The Life of Timon of Athens

APEMANTUSSo: Thou wilt not hear me now; thou shalt not then;I'll lock thy heaven from thee.O! that men's ears should beTo counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

[Exit.]

Act II

Scene I. Athens. A Room in a SENATOR'S House

[Enter A SENATOR, with papers in his hand.]

SENATORAnd late, five thousand: to Varro and to IsidoreHe owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,Which makes it five-and-twenty. Still in motionOf raging waste! It cannot hold; it will not.If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dogAnd give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold;If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty moreBetter than he, why, give my horse to Timon,Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me straight,And able horses. No porter at his gate,But rather one that smiles and still invitesAll that pass by. It cannot hold; no reasonCan found his state in safety. Caphis, ho!Caphis, I say!

[Enter CAPHIS.]

CAPHISHere, sir; what is your pleasure?SENATORGet on your cloak, and haste you to Lord Timon;Importune him for my moneys; be not ceas'dWith slight denial, nor then silenc'd when —'Commend me to your master' – and the capPlays in the right hand, thus; – but tell him,My uses cry to me; I must serve my turnOut of mine own; his days and times are past,And my reliances on his fracted datesHave smit my credit: I love and honour him,But must not break my back to heal his finger;Immediate are my needs, and my reliefMust not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,But find supply immediate. Get you gone:Put on a most importunate aspect,A visage of demand; for I do fear,When every feather sticks in his own wing,Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.CAPHISI go, sir.SENATORTake the bonds along with you,And have the dates in compt.CAPHISI will, sir.SENATORGo.

[Exeunt.]

Scene II. The same. A Hall in TIMON'S House

[Enter FLAVIUS, with many bills in his hand.]

FLAVIUSNo care, no stop! So senseless of expense,That he will neither know how to maintain it,Nor cease his flow of riot: takes no accountHow things go from him, nor resumes no careOf what is to continue: never mindWas to be so unwise, to be so kind.What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel:I must be round with him. Now he comes from hunting.Fie, fie, fie, fie!

[Enter CAPHIS, and the SERVANTS Of ISIDORE and VARRO.]

CAPHISGood even, Varro. What! You come for money?VARRO'S SERVANTIs't not your business too?CAPHISIt is: and yours too, Isidore?ISIDORE'S SERVANTIt is so.CAPHISWould we were all discharg'd!VARRO'S SERVANTI fear it.CAPHISHere comes the lord!

[Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, etc.]

TIMONSo soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again.My Alcibiades. With me? what is your will?CAPHISMy lord, here is a note of certain dues.TIMONDues! Whence are you?CAPHISOf Athens here, my lord.TIMONGo to my steward.CAPHISPlease it your lordship, he hath put me offTo the succession of new days this month:My master is awak'd by great occasionTo call upon his own; and humbly prays youThat with your other noble parts you'll suitIn giving him his right.TIMONMine honest friend,I prithee, but repair to me next morning.CAPHISNay, good my lord, —TIMONContain thyself, good friend.VARRO'S SERVANTOne Varro's servant, my good lord, —ISIDORE'S SERVANTFrom Isidore; he humbly prays your speedy payment.CAPHISIf you did know, my lord, my master's wants, —VARRO'S SERVANT'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks and past.ISIDORE'S SERVANTYour steward puts me off, my lord; andI am sent expressly to your lordship.TIMONGive me breath.I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;I'll wait upon you instantly.

[Exeunt ALCIBIADES and LORDS.]

[To FLAVIUS.]

Come hither: pray you,How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'dWith clamorous demands of date-broke bonds,And the detention of long-since-due debts,Against my honour?FLAVIUSPlease you, gentlemen,The time is unagreeable to this business:Your importunacy cease till after dinner,That I may make his lordship understandWherefore you are not paid.TIMONDo so, my friends.See them well entertain'd.

[Exit.]

FLAVIUSPray, draw near.

[Exit.]

[Enter APEMANTUS and FOOL.]

CAPHISStay, stay; here comes the fool with Apemantus:Let's ha' some sport with 'em.VARRO'S SERVANTHang him, he'll abuse us!ISIDORE'S SERVANTA plague upon him, dog!VARRO'S SERVANTHow dost, fool?APEMANTUSDost dialogue with thy shadow?VARRO'S SERVANTI speak not to thee.APEMANTUSNo; 'tis to thyself. [To the FOOL.]Come away.ISIDORE'S SERVANT. [To VARRO'S SERVANT.]There's the fool hangs on your back already.APEMANTUSNo, thou stand'st single; thou'rt not on him yet.CAPHISWhere's the fool now?APEMANTUS. He last asked the question. Poor rogues and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want!ALL SERVANTSWhat are we, Apemantus?APEMANTUSAsses.ALL SERVANTSWhy?APEMANTUS. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool.FOOLHow do you, gentlemen?ALL SERVANTSGramercies, good fool. How does your mistress?FOOL. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth!APEMANTUSGood! gramercy.

[Enter PAGE.]

FOOLLook you, here comes my mistress' page.PAGE. [To the FOOL.] Why, how now, Captain! what do you in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?APEMANTUS. Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably.PAGE. Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters: I know not which is which.APEMANTUSCanst not read?PAGENo.APEMANTUS. There will little learning die, then, that day thou art hanged. This is to Lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd.PAGEThou wast whelped a dog, and thou shalt famish a dog's death.Answer not; I am gone.

[Exit PAGE.]

APEMANTUSE'en so thou outrunn'st grace. —Fool, I will go with you to Lord Timon's.FOOLWill you leave me there?APEMANTUSIf Timon stay at home. You three serve three usurers?ALL SERVANTSAy; would they served us!APEMANTUSSo would I, as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.FOOLAre you three usurers' men?ALL SERVANTSAy, fool.FOOL. I think no usurer but has a fool to his servant: my mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: the reason of this?VARRO'S SERVANTI could render one.APEMANTUS. Do it, then, that we may account thee a whoremaster and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.VARRO'S SERVANTWhat is a whoremaster, fool?FOOL. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime 't appears like a lord; sometime like a lawyer; sometime like a philosopher, with two stones more than's artificial one. He is very often like a knight; and generally, in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.VARRO'S SERVANTThou art not altogether a fool.FOOL. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest.APEMANTUSThat answer might have become Apemantus.VARRO'S SERVANTAside, aside; here comes Lord Timon.

[Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.]

APEMANTUSCome with me, fool, come.FOOL. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; sometime the philosopher.

[Exeunt APEMANTUS and FOOL.]

FLAVIUSPray you walk near: I'll speak with you anon.

[Exeunt SERVANTS.]

TIMONYou make me marvel: wherefore, ere this time,Had you not fully laid my state before me,That I might so have rated my expenseAs I had leave of means?FLAVIUSYou would not hear me,At many leisures I propos'd.TIMONGo to:Perchance some single vantages you took,When my indisposition put you back;And that unaptness made your ministerThus to excuse yourself.FLAVIUSO my good lord!At many times I brought in my accounts,Laid them before you; you would throw them off,And say you found them in mine honesty.When for some trifling present you have bid meReturn so much, I have shook my head, and wept;Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd youTo hold your hand more close: I did endureNot seldom, nor no slight checks, when I havePrompted you in the ebb of your estateAnd your great flow of debts. My loved lord,Though you hear now, too late, yet now's a time,The greatest of your having lacks a halfTo pay your present debts.TIMONLet all my land be sold.FLAVIUS'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone;And what remains will hardly stop the mouthOf present dues; the future comes apace:What shall defend the interim? and at lengthHow goes our reckoning?TIMONTo Lacedaemon did my land extend.FLAVIUSO my good lord! the world is but a word;Were it all yours to give it in a breath,How quickly were it gone!TIMONYou tell me true.FLAVIUSIf you suspect my husbandry or falsehood,Call me before the exactest auditorsAnd set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,When all our offices have been oppress'dWith riotous feeders, when our vaults have weptWith drunken spilth of wine, when every roomHath blaz'd with lights and bray'd with minstrelsy,I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock,And set mine eyes at flow.TIMONPrithee, no more.FLAVIUSHeavens! have I said, the bounty of this lord!How many prodigal bits have slaves and peasantsThis night englutted! Who is not Timon's?What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is Lord Timon's?Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon!'Ah! when the means are gone that buy this praise,The breath is gone whereof this praise is made:Feast – won, fast – lost; one cloud of winter showers,These flies are couch'd.TIMONCome, sermon me no further;No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack,To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart;If I would broach the vessels of my love,And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,Men and men's fortunes could I frankly useAs I can bid thee speak.FLAVIUSAssurance bless your thoughts!TIMONAnd, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'dThat I account them blessings; for by theseShall I try friends. You shall perceive how youMistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends.Within there! Flaminius! Servilius!

[Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and other Servants.]

SERVANTSMy lord! my lord!TIMON. I will dispatch you severally: you to Lord Lucius; to Lord Lucullus you: I hunted with his honour to-day; you, to Sempronius. Commend me to their loves; and I am proud, say, that my occasions have found time to use them toward a supply of money: let the request be fifty talents.FLAMINIUSAs you have said, my lord.FLAVIUS

[Aside.] Lord Lucius and Lucullus? hum!

TIMON. [To another Servant.]Go you, sir, to the senators, —Of whom, even to the state's best health, I haveDeserv'd this hearing, – Bid 'em send o' the instantA thousand talents to me.FLAVIUSI have been bold, —For that I knew it the most general way, —To them to use your signet and your name;But they do shake their heads, and I am hereNo richer in return.TIMONIs't true? can't be?FLAVIUSThey answer, in a joint and corporate voice,That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannotDo what they would; are sorry; you are honourable;But yet they could have wish'd; they know not;Something hath been amiss; a noble natureMay catch a wrench; would all were well; 'tis pity;And so, intending other serious matters,After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions,With certain half-caps and cold-moving nods,They froze me into silence.TIMONYou gods, reward them!Prithee, man, look cheerly. These old fellowsHave their ingratitude in them hereditary;Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows;'Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind;And nature, as it grows again toward earth,Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.

[To a Servant.] Go to Ventidius. – [To Flavius.]

Prithee, be not sad,Thou art true and honest; ingenuously I speak,No blame belongs to thee. – [To Servant.] Ventidius latelyBuried his father; by whose death he's stepp'dInto a great estate. When he was poor,Imprison'd and in scarcity of friends,I clear'd him with five talents; greet him from me,Bid him suppose some good necessityTouches his friend, which craves to be remember'dWith those five talents.[Exit Servant.]

[To Flavius.]

That had, give't these fellowsTo whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or thinkThat Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.FLAVIUSI would I could not think it:That thought is bounty's foe;Being free itself, it thinks all others so.

[Exeunt.]

Act III. Scene I. Athens. A Room in LUCULLUS' House

[FLAMINIUS waiting.]

[Enter a SERVANT to him.]

SERVANTI have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you.FLAMINIUSI thank you, sir.

[Enter LUCULLUS.]

SERVANTHere's my lord.LUCULLUS. [Aside.] One of Lord Timon's men! a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very respectively welcome, sir. Fill me some wine.

[Exit SERVANT.]

And how does that honourable, complete, freehearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master?FLAMINIUSHis health is well, sir.LUCULLUS. I am right glad that his health is well, sir. And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?FLAMINIUS. Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present assistance therein.LUCULLIUS. La, la, la, la! 'Nothing doubting,' says he? Alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I ha' dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less; and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his. I ha' told him on't, but I could ne'er get him from it.

[Re-enter SERVANT with wine.]

SERVANTPlease your lordship, here is the wine.LUCULLUSFlaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee.FLAMINIUSYour lordship speaks your pleasure.LUCULLUS. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit, give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason, and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee. [To SERVANT.] – Get you gone, sirrah. —

[Exit SERVANT.]

Draw nearer, honest Flaminius.Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman; but thou art wise, and thou know'st well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship without security. Here's three solidares for thee: good boy, wink at me, and say thou sawest me not. Fare thee well.FLAMINIUSIs't possible the world should so much differ,And we alive that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness,To him that worships thee.

[Throwing the money away.]

LUCULLUSHa! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master.

[Exit.]

FLAMINIUSMay these add to the number that may scald thee!Let molten coin be thy damnation,Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!Has friendship such a faint and milky heartIt turns in less than two nights? O you gods!I feel my master's passion! This slave unto his honourHas my lord's meat in him:Why should it thrive and turn to nutrimentWhen he is turn'd to poison?O! may diseases only work upon't!And when he's sick to death, let not that part of natureWhich my lord paid for, be of any powerTo expel sickness, but prolong his hour.

[Exit.]

Scene II. A Public Place

[Enter Lucius, with three STRANGERS.]

LUCIUS. Who, the Lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman.FIRST STRANGER. We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours: now Lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.LUCIUSFie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money.SECOND STRANGER. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow so many talents, nay, urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied.LUCIUSHow!SECOND STRANGERI tell you, denied, my lord.LUCIUS. What a strange case was that! now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man! there was very little honour showed in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents.

[Enter SERVILIUS.]

SERVILIUS. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour. [To LUCIUS.] My honoured lord!LUCIUS. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well: commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend.SERVILIUSMay it please your honour, my lord hath sent —LUCIUS. Ha! What has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: how shall I thank him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent now?SERVILIUS. Has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents.LUCIUSI know his lordship is but merry with me;He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.SERVILIUSBut in the mean time he wants less, my lord.If his occasion were not virtuous,I should not urge it half so faithfully.LUCIUSDost thou speak seriously, Servilius?SERVILIUSUpon my soul, 'tis true, sir.LUCIUS. What a wicked beast was I to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might ha' shown myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour! Servilius, now, before the gods, I am not able to do; the more beast, I say; I was sending to use Lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kin: and tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far as to use mine own words to him?SERVILIUSYes, sir, I shall.LUCIUSI'll look you out a good turn, Servilius.

[Exit SERVILIUS.]

True, as you said, Timon is shrunk indeed;And he that's once denied will hardly speed.

[Exit.]

FIRST STRANGERDo you observe this, Hostilius?SECOND STRANGERAy, too well.FIRST STRANGERWhy, this is the world's soul; and just of the same pieceIs every flatterer's spirit. Who can call himHis friend that dips in the same dish? for, inMy knowing, Timon has been this lord's father,And kept his credit with his purse,Supported his estate; nay, Timon's moneyHas paid his men their wages: He ne'er drinksBut Timon's silver treads upon his lip;And yet, O! see the monstrousness of man,When he looks out in an ungrateful shape,He does deny him, in respect of his,What charitable men afford to beggars.THIRD STRANGERReligion groans at it.FIRST STRANGERFor mine own part,I never tasted Timon in my life,Nor came any of his bounties over meTo mark me for his friend; yet I protest,For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue,And honourable carriage,Had his necessity made use of me,I would have put my wealth into donation,And the best half should have return'd to him,So much I love his heart. But, I perceive,Men must learn now with pity to dispense;For policy sits above conscience.

[Exeunt.]

Scene III. The Same. A Room in SEMPRONIUS' House

[Enter SEMPRONIUS and a SERVANT of TIMON'S.]

SEMPRONIUSMust he needs trouble me in't? Hum! 'bove all others?He might have tried Lord Lucius, or Lucullus;And now Ventidius is wealthy too,Whom he redeem'd from prison: all theseOwe their estates unto him.SERVANTMy lord,They have all been touch'd and found base metal, forThey have all denied him.SEMPRONIUSHow! have they denied him?Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him?And does he send to me? Three? Hum!It shows but little love or judgment in him:Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,Thrice give him over; must I take the cure upon me?Has much disgrac'd me in't; I'm angry at him,That might have known my place. I see no sense for't,But his occasions might have woo'd me first;For, in my conscience, I was the first manThat e'er received gift from him:And does he think so backwardly of me now,That I'll requite it last? No:So it may prove an argument of laughterTo the rest, and I 'mongst lords be thought a fool.I had rather than the worth of thrice the sum,Had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake;I'd such a courage to do him good. But now return,And with their faint reply this answer join;Who bates mine honour shall not know my coin.

[Exit.]

SERVANT. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic; he crossed himself by't: and I cannot think but, in the end the villainies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked, like those that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire: Of such a nature is his politic love. This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled Save only the gods. Now his friends are dead, Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their wards Many a bounteous year, must be employ'd Now to guard sure their master: And this is all a liberal course allows: Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.

[Exit.]

Scene IV. A hall in TIMON'S House

[Enter two Servants of VARRO, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants to TIMON's Creditors, waiting his coming out.]

FIRST VARRO'S SERVANTWell met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.TITUSThe like to you, kind Varro.HORTENSIUSLucius! What! do we meet together!LUCIUS' SERVANT. Ay, and I think one business does command us all; for mine is money.TITUSSo is theirs and ours.

[Enter PHILOTUS.]

LUCIUS' SERVANTAnd Sir Philotus too!PHILOTUSGood day at once.LUCIUS' SERVANTWlcome, good brother.What do you think the hour?PHILOTUSLabouring for nine.LUCIUS' SERVANTSo much?PHILOTUSIs not my lord seen yet?LUCIUS' SERVANTNot yet.PHILOTUSI wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven.LUCIUS' SERVANTAy, but the days are waxed shorter with him:You must consider that a prodigal courseIs like the sun's, but not, like his, recoverable.I fear,'Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse;That is, one may reach deep enough, and yetFind little.PHILOTUSI am of your fear for that.TITUSI'll show you how to observe a strange event.Your lord sends now for money.HORTENSIUSMost true, he does.TITUSAnd he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,For which I wait for money.HORTENSIUSIt is against my heart.LUCIUS' SERVANTMark, how strange it shows,Timon in this should pay more than he owes:And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,And send for money for 'em.HORTENSIUSI'm weary of this charge, the gods can witness:I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth,And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.FIRST VARRO'S SERVANTYes, mine's three thousand crowns; what's yours?LUCIUS' SERVANTFive thousand mine.FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT'Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sum,Your master's confidence was above mine;Else, surely, his had equall'd.

[Enter FLAMINIUS.]

TITUSOne of Lord Timon's men.LUCIUS' SERVANT. Flaminius! Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?FLAMINIUSNo, indeed, he is not.TITUSWe attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.FLAMINIUSI need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent.

[Exit FLAMINUS.]

[Enter FLAVIUS, in a cloak, muffled.]

LUCIUS' SERVANTHa! is not that his steward muffled so?He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.TITUSDo you hear, sir?SECOND VARRO'S SERVANTBy your leave, sir.FLAVIUSWhat do you ask of me, my friend?TITUSWe wait for certain money here, sir.FLAVIUSAy,If money were as certain as your waiting,'Twere sure enough.Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills,When your false masters eat of my lord's meat?Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts,And take down the interest into their gluttonous maws.You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up;Let me pass quietly:Believe't, my lord and I have made an end;I have no more to reckon, he to spend.LUCIUS' SERVANTAy, but this answer will not serve.FLAVIUSIf 'twill not serve, 'tis not so base as you;For you serve knaves.

[Exit.]

FIRST VARRO'S SERVANTHow! what does his cashiered worship mutter?SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT. No matter what; he's poor, and that's revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? such may rail against great buildings.

[Enter SERVILIUS.]