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! Tim. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog! Choler doth kill me that thou art alive;

I swoon to see thee.

Apem. 'Would thou would'st burst!
Tim. Away,

Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry I shall lose
[Throws a stone at him.

A stone by thee.

Apem. Beast!

Tim. Slave!

Apem. Toad!

Tim. Rogue, rogue, rogue! [APEMANTUS retreats backwards, as going. I am sick of this false world; and will love nought

But even the mere necessities upon it.
Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave;
Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat
Thy grave-stone daily make thine epitaph,
That death in me at others' lives may laugh.
O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce
[Looking on the gold.
'Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler
Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars!
Thou ever young, fresh,, lov'd, and delicate
wooer,

Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow
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, thon hast gold: Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly.

Tim. Throng'd to?

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Thy back, I pr'ythee.

Apem. Live, and love thy misery!

Tim. Long live so, and so die !-I am quit. [Exit APEMANTUS. More things like men ?-Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

Enter THIEVES.

1 Thief. 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 Thief. It is noised, he hath a mass of trea.

sure.

3 Thief. Let us make the assay upon him: if he care not for't, he will supply us easily; If he covetously reserve it, how shall's get it?

2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him 'tis bid.

1 Thief. Is not this be?

Thieves. Where?

2 Thief. 'Tis his description. 3 Thief. He; I know him.

Thieves. Save thee, Timon.

Tim. Now thieves?

Thieves. Soldiers, not thieves.
Tim. Both too; and women's sons.

Thieves. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat, [roots; Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath

• For touchstone.

In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft
In limited professions. Rascal thieves,
Here's gold: Go, seek the subtle blood of the
grape,

Till the high fever seeth your blood to froth,
And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poison, and he slays [gether;
More than you rob take wealth and lives to-
Do villany, do, since you profess to do't,
Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery :
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun :
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture + stolen
From general excrement: each thing's a thief:
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough
power
[away;
Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves:
Rob one another. There's more gold: Cut

throats;

All that you meet are thieves: To Athens, go, Break open shops; nothing can you steal, But thieves do lose it: Steal not less, for this I give you; and gold confound you howsoever! Amen. [TIMON retires to his Cave. 3 Thief. He has almost charmed me from my profession, by persuading me to it.

1 Thief. 'Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give o'er my trade.

1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens; There is no time so miserable, but a man may be true. [Exeunt THIEVES.

Enter FLAVIUS.

Flav. O you gods!

Is yon despis'd and ruinous man my lord?
Full of decay and failing? O monument
And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd !
What an alteration of honour has
Desperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth, than friends,
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!
How rarely does it meet with this time's
guise,

When man was wish'd to love his enemies :
Grant, I may ever love, and rather woo [do !
Those that would mischief me, than those that
He has caught me in his eye: I will present
My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord,
Still serve him with my life. My dearest

Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief
For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you.
Tim. What, dost thou weep ?-Come nearer;
-then I love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st
Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give,
But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleep-
ing:

Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping!

Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, [lasts, To accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth To entertain me as your steward still.

Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and So comfortable? It almost turns [now

My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold
Thy face. Surely, this man was born of wo-

man.

Forgive my general and exceptless rashness,
Perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim
One honest man,-mistake me not,-but one :
No more, I pray, and he is a steward.-
How fain would I have hated all mankind,
And thou redeem'st thyself: but all save thee,
I fell with curses.
[wise,
Methinks, thon art more honest now, than
For, by oppressing and betraying me,
Thou might'st have sooner got another service :
For many so arrive at second masters,
Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true,
(For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,)
is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,

If not a usuring kindness; and as rich men deal gifts,

Expecting in return twenty for one?

Flav. No, my most worthy master, in whose

breast

Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late : You should have fear'd false times, when you did feast:

Suspect still comes where an estate is least.
That which I show, heaven knows, is merely
love,

Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind,
Care of your food and living: and, believe it,
My most honour'd lord,

For any benefit that points to me,
Either in hope, or present, I'd exchange

Poet. What's to be thought of him? Does the rumour hold for true, that he is so full of gold?

Pain. Certain : Alcibiades reports it; Phrynia and Timandra had gold of him he likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quantity: 'Tis said, he gave unto his steward a mighty sum.

Poet. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends.

Pain. Nothing else: you shall see him a palmn in Athens again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore, 'tis not amiss, we tender our loves to him, in this supposed distress of his : it will show honestly in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with what they travel for, if it be a just and true report that goes of his having.

Poet. What have you now to present unto him?

Pain. Nothing at this time but my visitation : only I will promise him an excellent piece.

Poet. 1 must serve him so too: tell him of an intent that's coming toward him.

Pain. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o'the time: it opens the eyes of expectation: performance is ever the duller for his act; and, bnt in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the deed of saying is quite out of use. To promise is most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will and testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it.

Tim. Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself.

Poet. I am thinking what I shall say I have provided for him: It must be a personating of himself: a satire against the softness of prosperity; with a discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency.

Tim. Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so, I have gold for thee.

Poet. Nay, let's seek him:

Then do we sin against our own estate,
When we may profit meet, and come too late.
Pain. True;

When the day serves, before black-corner'd night,

wealth

To requite me, by making rich yourself.

Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!-Thou singly honest Here take-the gods out of my misery [man, Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich, and happy: [men;

But thus condition'd; Thou shall build from
Hate all, curse all show charity to none;
But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone,
Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs
What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow
them,

Debts wither them: Be men like blasted woods,
And may diseases lick up their false bloods!
And so, farewell, and thrive.

Flar. O let me stay,

And comfort you, my master.

Tim. If thou hat'st

Curses, stay not: fly, whilst thou'rt bless'd and free :

Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. [Exeunt severally.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-The same.-Before TIMON's Cave. Enter POET and PAINTER; TIMON behind, un

seen.

Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where he abides.

Away from the abodes of men.

Come.

Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's gold,

That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple,
Than where swine feed!

'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the foam;

Settlest admired reverence in a slave:
To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye
Be crown'd with plagues, that thee alone obey!
'Fit I do meet them.
[Advancing.

Poet. Hail, worthy Timon!
Pain. Our late noble master.

Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men ?

Poet. Sir,

Having often of your open bounty tasted, Hearing you were retir'd, your friends fall'n off, Whose thankless natures-O abhorred spirits! Not all the whips of heaven are large enoughWhat to you!

Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence To their whole being! I'm rapt and cannot

Cover

Tim. Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service.

Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requit you?

Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service.

Tim. You are honest men: You have heard that I have gold;

I am sure you have: speak truth: you are honest

men.

Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but thereCame not my friend, nor I.

[fore Tim. Good honest men!-Thou draw'st a counterfeit.

Best in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best; Thou counterfeit'st most lively.

Pain. So, so, my lord.

Tim. Even so, Sir, as I say :-And, for thy fiction, [To the POET.

Why thy verse swells with stuff so fine and

smooth,

That thou art even natural in thine art.

But, for all this, my honest-natur'd friends,

I must needs say, you have a little fault :

Offering the fortunes of his former days,
The former man may make him: Bring us to
And chance it as it may.
[him,

Flav. Here is his cave.-
Peace and content be here! Lorc Timon! Timon !
Look out, and speak to friends: The Athe-
nians,

By two of their most reverend senate, greet
Speak to them, noble Timon.、
[thee:
Enter TIMON.

Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn!-Speak, and be hang'd:

For each true word, a blister! and each false
Be as a caut'rizing to the root o'the tongue,
Consuming it with speaking!

1 Sen. Worthy Timon

Tim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon.

2 Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Ti

You take much pains to mend.

Both. Beseech your honour,

To make it known to us.

Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold,

Rid me these villains from your companies: Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught, t

Confound them by some course, and come to me, I'll give you gold enough.

Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Tim. You that way, and you this, but two in company :

Each man apart, all single and alone,
Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.
If, where thou art, two villains shall not be.

[To the Painter. Come not near him.-If thou would'st not reside [To the POET. But where one villain is, then him abandon.Hence! pack! there's gold, ye came for gold, ye slaves: [Hence!

You have done work for me, there's payment :
You are an alchymist, make gold of that:-
Out, rascal dogs!

[Exit, beating and driving them out.
SCENE II.-The same.

Enter FLAVIUS, and two SENATORS. Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with For he is set so only to himself, [Timon; That nothing but himself, which looks like man, Is friendly with him.

1 Sen. Bring us to his cave:

It is our part and promise to the Athenians,
To speak with Timon.

2 Sen. At all times alike

Men are not still the same: "Twas time, and griefs,

That fram'd him thus: time, with his fairer band,

As a portrait was then called.

Entreat thee back to Athens; who have thought

On special dignities, which vacant lie

For thy best use and wearing.

2 Sen. They confess,

Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross: Which now the public body,-which doth seldom Play the recanter,-feeling in itself

A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal
of its own fall, restraining aid to Timon;
And send forth us, to make their sorrowed
render, t

Together with recompense more fruitful
Than their off/ace can weigh down by the dram;
Ay, even such heaps and sums of love and

wealth,

As shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs,

And write in thee the figures of their love,
Ever to read them thine.

Tim. You witch me in it;
Surprise me to the very brink of tears:
Lend me a fool's heart, and a woman's eyes,
And I'll teweep these comforts, worthy sena-

tors.

1 Sen. Therefore, so please thee to return with us,

And of our Athens (thine, and ours,) to take
The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks,
Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good

name

Live with authority :-so soon we shall drive back
Of Alcibiades the approaches wild;
Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up
His country's peace.

2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Against the walls of Athens.

1 Sen. Therefore, Timon,Tim. Well, Sir, I will; therefore, I will, Sir; Thus,

[Athens,

If Alcibiades kill my countrymen,
Let Alcibiades know this of Timon,
That-Timon cares not. But if he sack fair
And take our goodly aged men by the beards,
Giving our holy virgins to the stain

Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war;
Then, let him know,-and tell him Timon speaks
it,

In pity of our aged, and our youth,

I cannot chuse but tell him, that I care not, And let him tak't at worse; for their knives care not,

While you have throats to answer for myself,
There's not a whittle § in the unruly camp,
But I do prize it at my love, before [you
The reverend'st throat in Athens. So I leave

• With an united voice of affection. : Licensed. A clasp kni.

To the protection of the prosperous gods,
As thieves to keepers.

Flav. Stay not, all's in vain.

Tim. Why, I was writing of my epitaph, It will be seen to-morrow; My long sickness Of health, and living, now begins to mend, And nothing brings me all things. Go, live still;

Be Alcibiades your plague, you his,

And last so long enough!

1 Sen. We speak in vain.

From Alciabiades to Timon's cave,

With letters of entreaty, which imported
His fellowship i'the cause against your city,
In part for his sake mov'd.

Enter SENATORS from TIMON.

1 Sen. Here come our brothers.

2 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect.fing, Doth choke the air with dust in and prepare ; Our's is the fall, I fear; our foes, the snare.

As common bruit doth put it.

1 Sen. That's well spoke.

Tim. Commend me to my loving country

men,

1 Sen. These words become your lips as they pass through them.

2 Sen. And enter in our ears like great triúmphers

In their applauding gates.

Tim. Commend me to them;

And tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs,
Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses,
Their pangs of love, with other incident throes
That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain
In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do
them :

I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath.

2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again. Tim. I have a tree, which grows here in my close,

That mine own use invites me to cut down,
And shortly must I fell it; Tell my friends,
Tell Athens, in the sequence of degree,
From high to low throughout, that whoso please
To stop affliction, let him take his haste,
Come hither, ere my tree hath felt the axe,
And hang himself:-1 pray you do my greet-
ing.

Flav. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall find him.

Tim. Come not to me again: but say to
Athens,

Timon hath made his everlasting mansion
Upon the beached verge of the salt flood;
Which once a day with his embossed froth ||
The turbulent surge shall cover; thither come,
And let my grave-stone be your oracle,-
Lips, let sour words go by, and language end:
What is amiss, plague and infection mend!
Graves only be men's works; and death, their
gain!

Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his
reign.
[Exit TIMON.
1 Sen. His discontents are unremoveably
Coupled to nature.

2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead let us return,

And strain what other means is left unto us
In our dear ¶ peril.

3 Sen. It requires swift foot.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-The Woods.-TIMON'S Cave, and a Tomb-stone seen.

Enter a SOLDIER, seeking TIMON.

Sol. By all description this should be the place.

Who's here? speak, ho!-No answer ?-What is this?

Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span:
Some beast rear'd this; there does not live a man.
Dead, sure; and this his grave.-
What's on this tomb I cannot read; the character
I'll take with wax.

Our captain hath in every figure skill;
An ag'd interpreter, though young in days:
Before proud Athens he's set down by this.
Whose fall the mark of his ambition is.

\Exit.

Our sufferance vainly: Now the time is flush ↑
When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong,
Cries, of itself, No more: now breathless wrong,
Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease;
And pursy insolence shall break his wind,
With fear and horrid flight.

1 Sen. Noble and young,
When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit,
Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear,
We sent to thee; to give thy rages balm,
To wipe out our ingratitude with loves
Above their quantity.

2 Sen. So did we woo

SCENE III.-The Walls of Athens. Enter two SENATORS, and a MESSENGER. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discover'd; are his

files

1 Sen. These walls of ours

Were not erected by their hands, from whom You have receiv'd your griefs: nor are they such, Than these great towers, trophies, and schools should fall

For private faults in them.

2 Sen. Nor are they living, Who were the motives that you first went out; Shame, that they wanted cunuing, in excess Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord, Into our city with thy banners spread : By decimation, and a tithed death, (If thy revenges hunger for that food, Which nature loaths,) take thou the destin'd tenth;

And by the hazard of the spotted die,
Let die the spotted.

1 Sen. All have not offended;
For those that were, it is not square, to take,
On those that are, revenges: crimes like lands,
Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:
Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin,
Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall,
With those that have offended: like a shepherd,
Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth.
But kill not altogether.

2 Sen. What thou wilt,

Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile. Than hew to't with thy sword.

1 Sen. Set but thy foot

Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope:
So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before,
To say, thou'lt enter friendly.

2 Sen. Throw thy glove.

Or any token of thine honour else,

That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, And not as our confusion, all thy powers Shall make their harbour in our town, till we Have seal'd thy full desire.

Alcib. Then there's my glove; Descend, and open your uncharged ports ;+ Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own, Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof, Fall, and no more and,-to atone ‡ your fears With my more noble meaning,-not a man Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream Of regular justice in your city's bounds, But shall be remedied, to your public laws At heaviest answer.

Both. 'Tis most nobly spoken. Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. The SENATORS descend, and open the Gates. Enter a SOLdier.

Sold. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o'the sea: And on his grave-stone, this insculpture; which With wax I brought away, whose soft impressio Interprets for my poor ignorance.

Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft:

Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked caitiffs left!

Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate:

Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay not here thy gait.

These well express in thee thy latter spirits:
Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs,
Scorn'dst our brain's flow, and those our drop
lets which

From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit
Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye
On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Dead
Is noble Timon; of whose memory
Hereafter more.-Bring me into your city
And I will use the olive with my sword:
Make war breed peace; make peace stint † war;
make each

Prescribe to other, as each other's leech.
Let our drums strike.

[Exeunt.