon the heeles of my presentment sir.
Let's see your peece
Pain. 'Tis a good Peece
Poet. So 'tis, this comes off well, and excellent
Pain. Indifferent
Poet. Admirable: How this grace
Speakes his owne standing: what a mentall power
This eye shootes forth? How bigge imagination
Moues in this Lip, to th' dumbnesse of the gesture,
One might interpret
Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life:
Heere is a touch: Is't good?
Poet. I will say of it,
It Tutors Nature, Artificiall strife
Liues in these toutches, liuelier then life.
Enter certaine Senators.
Pain. How this Lord is followed
Poet. The Senators of Athens, happy men
Pain. Looke moe
Po. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors,
I haue in this rough worke, shap'd out a man
Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hugge
With amplest entertainment: My free drift
Halts not particularly, but moues it selfe
In a wide Sea of wax, no leuell'd malice
Infects one comma in the course I hold,
But flies an Eagle flight, bold, and forth on,
Leauing no Tract behinde
Pain. How shall I vnderstand you?
Poet. I will vnboult to you.
You see how all Conditions, how all Mindes,
As well of glib and slipp'ry Creatures, as
Of Graue and austere qualitie, tender downe
Their seruices to Lord Timon: his large Fortune,
Vpon his good and gracious Nature hanging,
Subdues and properties to his loue and tendance
All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glasse-fac'd Flatterer
To Apemantus, that few things loues better
Then to abhorre himselfe; euen hee drops downe
The knee before him, and returnes in peace
Most rich in Timons nod
Pain. I saw them speake together
Poet. Sir, I haue vpon a high and pleasant hill
Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd.
The Base o'th' Mount
Is rank'd with all deserts, all kinde of Natures
That labour on the bosome of this Sphere,
To propagate their states; among'st them all,
Whose eyes are on this Soueraigne Lady fixt,
One do I personate of Lord Timons frame,
Whom Fortune with her Iuory hand wafts to her,
Whose present grace, to present slaues and seruants
Translates his Riuals
Pain. 'Tis conceyu'd, to scope
This Throne, this Fortune, and this Hill me thinkes
With one man becken'd from the rest below,
Bowing his head against the sleepy Mount
To climbe his happinesse, would be well exprest
In our Condition
Poet. Nay Sir, but heare me on:
All those which were his Fellowes but of late,
Some better then his valew; on the moment
Follow his strides, his Lobbies fill with tendance,
Raine Sacrificiall whisperings in his eare,
Make Sacred euen his styrrop, and through him
Drinke the free Ayre
Pain. I marry, what of these?
Poet. When Fortune in her shift and change of mood
Spurnes downe her late beloued; all his Dependants
Which labour'd after him to the Mountaines top,
Euen on their knees and hand, let him sit downe,
Not one accompanying his declining foot
Pain. Tis common:
A thousand morall Paintings I can shew,
That shall demonstrate these quicke blowes of Fortunes,
More pregnantly then words. Yet you do well,
To shew Lord Timon, that meane eyes haue seene
The foot aboue the head.
Trumpets sound.
Enter Lord Timon, addressing himselfe curteously to euery Sutor.
Tim. Imprison'd is he, say you?
Mes. I my good Lord, fiue Talents is his debt,
His meanes most short, his Creditors most straite:
Your Honourable Letter he desires
To those haue shut him vp, which failing,
Periods his comfort
Tim. Noble Ventidius, well:
I am not of that Feather, to shake off
My Friend when he must neede me. I do know him
A Gentleman, that well deserues a helpe,
Which he shall haue. Ile pay the debt, and free him
Mes. Your Lordship euer bindes him
Tim. Commend me to him, I will send his ransome,
'Tis not enough to helpe the Feeble vp,
But to support him after. Fare you well
Mes. All happinesse to your Honor.
Enter.
Enter an old Athenian.
Oldm. Lord Timon, heare me speake
Tim. Freely good Father
Oldm. Thou hast a Seruant nam'd Lucilius
Tim. I haue so: What of him?
Oldm. Most Noble Timon, call the man before thee
Tim. Attends he heere, or no? Lucillius
Luc. Heere at your Lordships seruice
Oldm. This Fellow heere, L[ord]. Timon, this thy Creature,
By night frequents my house. I am a man
That from my first haue beene inclin'd to thrift,
And my estate deserues an Heyre more rais'd,
Then one which holds a Trencher
Tim. Well: what further?
Old. One onely Daughter haue I, no Kin else,
On whom I may conferre what I haue got:
The Maid is faire, a'th' youngest for a Bride,
And I haue bred her at my deerest cost
In Qualities of the best. This man of thine
Attempts her loue: I prythee (Noble Lord)
Ioyne with me to forbid him her resort,
My selfe haue spoke in vaine
Tim. The man is honest
Oldm. Therefore he will be Timon,
His honesty rewards him in it selfe,
It must not beare my Daughter
Tim. Does she loue him?
Oldm. She is yong and apt:
Our owne precedent passions do instruct vs
What leuities in youth
Tim. Loue you the Maid?
Luc. I my good Lord, and she accepts of it
Oldm. If in her Marriage my consent be missing,
I call the Gods to witnesse, I will choose
Mine heyre from forth the Beggers of the world,
And dispossesse her all
Tim. How shall she be endowed,
If she be mated with an equall Husband?
Oldm. Three Talents on the present; in future, all
Tim. This Gentleman of mine
Hath seru'd me long:
To build his Fortune, I will straine a little,
For 'tis a Bond in men. Giue him thy Daughter,
What you bestow, in him Ile counterpoize,
And make him weigh with her
Oldm. Most Noble Lord,
Pawne me to this your Honour, she is his
Tim. My hand to thee,
Mine Honour on my promise
Luc. Humbly I thanke your Lordship, neuer may
That state or Fortune fall into my keeping,
Which is not owed to you.
Exit
Poet. Vouchsafe my Labour,
And long liue your Lordship
Tim. I thanke you, you shall heare from me anon:
Go not away. What haue you there, my Friend?
Pain. A peece of Painting, which I do beseech
Your Lordship to accept
Tim. Painting is welcome.
The Painting is almost the Naturall man:
For since Dishonor Traffickes with mans Nature,
He is but out-side: These Pensil'd Figures are
Euen such as they giue out. I like your worke,
And you shall finde I like it; Waite attendance
Till you heare further from me
Pain. The Gods preserue ye
Tim. Well fare you Gentleman: giue me your hand.
We must needs dine together: sir your Iewell
Hath suffered vnder praise
Iewel. What my Lord, dispraise?
Tim. A meere saciety of Commendations,
If I should pay you for't as 'tis extold,
It would vnclew me quite
Iewel. My Lord, 'tis rated
As those which sell would giue: but you well know,
Things of like valew differing in the Owners,
Are prized by their Masters. Beleeu't deere Lord,
You mend the Iewell by the wearing it
Tim. Well mock'd.
Enter Apermantus.
Mer. No my good Lord, he speakes y common toong
Which all men speake with him
Tim. Looke who comes heere, will you be chid?
Iewel. Wee'l beare with your Lordship
Mer. Hee'l spare none
Tim. Good morrow to thee,
Gentle Apermantus
Ape. Till I be gentle, stay thou for thy good morrow.
When thou art Timons dogge, and these Knaues honest
Tim. Why dost thou call them Knaues, thou know'st
them not?
Ape. Are they not Athenians?
Tim. Yes
Ape. Then I repent not
Iew. You know me, Apemantus?
Ape. Thou know'st I do, I call'd thee by thy name
Tim. Thou art proud Apemantus?
Ape. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon
Tim. Whether art going?
Ape. To knocke out an honest Athenians braines
Tim. That's a deed thou't dye for
Ape. Right, if doing nothing be death by th' Law
Tim. How lik'st thou this picture Apemantus?
Ape. The best, for the innocence
Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it
Ape. He wrought better that made the Painter, and yet he's but a filthy peece of worke
Pain. Y'are a Dogge
Ape. Thy Mothers of my generation: what's she, if I
be a Dogge?
Tim. Wilt dine with me Apemantus?
Ape. No: I eate not Lords
Tim. And thou should'st, thoud'st anger Ladies
Ape. O they eate Lords;
So they come by great bellies
Tim. That's a lasciuious apprehension
Ape. So, thou apprehend'st it,
Take it for thy labour
Tim. How dost thou like this Iewell, Apemantus?
Ape. Not so well as plain-dealing, which wil not cast
a man a Doit
Tim. What dost thou thinke 'tis worth?
Ape. Not worth my thinking.
How now Poet?
Poet. How now Philosopher?
Ape. Thou lyest
Poet. Art not one?
Ape. Yes
Poet. Then I lye not
Ape. Art not a Poet?
Poet. Yes
Ape. Then thou lyest: Looke in thy last worke, where thou hast feign'd him a worthy Fellow
Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so
Ape. Yes he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour. He that loues to be flattered, is worthy o'th flatterer. Heauens, that I were a Lord
Tim. What wouldst do then Apemantus?
Ape. E'ne as Apemantus does now, hate a Lord with
my heart
Tim. What thy selfe?
Ape. I
Tim. Wherefore?
Ape. That I had no angry wit to be a Lord.
Art not thou a Merchant?
Mer. I Apemantus
Ape. Traffick confound thee, if the Gods will not
Mer. If Trafficke do it, the Gods do it
Ape. Traffickes thy God, & thy God confound thee.
Trumpet sounds. Enter a Messenger.
Tim. What Trumpets that?
Mes. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty Horse
All of Companionship
Tim. Pray entertaine them, giue them guide to vs.
You must needs dine
Till I haue thankt you: when dinners done
Shew me this peece, I am ioyfull of your sights.
Enter Alcibiades with the rest.
Most welcome Sir
Ape. So, so; their Aches contract, and sterue your supple ioynts: that there should bee small loue amongest these sweet Knaues, and all this Curtesie. The straine of mans bred out into Baboon and Monkey
Alc. Sir, you haue sau'd my longing, and I feed
Most hungerly on your sight
Tim. Right welcome Sir:
Ere we depart, wee'l share a bounteous time
In different pleasures.
Pray you let vs in.
Exeunt.
Enter two Lords.
1.Lord What time a day is't Apemantus? Ape. Time to be honest
1 That time serues still
Ape. The most accursed thou that still omitst it
2 Thou art going to Lord Timons Feast
Ape. I, to see meate fill Knaues, and Wine heat fooles
2 Farthee well, farthee well
Ape. Thou art a Foole to bid me farewell twice
2 Why Apemantus?
Ape. Should'st haue kept one to thy selfe, for I meane
to giue thee none
1 Hang thy selfe
Ape. No I will do nothing at thy bidding:
Make thy requests to thy Friend
2 Away vnpeaceable Dogge,
Or Ile spurne thee hence
Ape. I will flye like a dogge, the heeles a'th' Asse
1 Hee's opposite to humanity.
Come shall we in,
And taste Lord Timons bountie: he out-goes
The verie heart of kindnesse
2 He powres it out: Plutus the God of Gold
Is but his Steward: no meede but he repayes
Seuen-fold aboue it selfe: No guift to him,
But breeds the giuer a returne: exceeding
All vse of quittance
1 The Noblest minde he carries,
That euer gouern'd man
2 Long may he liue in Fortunes. Shall we in?
Ile keepe you Company.
Exeunt.
Hoboyes Playing lowd Musicke. A great Banquet seru'd in: and then, Enter Lord Timon, the States, the Athenian Lords, Ventigius which Timon redeem'd from prison. Then comes dropping after all Apemantus discontentedly like himselfe.
Ventig. Most honoured Timon,
It hath pleas'd the Gods to remember my Fathers age,
And call him to long peace:
He is gone happy, and has left me rich:
Then, as in gratefull Vertue I am bound
To your free heart, I do returne those Talents
Doubled with thankes and seruice, from whose helpe
I deriu'd libertie
Tim. O by no meanes,
Honest Ventigius: You mistake my loue,
I gaue it freely euer, and ther's none
Can truely say he giues, if he receiues:
If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them: faults that are rich are faire
Vint. A Noble spirit
Tim. Nay my Lords, Ceremony was but deuis'd at first
To set a glosse on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodnesse, sorry ere 'tis showne:
But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray sit, more welcome are ye to my Fortunes,
Then my Fortunes to me
1.Lord. My Lord, we alwaies haue confest it
Aper. Ho ho, confest it? Handg'd it? Haue you not?
Timo. O Apermantus, you are welcome
Aper. No: You shall not make me welcome:
I come to haue thee thrust me out of doores
Tim. Fie, th'art a churle, ye'haue got a humour there
Does not become a man, 'tis much too blame:
They say my Lords, Ira furor breuis est,
But yond man is verie angrie.
Go, let him haue a Table by himselfe:
For he does neither affect companie,
Nor is he fit for't indeed
Aper. Let me stay at thine apperill Timon,
I come to obserue, I giue thee warning on't
Tim. I take no heede of thee: Th'art an Athenian, therefore welcome: I my selfe would haue no power, prythee let my meate make thee silent
Aper. I scorne thy meate, 'twould choake me: for I should nere flatter thee. Oh you Gods! What a number of men eats Timon, and he sees 'em not? It greeues me to see so many dip there meate in one mans blood, and all the madnesse is, he cheeres them vp too. I wonder men dare trust themselues with men. Me thinks they should enuite them without kniues, Good for there meate, and safer for their liues. There's much example for't, the fellow that sits next him, now parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a diuided draught: is the readiest man to kill him. 'Tas beene proued, if I were a huge man I should feare to drinke at meales, least they should spie my wind-pipes dangerous noates, great men should drinke with harnesse on their throates
Tim. My Lord in heart: and let the health go round
2.Lord. Let it flow this way my good Lord
Aper. Flow this way? A braue fellow. He keepes his
tides well, those healths will make thee and thy state
looke ill, Timon.
Heere's that which is too weake to be a sinner,
Honest water, which nere left man i'th' mire:
This and my food are equals, there's no ods,
Feasts are to proud to giue thanks to the Gods.
Apermantus Grace.
Immortall Gods, I craue no pelfe,
I pray for no man but my selfe,
Graunt I may neuer proue so fond,
To trust man on his Oath or Bond.
Or a Harlot for her weeping,
Or a Dogge that seemes asleeping,
Or a keeper with my freedome,
Or my friends if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall too't:
Richmen sin, and I eat root.
Much good dich thy good heart, Apermantus
Tim. Captaine,
Alcibiades, your hearts in the field now
Alci. My heart is euer at your seruice, my Lord
Tim. You had rather be at a breakefast of Enemies,
then a dinner of Friends
Alc. So they were bleeding new my Lord, there's no
meat like 'em, I could wish my best friend at such a Feast
Aper. Would all those Flatterers were thine Enemies
then, that then thou might'st kill 'em: & bid me to 'em
1.Lord. Might we but haue that happinesse my Lord, that you would once vse our hearts, whereby we might expresse some part of our zeales, we should thinke our selues for euer perfect
Timon. Oh no doubt my good Friends, but the Gods themselues haue prouided that I shall haue much helpe from you: how had you beene my Friends else. Why haue you that charitable title from thousands? Did not you chiefely belong to my heart? I haue told more of you to my selfe, then you can with modestie speake in your owne behalfe. And thus farre I confirme you. Oh you Gods (thinke I,) what need we haue any Friends; if we should nere haue need of 'em? They were the most needlesse Creatures liuing; should we nere haue vse for 'em? And would most resemble sweete Instruments hung vp in Cases, that keepes there sounds to themselues. Why I haue often wisht my selfe poorer, that I might come neerer to you: we are borne to do benefits. And what better or properer can we call our owne, then the riches of our Friends? Oh what a pretious comfort 'tis, to haue so many like Brothers commanding one anothers Fortunes. Oh ioyes, e'ne made away er't
Aper. Thou weep'st to make them drinke, Timon
2.Lord. Ioy had the like conception in our eies, And at that instant, like a babe sprung vp
Aper. Ho, ho: I laugh to thinke that babe a bastard
3.Lord. I promise you my Lord you mou'd me much
Aper. Much.
Sound Tucket. Enter the Maskers of Amazons, with Lutes in their hands, dauncing and playing.
Tim. What meanes that Trumpe? How now?
Enter Seruant.
Ser. Please you my Lord, there are certaine Ladies
Most desirous of admittance
Tim. Ladies? what are their wils?
Ser. There comes with them a fore-runner my Lord,
which beares that office, to signifie their pleasures
Tim. I pray let them be admitted.
Enter Cupid with the Maske of Ladies.
Cup. Haile to thee worthy Timon and to all that of his Bounties taste: the fiue best Sences acknowledge thee their Patron, and come freely to gratulate thy plentious bosome. There tast, touch all, pleas'd from thy Table rise: They onely now come but to Feast thine eies
Timo. They'r welcome all, let 'em haue kind admittance.
Musicke make their welcome
Luc. You see my Lord, how ample y'are belou'd
Aper. Hoyday,
What a sweepe of vanitie comes this way.
They daunce? They are madwomen,
Like Madnesse is the glory of this life,
As this pompe shewes to a little oyle and roote.
We make our selues Fooles, to disport our selues,
And spend our Flatteries, to drinke those men,
Vpon whose Age we voyde it vp agen
With poysonous Spight and Enuy.
Who liues, that's not depraued, or depraues;
Who dyes, that beares not one spurne to their graues
Of their Friends guift:
I should feare, those that dance before me now,
Would one day stampe vpon me: 'Tas bene done,
Men shut their doores against a setting Sunne.
The Lords rise from Table, with much adoring of Timon, and to shew their loues, each single out an Amazon, and all Dance, men with women, a loftie straine or two to the Hoboyes, and cease.
Tim. You haue done our pleasures
Much grace (faire Ladies)
Set a faire fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not halfe so beautifull, and kinde:
You haue added worth vntoo't, and luster,
And entertain'd me with mine owne deuice.
I am to thanke you for't
1 Lord. My Lord you take vs euen at the best
Aper. Faith for the worst is filthy, and would not hold
taking, I doubt me
Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you,
Please you to dispose your selues
All La. Most thankfully, my Lord.
Exeunt.
Tim. Flauius
Fla. My Lord
Tim. The little Casket bring me hither
Fla. Yes, my Lord. More Iewels yet?
There is no crossing him in's humor,
Else I should tell him well, yfaith I should;
When all's spent, hee'ld be crost then, and he could:
'Tis pitty Bounty had not eyes behinde,
That man might ne're be wretched for his minde.
Enter.
1 Lord. Where be our men?
Ser. Heere my Lord, in readinesse
2 Lord. Our Horses
Tim. O my Friends:
I haue one word to say to you: Looke you, my good L[ord].
I must intreat you honour me so much,
As to aduance this Iewell, accept it, and weare it,
Kinde my Lord
1 Lord. I am so farre already in your guifts
All. So are we all.
Enter a Seruant.
Ser. My Lord, there are certaine Nobles of the Senate
newly alighted, and come to visit you
Tim. They are fairely welcome.
Enter Flauius.
Fla. I beseech your Honor, vouchsafe me a word, it
does concerne you neere
Tim. Neere? why then another time Ile heare thee.
I prythee let's be prouided to shew them entertainment
Fla. I scarse know how.
Enter another Seruant.
Ser. May it please your Honor, Lord Lucius
(Out of his free loue) hath presented to you
Foure Milke-white Horses, trapt in Siluer
Tim. I shall accept them fairely: let the Presents
Be worthily entertain'd.
Enter a third Seruant.
How now? What newes? 3.Ser. Please you my Lord, that honourable Gentleman Lord Lucullus, entreats your companie to morrow, to hunt with him, and ha's sent your Honour two brace of Grey-hounds
Tim. Ile hunt with him,
And let them be receiu'd, not without faire Reward
Fla. What will this come to?
He commands vs to prouide, and giue great guifts, and
all out of an empty Coffer:
Nor will he know his Purse, or yeeld me this,
To shew him what a Begger his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good.
His promises flye so beyond his state,
That what he speaks is all in debt, he ows for eu'ry word:
He is so kinde, that he now payes interest for't;
His Land's put to their Bookes. Well, would I were
Gently put out of Office, before I were forc'd out:
Happier is he that has no friend to feede,
Then such that do e'ne Enemies exceede.
I bleed inwardly for my Lord.
Exit
Tim. You do your selues much wrong,
You bate too much of your owne merits.
Heere my Lord, a trifle of our Loue
2.Lord. With more then common thankes
I will receyue it
3.Lord. O he's the very soule of Bounty
Tim. And now I remember my Lord, you gaue good words the other day of a Bay Courser I rod on. Tis yours because you lik'd it
1.L. Oh, I beseech you pardon mee, my Lord, in that
Tim. You may take my word my Lord: I know no man can iustly praise, but what he does affect. I weighe my Friends affection with mine owne: Ile tell you true, Ile call to you
All Lor. O none so welcome
Tim. I take all, and your seuerall visitations
So kinde to heart, 'tis not enough to giue:
Me thinkes, I could deale Kingdomes to my Friends,
And nere be wearie. Alcibiades,
Thou art a Soldiour, therefore sildome rich,
It comes in Charitie to thee: for all thy liuing
Is mong'st the dead: and all the Lands thou hast
Lye in a pitcht field
Alc. I, defil'd Land, my Lord
1.Lord. We are so vertuously bound
Tim. And so am I to you
2.Lord. So infinitely endeer'd
Tim. All to you. Lights, more Lights
1.Lord. The best of Happines, Honor, and Fortunes Keepe with you Lord Timon
Tim. Ready for his Friends.
Exeunt. Lords
Aper. What a coiles heere, seruing of beckes, and iutting out of bummes. I doubt whether their Legges be worth the summes that are giuen for 'em. Friendships full of dregges, Me thinkes false hearts, should neuer haue sound legges. Thus honest Fooles lay out
Tim. Now Apermantus (if thou wert not sullen)
I would be good to thee
Aper. No, Ile nothing; for if I should be brib'd too, there would be none left to raile vpon thee, and then thou wouldst sinne the faster. Thou giu'st so long Timon (I feare me) thou wilt giue away thy selfe in paper shortly. What needs these Feasts, pompes, and Vaine-glories? Tim. Nay, and you begin to raile on Societie once, I am sworne not to giue regard to you. Farewell, & come with better Musicke.
Exit
Aper. So: Thou wilt not heare mee now, thou shalt
not then. Ile locke thy heauen from thee:
Oh that mens eares should be
To Counsell deafe, but not to Flatterie.
Exit
Enter a Senator.
Sen. And late fiue thousand: to Varro and to Isidore
He owes nine thousand, besides my former summe,
Which makes it fiue and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold, it will not.
If I want Gold, steale but a beggers Dogge,
And giue it Timon, why the Dogge coines Gold.
If I would sell my Horse, and buy twenty moe
Better then he; why giue my Horse to Timon.
Aske nothing, giue it him, it Foles me straight
And able Horses: No Porter at his gate,
But rather one that smiles, and still inuites
All that passe by. It cannot hold, no reason
Can sound his state in safety. Caphis hoa,
Caphis I say.
Enter Caphis.
Ca. Heere sir, what is your pleasure
Sen. Get on your cloake, & hast you to Lord Timon,
Importune him for my Moneyes, be not ceast
With slight deniall; nor then silenc'd, when
Commend me to your Master, and the Cap
Playes in the right hand, thus: but tell him,
My Vses cry to me; I must serue my turne
Out of mine owne, his dayes and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Haue smit my credit. I loue, and honour him,
But must not breake my backe, to heale his finger.
Immediate are my needs, and my releefe
Must not be tost and turn'd to me in words,
But finde supply immediate. Get you gone,
Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand: for I do feare
When euery Feather stickes in his owne wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a Phoenix, get you gone
Ca. I go sir
Sen. I go sir?
Take the Bonds along with you,
And haue the dates in. Come
Ca. I will Sir
Sen. Go.
Exeunt.
Enter Steward, with many billes in his hand.
Stew. No care, no stop, so senselesse of expence,
That he will neither know how to maintaine it,
Nor cease his flow of Riot. Takes no accompt
How things go from him, nor resume no care
Of what is to continue: neuer minde,
Was to be so vnwise, to be so kinde.
What shall be done, he will not heare, till feele:
I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting.
Fye, fie, fie, fie.
Enter Caphis, Isidore, and Varro.
Cap. Good euen Varro: what, you come for money?
Var. Is't not your businesse too?
Cap. It is, and yours too, Isidore?
Isid. It is so
Cap. Would we were all discharg'd
Var. I feare it,
Cap. Heere comes the Lord.
Enter Timon, and his Traine
Tim. So soone as dinners done, wee'l forth againe
My Alcibiades. With me, what is your will?
Cap. My Lord, heere is a note of certaine dues
Tim. Dues? whence are you?
Cap. Of Athens heere, my Lord
Tim. Go to my Steward
Cap. Please it your Lordship, he hath put me off
To the succession of new dayes this moneth:
My Master is awak'd by great Occasion,
To call vpon his owne, and humbly prayes you,
That with your other Noble parts, you'l suite,
In giuing him his right
Tim. Mine honest Friend,
I prythee but repaire to me next morning
Cap. Nay, good my Lord
Tim. Containe thy selfe, good Friend
Var. One Varroes seruant, my good Lord
Isid. From Isidore, he humbly prayes your speedy payment
Cap. If you did know my Lord, my Masters wants
Var. 'Twas due on forfeyture my Lord, sixe weekes,
and past
Isi. Your Steward puts me off my Lord, and I
Am sent expressely to your Lordship
Tim. Giue me breath:
I do beseech you good my Lords keepe on,
Ile waite vpon you instantly. Come hither: pray you
How goes the world, that I am thus encountred
With clamorous demands of debt, broken Bonds,
And the detention of long since due debts
Against my Honor?
Stew. Please you Gentlemen,
The time is vnagreeable to this businesse:
Your importunacie cease, till after dinner,
That I may make his Lordship vnderstand
Wherefore you are not paid
Tim. Do so my Friends, see them well entertain'd
Stew. Pray draw neere.
Enter.
Enter Apemantus and Foole.
Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the Foole with Apemantus, let's ha some sport with 'em
Var. Hang him, hee'l abuse vs
Isid. A plague vpon him dogge
Var. How dost Foole?
Ape. Dost Dialogue with thy shadow?
Var. I speake not to thee
Ape. No 'tis to thy selfe. Come away
Isi. There's the Foole hangs on your backe already
Ape. No thou stand'st single, th'art not on him yet
Cap. Where's the Foole now?
Ape. He last ask'd the question. Poore Rogues, and
Vsurers men, Bauds betweene Gold and want
Al. What are we Apemantus?
Ape. Asses
All. Why?
Ape. That you ask me what you are, & do not know
your selues. Speake to 'em Foole
Foole. How do you Gentlemen?
All. Gramercies good Foole:
How does your Mistris?
Foole. She's e'ne setting on water to scal'd such Chickens
as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth
Ape. Good, Gramercy.
Enter Page.
Foole. Looke you, heere comes my Masters Page
Page. Why how now Captaine? what do you in this
wise Company.
How dost thou Apermantus?
Ape. Would I had a Rod in my mouth, that I might
answer thee profitably
Boy. Prythee Apemantus reade me the superscription
of these Letters, I know not which is which
Ape. Canst not read?
Page. No
Ape. There will litle Learning dye then that day thou art hang'd. This is to Lord Timon, this to Alcibiades. Go thou was't borne a Bastard, and thou't dye a Bawd
Page. Thou was't whelpt a Dogge, and thou shalt famish a Dogges death. Answer not, I am gone.
Exit
Ape. E'ne so thou out-runst Grace,
Foole I will go with you to Lord Timons
Foole. Will you leaue me there?
Ape. If Timon stay at home.
You three serue
All. I would they seru'd vs
Ape. So would I:
As good a tricke as euer Hangman seru'd Theefe
Foole. Are you three Vsurers men?
All. I Foole
Foole. I thinke no Vsurer, but ha's a Foole to his Seruant. My Mistris is one, and I am her Foole: when men come to borrow of your Masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry: but they enter my Masters house merrily, and go away sadly. The reason of this? Var. I could render one
Ap. Do it then, that we may account thee a Whoremaster, and a Knaue, which notwithstanding thou shalt be no lesse esteemed
Varro. What is a Whoremaster Foole? Foole. A Foole in good cloathes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit, sometime t' appeares like a Lord, somtime like a Lawyer, sometime like a Philosopher, with two stones moe then's artificiall one. Hee is verie often like a Knight; and generally, in all shapes that man goes vp and downe in, from fourescore to thirteen, this spirit walkes in
Var. Thou art not altogether a Foole
Foole. Nor thou altogether a Wise man,
As much foolerie as I haue, so much wit thou lack'st
Ape. That answer might haue become Apemantus
All. Aside, aside, heere comes Lord Timon.
Enter Timon and Steward.
Ape. Come with me (Foole) come
Foole. I do not alwayes follow Louer, elder Brother,
and Woman, sometime the Philosopher
Stew. Pray you walke neere,
Ile speake with you anon.
Exeunt.
Tim. You make me meruell wherefore ere this time
Had you not fully laide my state before me,
That I might so haue rated my expence
As I had leaue of meanes
Stew. You would not heare me:
At many leysures I propose
Tim. Go too:
Perchance some single vantages you tooke,
When my indisposition put you backe,
And that vnaptnesse made your minister
Thus to excuse your selfe
Stew. O my good Lord,
At many times I brought in my accompts,
Laid them before you, you would throw them off,
And say you sound them in mine honestie,
When for some trifling present you haue bid me
Returne so much, I haue shooke my head, and wept:
Yea 'gainst th' Authoritie of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did indure
Not sildome, nor no slight checkes, when I haue
Prompted you in the ebbe of your estate,
And your great flow of debts; my lou'd Lord,
Though you heare now (too late) yet nowes a time,
The greatest of your hauing, lackes a halfe,
To pay your present debts
Tim. Let all my Land be sold
Stew. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeyted and gone,
And what remaines will hardly stop the mouth
Of present dues; the future comes apace:
What shall defend the interim, and at length
How goes our reck'ning?
Tim. To Lacedemon did my Land extend
Stew. O my good Lord, the world is but a word,
Were it all yours, to giue it in a breath,
How quickely were it gone
Tim. You tell me true
Stew. If you suspect my Husbandry or Falshood,
Call me before th' exactest Auditors,
And set me on the proofe. So the Gods blesse me,
When all our Offices haue beene opprest
With riotous Feeders, when our Vaults haue wept
With drunken spilth of Wine; when euery roome
Hath blaz'd with Lights, and braid with Minstrelsie,
I haue retyr'd me to a wastefull cocke,
And set mine eyes at flow
Tim. Prythee no more
Stew. Heauens, haue I said, the bounty of this Lord:
How many prodigall bits haue Slaues and Pezants
This night englutted: who is not Timons,
What heart, head, sword, force, meanes, but is L[ord]. Timons:
Great Timon, Noble, Worthy, Royall Timon:
Ah, when the meanes are gone, that buy this praise,
The breath is gone, whereof this praise is made:
Feast won, fast lost; one cloud of Winter showres,
These flyes are coucht
Tim. Come sermon me no further.
No villanous bounty yet hath past my heart;
Vnwisely, not ignobly haue I giuen.
Why dost thou weepe, canst thou the conscience lacke,
To thinke I shall lacke friends: secure thy heart,
If I would broach the vessels of my loue,
And try the argument of hearts, by borrowing,
Men, and mens fortunes could I frankely vse
As I can bid thee speake
Ste. Assurance blesse your thoughts
Tim. And in some sort these wants of mine are crown'd,
That I account them blessings. For by these
Shall I trie Friends. You shall perceiue
How you mistake my Fortunes:
I am wealthie in my Friends.
Within there, Flauius, Seruilius?
Enter three Seruants.
Ser. My Lord, my Lord
Tim. I will dispatch you seuerally. You to Lord Lucius, to Lord Lucullus you, I hunted with his Honor to day; you to Sempronius; commend me to their loues; and I am proud say, that my occasions haue found time to vse 'em toward a supply of mony: let the request be fifty Talents
Flam. As you haue said, my Lord
Stew. Lord Lucius and Lucullus? Humh
Tim. Go you sir to the Senators;
Of whom, euen to the States best health; I haue
Deseru'd this Hearing: bid 'em send o'th' instant
A thousand Talents to me
Ste. I haue beene bold
(For that I knew it the most generall way)
To them, to vse your Signet, and your Name,
But they do shake their heads, and I am heere
No richer in returne
Tim. Is't true? Can't be?
Stew. They answer in a ioynt and corporate voice,
That now they are at fall, want Treasure cannot
Do what they would, are sorrie: you are Honourable,
But yet they could haue wisht, they know not,
Something hath beene amisse; a Noble Nature
May catch a wrench; would all were well; tis pitty,
And so intending other serious matters,
After distastefull lookes; and these hard Fractions
With certaine halfe-caps, and cold mouing nods,
They froze me into Silence
Tim. You Gods reward them:
Prythee man looke cheerely. These old Fellowes
Haue their ingratitude in them Hereditary:
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it sildome flowes,
'Tis lacke of kindely warmth, they are not kinde;
And Nature, as it growes againe toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the iourney, dull and heauy.
Go to Ventiddius (prythee be not sad,
Thou art true, and honest; Ingeniously I speake,
No blame belongs to thee:) Ventiddius lately
Buried his Father, by whose death hee's stepp'd
Into a great estate: When he was poore,
Imprison'd, and in scarsitie of Friends,
I cleer'd him with fiue Talents: Greet him from me,
Bid him suppose, some good necessity
Touches his Friend, which craues to be remembred
With those fiue Talents; that had, giue't these Fellowes
To whom 'tis instant due. Neu'r speake, or thinke,
That Timons fortunes 'mong his Friends can sinke
Stew. I would I could not thinke it:
That thought is Bounties Foe;
Being free it selfe, it thinkes all others so.
Exeunt.
Flaminius waiting to speake with a Lord from his