I am glad you're well.

Poet. I have not seen you long: how goes the world?

Pain. It wears, sir, as it grows. Poet. Ay, that's well known: But what particular rarity? what strange, Which manifold record not matches? See, Magic of bounty! all these spirits thy power Hath conjured to attend. I know the merchant. Pain. I know them both; th' other's a jeweller. Mer. O, 'tis a worthy lord. Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man, breathed, as it were,

To an untirable and continuate goodness:

10

Mer. O, pray, let's see't: for the Lord Timon, sir?

Few. If he will touch the estimate: but, for that

Poet. [Reciting to himself] 'When we for recompense have praised the vile, It stains the glory in that happy verse Which aptly sings the good."

Mer.

'Tis a good form. [Looking at the jewel. Jew. And rich: here is a water, look ye. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication

To the great lord.
Poet.
A thing slipp'd idly from me. 20
Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes
From whence 'tis nourish'd: the fire i' the flint
Shows not till it be struck; our gentle flame
Provokes itself and like the current flies

Each bound it chafes. What have you there?

CAPHIS, PHILOTUS,

TITUS,

servants to Timon's creditors.

LUCIUS,

HORTENSIUS,

And others,

A Page. A Fool. Three Strangers.
PHRYNIA,

TIMANDRA, mistresses to Alcibiades.

Cupid and Amazons in the mask.

Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Banditti, and Attendants.

SCENE: Athens, and the neighbouring woods.

Pain. A picture, sir. 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 excellent. Pain. Indifferent.

Poet.

Admirable: how this grace 30 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.

I will say of it,

It tutors nature: artificial strife
Lives in these touches, livelier than life.

Enter certain Senators, and pass over.
Pain. How this lord is follow'd!
Poet. The senators of Athens: happy man!
Pain. Look, more!

41

Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors.

I have, in this rough work, shaped 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.

50

Pain. How shall I understand you? Poet. I will unbolt to you. 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 of hearts; yea, from the glass-faced flat

terer

Noble Ventidius! Well;

I am not of that feather to shake off

100

Old Ath. Tim.

Enter an old Athenian.
Lord Timon, hear me speak.

Freely, good father. 110 Old Ath. Thou hast a servant named Lucilius. Tim. I have so: what of him?

Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee.

Tim. Attends he here, or no? Lucilius!
Luc. Here, at your lordship's service.

Old Ath. This fellow here, Lord Timon, this thy creature,

By night frequents my house. I am a man
That from my first have been inclined to thrift;
And my estate deserves an heir more raised
Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim.
Well; what further? 120
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 prithee, 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.

130

Does she love him?
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?
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, If she be mated with an equal husband? 140 Old Ath. Three talents on the present; in future, all.

Tim. This gentleman of mine hath served me long:

To build his fortune I will strain a little,
For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter:
What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise,
And make him weigh with her.
Old Ath.
Most noble lord,
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

him

Which is not owed to you!

150

brains.

Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law.

Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus?

Apem. The best, for the innocence.

Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? 200 Apem. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You're a dog.

Apem. Thy mother's of my generation: what's she, if I be a dog?

Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?
Apem. No; I eat not lords.

Tim. An thou shouldst, thou 'ldst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

210

Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Apem. So thou apprehendest it: take it for thy labour.

Apem. Art not a poet? Poet. Yes.

220

Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast feigned him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feigned; he is so.

230

Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: he that loves to be flattered is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

Tim. What wouldst do then, Apemantus? Apem. E'en as Apemantus does now; hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?

Apem. Ay.

Tim.

Wherefore?

240

Apem. That I had no angry wit to be a lord. Art not thou a merchant?

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will

not!

Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it. Apem. Traffic's thy god; and thy god confound thee!

Trumpet sounds.

Enter a Messenger. Tim. What trumpet's that? Mess. "Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse, All of companionship.

to us.

251

Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me: go not you hence Till I have thank'd you: when dinner's done, Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights. Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest.

Sec. Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?

270

Apem. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.

Sec. Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice. Sec. Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

Sec. Lord Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence! 281

ass.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the
[Exit.
First Lord. He's opposite to humanity.
Come, shall we in,

And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

Sec. 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,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.

First Lord.

290

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fie, thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour there

Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame. They say, my lords, 'ira furor brevis est;' but yond man is ever angry. Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for 't, indeed.

31

Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon: I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; prithee, 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 of men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood; and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:

Shall we in?

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet

Good for their meat, and safer for their lives. There's much example for 't; the fellow that sits next him now, parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest | man to kill him: 't has been proved. If I were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous

notes:

then enter LORD TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, Senators, and VENTIDIUS. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like himself.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon,

throats. Tim.

My lord, in heart; and let the health go round.

Sec. Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well. Those healths will make

This and my food are equals; there's no odds:
Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.
A pemantus' grace.

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself:
Grant I may never prove so fond,
To trust man on his oath or bond;
Or a harlot, for her weeping:
Or a dog, that seems a-sleeping:
Or a keeper with my freedom;

Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to 't:

Rich men sin, and I eat root.

70

Eats and drinks. Much good tdich thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the 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. 79

Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast.

Apem. Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then, that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em!

First 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. 90

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 not you 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 ne'er have need of 'em? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for 'em, 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 't can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you.

Apem. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon.

Sec. Lord. Joy had the like conception in our

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a mask of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.

Apem. Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!

140

They dance! they are mad women.
Like madness is the glory of this life,
As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men
Upon whose age we void it up again,
With poisonous spite and envy.
Who lives that's not depraved or depraves?
Who dies, that bears not one spurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?

150

I should fear those that dance before me now Would one day stamp upon me: 'thas been done; Men shut their doors against a setting sun. The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of TIMON; and to show their loves, each singles out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a 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,
Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
You have added worth unto 't and lustre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device;
I am to thank you for 't.

First Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best.

Apem. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you: 160

Please you to dispose yourselves. All Ladies. Most thankfully, my lord. [Exeunt Cupid and Ladies.

Tim. Flavius, Flav. My lord?

Tim.

The little casket bring me hither. Flav. Yes, my lord. More jewels yet! [Aside. There is no crossing him in 's humour: Else I should tell him,-well, i' faith, I should, When all's spent, he'ld be cross'd then, an he could.

'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind, That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.