Apem. Here is no use for gold. Tim. The best, and truest; For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. 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 know'st none, but art despis'd 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 'dst hated meddlers sooner, thou should'st have loved thyself better now. What man did'st thou ever know unthrift, that was belov'd after his means? Tim. Who, without those means thou talk'st of, didst thou ever know belov'd? Apem. Myself. Tim. I understand thee: thou had'st some means to keep a dog. Apem. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers? Tim. Women nearest; but men, 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 confusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts? Apem. Ay, Timon. Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee t' 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 accus'd by the ass if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would torment thee, and still thou liv'dst but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou should'st hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self the conquest of thy fury: wert thou a bear, thou would'st be kill'd by the horse: wert thou a horse, thou would'st be seiz'd by the leopard: wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion, and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life; all thy safety were remotion, and thy defence, absence. What beast could'st thou be, that were not subject to a beast? and what a beast art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transformation. Apem. If thou could'st please me with speaking to me, thou might'st have hit upon it here: the commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts. Tim. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city? Apem. Yonder comes a poet, and a painter. The plague of company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it, and give way. When I know not what else io do, I'll see thee again. Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog, than Apemantus. Apem. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. Tim. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon. Apem. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to curse. Tim. All villains that do stand by thee are pure. Apem. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st. Tim. If I name thee.. I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands. Apem. I would, my tongue could rot them off! Choler does kill me, that thou art alive; Apem. Tim. Would thou would'st burst! Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry, I shall lose A stone by thee. Арет. Tim. Apem. Tim. Away, [Throws a stone at him. Beast! Slave! Toad! Rogue, rogue, rogue! [APEMANTUS retreats backward, as going. I am sick of this false world, and will love naught "Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god, That solder'st close impossibilities, And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every tongue, To every purpose! O thou touch of hearts! Think, thy slave man rebels; and by thy virtue Set them into confounding odds, that beasts May have the world in empire! Apem. Would 'twere so; But not till I am dead! I'll say, thou 'st gold: Thou will be throng'd to shortly. Tim. Long live so, and so die!-[Exit APE MANTUS.] I am quit. More things like men? Eat, Timon, and abhor them. Enter Banditti. 1 Bandit. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some slender ort of his remainder. The mere want of gold, and the falling-from of his friends, drove him into this melancholy. 2 Band. It is nois'd, he hath a mass of treasure. 3 Band. Let us make the assay upon him: if he care not for 't, he will supply us easily; if he cover ously reserve it, how shall's get it? 2 Band. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis Tim. Both too; and women's sons. All. We are not thieves, but men that much do want. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots; Within this mile break forth a hundred springs; The bounteous housewife, Nature, on each bush water, As beasts, and birds, and fishes. Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, More than you rob: take wealth and lives together; |