TIMON

Imprisoned is he, say you? Noble Ventidius well: I am not of that Feather, to shake off My Friend when he must need me. I do know him A Gentleman, that well deserves a help, Which he shall have. I'll pay the debt, and free him. Commend me to him, I will send his ransom, And being enfranchised bid him come to me; It's not enough to help the Feeble up, But to support him after. Fare you well. Freely good Father. I have so: What of him? Attends he here, or no? Lucillius. Well: what further? The man is honest. Does she love him? Love you the Maid? How shall she be endowed, If she be mated with and equal Husband? This Gentleman of mine Hath served me long: To built his Fortune, I will strain a little, For it's a Bound in men. Give him thy Daughter, What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, And make him weigh with her. My hand to thee, Mine Honour on my promise. I thank you, you shall hear from me anon: Go not away. What have you there, my Friend? Painting is welcome. The Painting is almost the Natural man: For since Dishonour Trafficks with men Nature, He is but outside: These Pensile Figures are Even such as they give out. I Like your work, And you shall find I Like it; Wait attendance Till you hear further from me. Well fare you Gentleman: give me your hand. We must needs dine together: sir your Jewel Hath suffered under praise. A mere satiety of Commendations, If I should pay you for't as it's extolled, It would unclew me quite. Well mocked. Look who comes here, will you be chid? Good morrow to thee, Gentle Apermantus. Why dost thou call them Knaves, thou knowest them not? Yes. Thou art proud Apemantus ? Whither art going? That's a deed thou'lt die for. How likest thou this picture Apemantus ? Wrought he not well that painted it. Wilt dine with me Apemantus ? And thou shouldst, thoud'st anger Ladies. That's a lascivious apprehension. How dost thou Like this Jewel, Apemantus ? What dost thou think it's worth? What wouldst do then Apemantus ? What thy self? Wherefore? What Trumpets that? Pray entertain them, give them guide to us. You must needs dine with me: go not you hence Till I have thanked you: when dinners done Show me this piece I am joyful of your sights. Most welcome Sir. Right welcome Sir: Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you let us in. Oh by no means, Honest Ventigius : You mistake my love, I gave it freely ever, and ther's none Can truly say he gives, if he receives: If our betters play at that game, we must not dare To imitate them: faults that are rich are fair. Nay my Lords, Ceremony was but devised at first To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodness, sorry ere it's shown: But where there is true friendship, there needs none, Pray fit, more welcome are you to my Fortune's, Then my Fortune's to me. Fie, the art a churl, ye' have God a humour there Does not become a man, it's much too blame: They say my Lords, Irafuror brevis est, But yond man is very angry. Go, let him have a Table by himself: For he does neither affect company, Nor is he fit for't indeed. I take no heed of thee: the art and Athenian, therefore welcome: I my self would have no power, prithee let my meat make thee silent. My Lord in heart: and let the health go round. Captain, Alcibiades, your hearts in the field now. You had rather be at a breakfast of Enemies, then a dinner of Friends. What means that Trump? How now? Ladies? what are their wills? I pray let them be admitted. 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 vntoo't, and luster, And entertained me with mine own device. I am to thank you for't. Ladies, there is and idle banquet attends you, Please you to dispose your selves. Flavius. The little Casket bring me hither. Oh my Friends: I have one word to say to you: Look you, my good L. I must entreat you honour me so much, As to advance this Jewel, accept it, and wear it, Kind my Lord. They are fairly welcome. Near? why then another time I'll hear thee. I prithee let's be provided to show them entertainment. I shall accept them fairly: let the Presents Be worthily entertained. How now? What news? I'll hunt with him, And let them be received, not without fair Reward. You do your selves much wrong, You bore too much of your own merits. Here my Lord, a trifle of our Love. And now I remember my Lord, you gave good words the other day of a Bay Courser I rod on. 'Tis yours because you liked it. You may take my word my Lord: I know no man can justly praise, but what he does affect. I weigh my Friends affection with mine own: I'll tell you true, I'll call to you. I take all, and your several visitations So kind to heart, it's not enough to give: Me thinks, I could deal Kingdoms to my Friends, And never be weary. Alcibiades, Thou art a Soldier, therefore seldom rich, It comes in Charity to thee: for all thy living Is amongst the dead: and all the Lands thou hast Lie in a pitched field. And so am I to you. All to you. Lights, more Lights. Ready for his Friends. Now Apermantus (if thou Wertenberg not sullen) I would be good to thee. Nay, and you begin to rail on Society once, I am sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell, & come with better Music. So soon as dinners done, we'll forth again My Alcibiades. With me, what is your will? Dues? whence are you? Go to my Steward. Mine honest Friend, I prithee but repair to me next morning. Contain thy self, good Friend. Give me breath: I do beseech you good my Lords keep on, I'll wait upon you instantly. Come hither: pray you How goes the world, that I am thus encountered With clamorous demands of debt, broken Bonds, And the detention of long since endue debts Against my Honour? Do so my Friends, see them well entertained. You make me marvel wherefore ere this time Had you not fully laid my state before me, That I might so have rated my expense As I had leave of means. Go too: Perchance some single vantages you took, When my indisposition put you back, And that unaptness made your minister Thus to excuse your self. Let all my Land be sold. To Lacedemon did my Land extend. You tell me true. Prithee no more. Come sermon me no further. No villainous bounty yet hath passed 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 Fortune's could I frankly use As I can bid thee speak. And in some sort these wants of mine are crowned, That I account them blessings. For by these Shall I try Friends. You shall perceive How you mistake my Fortune's: I am wealthy in my Friends. Within there, Flavius, Servilius ? 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 they towards a supply of money: let the request be fifty Talents. Go you sir to the Senators; Of whom, even to the States best health; I have Deserved this Hearing: bid they send of the instant A thousand Talents to me. Is't true? Can't be? You Gods reward them: Prithee man look cheerly. These old Fellows Have their ingratitude in them Hereditary: Their blood is caked, it's cold, it seldom flows, It's lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind; And Nature, as it grows again towards earth, Is fashioned for the journey, dull and heavy. Go to Ʋ entiddius (prithee be not sad, Thou art true, and honest; Ingeniously I speak, No blame belongs to thee:) Ventiddius lately Buried his Father, by whose death he's stepped Into a great estate: When he was poor, Imprisoned, and in scarcity of Friends, I cleared him with five Talents: Greet him from me, Bid him suppose, some good necessity Touches his Friend, which craves to be remembered With those five Talents; that had, giue't these Fellows To whom it's instant endue. Never speak, or think, That Timon's Fortune's among his Friends can sink. Knock me down with they, cleave me to the Girdle. Cut my heart in sums. Tell out my blood. Five thousand drops pays that. What yours? and yours? Tear me, take me, and the Gods fallen upon you. What if it should be so? I'll have it so. My Steward? So fitly? Go, bid all my Friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius Vllorxa : All, I'll once more feast the Rascals. Be it not in thy care: Go I charge thee, invite them all, let in the tide Of Knaves once more: my Cook and I'll provide. With all my heart Gentlemen both; and how fare you? Nor more willingly leaves Winter, such Sum mere Birds are men. Gentlemen, our dinner will not re compence this long stay: Feast your ears with the Mu sick awhile: If they will fare so harshly of the Trumpets found: we shall too't presently. Oh sir, let it not trouble you. Ah my good Friend, what cheer? Think not on't, sir. Let it not cumber your better remembrance. Come bring in all together. My worthy Friends, will you draw near? Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his Mistress: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a City Feast of it, to let the meat cool, ere we can agree upon the first place. Fit, fit. The Gods require our Thanks. Uncover Dogs, and lap. Let me look back upon thee. Oh thou Wall That girdles in those Wolves, dive in the earth, And fence not Athens. Matrons, turn incontinent, Obedience fail in Children: Slaves and Fools Pluck the graven wrinkled Senate from the Bench, And minister in their steeds, to general Filths. Convert of the Instant green Virginity, Doo't in your Parents eyes. Bankrupts, hold fast Rather then render back; out with your Knives, And cut your Trusters throats. Bound Servants, steal, Large-handed Robbers your graven Master's are, And pill by Law. Maid, to thy Master's bed, Thy Mistress is of the Brothel. Some of sixteen, Pluck the lined Crutch from thy old limping Sire, With it, beat out his Brains, Piety, and Fear, Religion to the Gods, Peace, Justice, Truth, Domestic awe, Night-rest, and Neighbourhood, Instruction, Manners, Mysteries, and Trades, Degrees, Observances, Customs, and Laws, Decline to your confounding contraries. And yet Confusion live: Plagues incident to men, Your potent and infectious Favors, heap On Athens ripe for stroke. Thou cold Sciatica, Cripple our Senators, that their limbs may halt As lamely as their Manners Lust, and Liberty Creep in the Minds and Marrows of our youth, That against the stream of Virtue they may strive, And drown themselves in Riot. Itches, Blains, So we all the Athenian bosoms, and their crop Be general Leprosy: Breath, infect breath, That their Society (as their Friendship) may Be merely poison. Nothing I'll bear from thee But nakedness, thou detestable Town, Take thou that too, with multiplying Banns: Timon will to the Woods, where he shall find the unkindest Beast, more kinder then Mankind. The Gods confound (hear me you good Gods all) the Athenians both within and out that Wall: And grant as Timon grows, his hate may grow To the whole raze of Mankind, high and low. Amen. Oh blessed breeding Sun, draw from the earth Rotten humidity: below thy Sisters Orb Infect the air. Twined Brother's of one womb, Whose procreation, residence, and birth, Scarce is dividant; touch them with several Fortune's, The greater scorns the lesser. Not Nature (To whom all sores lay siege) can bear great Fortune But by contempt of Nature, Raise me this Beggar, and deny't that Lord, The Senators shall bear contempt Hereditary, The Beggar Native Honour. It is the Pastor Lards, the Brother's sides, The want that makes him leave: who dares? who dares In purity of Manhood stand upright And say, this men a Flatterer. If one be, So are they all: for every grize of Fortune Is smoothed by that below. The Learned pate Ducks to the Golden Fool. All's obliquie: There's nothing level in our cursed Nature's But direct villainy. Therefore be abhorred, All Feasts, Societies, and Throngs of men. His semblable, yea himself Timon disdains, Destruction phang mankind; Earth yield me Roots, Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate With thy most operant Poison. What is here? Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious Gold? No Gods, I am no idle Votarist, Roots you clear Heavens. Thus much of this will make Black, white; fowl, fair; wrong, right; Base, Noble; Old, young; Coward, valiant. Would you Gods! why this? what this, you Gods? why this Will lug your Priests and Servants from your sides: Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads. This yellow Slave, Will knit and break Religions, bless the accursed, Make the hoar Leprosy adored, place Thieves, And give them Title, knee, and approbation With Senators on the Bench: This is it That makes the wappen'd Widow wed again; She, whom the Spittle-house, and ulcerous sores, Would cast the gorge at. This Embalms and Spices To the April day again. Come damned Earth, Thou common whore of Mankind, that puts odds Among the rout of Nations, I will make thee Do thy right Nature. Would? A Drum? the art quick, But yet I'll bury thee: Thou'lt go (strong Thief) When Gouty keepers of thee cannot stand: Nay stay thou out for earnest. A Beast as thou art. The Canker gnaw thy heart For showing me again the eyes of Man. I am Misantropos, and hate Mankind, For thy partly, I do wish thou Wertenberg a dog, That I might love thee something. I know thee too, and more then that I know thee I not desire to know. Follow thy Drum, With men blood paint the ground Gules, Gules: Religious Cannons, civil Laws are cruel, Then what should war be? This fell whore of thine, Hath in her more destruction then thy Sword, For all her Cherubin look. I will not kiss thee, then the rot returns To thine own lips again. As the Moon do's, by wanting light to give: But then renew I could not Like the Moon, There were no Suns to borrow of. None, but to maintain my opinion. Promise me Friendship, but perform none. If thou wilt not promise, the Gods plague thee, for thou art a man: if thou dost perform, confound thee, for thou art a man. Thou sawest them when I had prosperity. As thine is now, held with a brace of Harlots. Art thou Timandra ? Be a whore still, they love thee not that use thee, give them diseases, leaving with thee their Lust. Make use of thy salt hours, season the slaves for Tubs and Baths, bring down Rose-checked youth to the Pubfast, and the Diet. I prithee beat thy Drum, and get thee gone. How dost thou pity him whom y u dost trouble, I had rather be alone. Keep it, I cannot eat it. Warrest thou against Athens. The Gods confound them all in thy Conquest, And thee after, when thou hast Conquered. That by killing of Villains Thou was't born to conquer my Country. Put up thy Gold. Go on, heeres Gold, go on; Be as a Plannetary plague, when Jove Will over some high-Vic'd City, hang his poison In the sick air: let not thy sword skip one: Pity not honoured Age for his white Beard, He is and Usurer. Strike me the counterfeit Matron, It is her habit only, that is honest, Her self's a Bawd. Let not the Virgins cheek Make soft thy trenchant Sword: for those Milk paps That through the window Bairn boar at men's eyes, Are not within the Leaf of pity writ, But set them down horrible Traitors. Spare not the Babe Whose dimpled smiles from Fools exhaust their mercy; Think it a Bastard, whom the Oracle Hath doubtfully pronounced, the throat shall cut, And mince it sans remorse. Swear against Objects, Put Armour on thine ears, and on thine eyes, Whose proof, nor yels of Mother's, Maids, nor Babes, Nor sighed of Priests in holy Vestments bleeding, Shall pierce a jot. There's Gold to pay thy Soldiers, Make large confusion: and thy fury spent, Confounded be thy self. Speak not, be gone. Dost thou or dost thou not, Heavens curse upon thee. Enough to make a Whore forswear her Trade, And to make Whores, a Bawd. Hold up you Sluts Your Aprons mountant; you are not Othable, Although I know you'll swear, terribly swear Into strong shudders, and to heavenly Agues the immortal Gods that hear you. Spare your Oaths: I'll trust to your Conditions, be whores still. And he whose pious breath seeks to convert you, Be strong in Whore, allure him, burn him up, Let your close fire predominate his smoke, And be no turncoats: yet may your pains six months Be quite contrary, And Thatch Your poor thin Roofs with burdens of the dead, (Some that were hanged) no matter: Wear them, betray with them; Whore still, Paint till a horse may mire upon your face: A pox of wrinkles. Consumptions sow In hollow bones of man, strike their sharp shins, And mar men's spurring. Crack the Lawyers voice, That he may never more false Title plead, Nor found his Quillers shrilly: Hoar the Flamen, That scold'st against the quality of flesh, And not believes himself. Down with the Nose, Down with it flat, take the Bridge quite away Of him, that his particular to foresee Smells from the general weal. Make curld'pate Ruffians bald And let the unscarred Braggerts of the War Derive some pain from you. Plague all, That your Activity may defeat and quell The source of all Erection. There's more Gold. Do you damn others, and let this damn you, And ditches graven you all. More whore, more Mischief first, I have gi ven you earnest. If I hope well, I'll never see thee more. Yes, thou spokest well of me. Men daily find it. Get thee away, And take thy Beagles with thee. That Nature being sick of men unkindness Should yet be hungry: Common Mother, thou Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast Teems and feeds all: whose selfsame Mettle Whereof thy proud Child (arrogant man) is puffed, Engenders the black Toad, and Adder blue, The gilded Newt, and eyeless venomed Worm, With all the abhorred Births below Crisp Heaven, Whereon Hyperions quickening fire does shine: Yield him, who all the humane Sons do hate, From forth thy plenteous bosom, one poor root: Enseare thy Fertile and Conceptious womb, Let it no more bring out ingrateful man. Go great with Tigers, Dragons, Wolves, and Bears, Teem with new Monsters, whom thy upward face Hath to the Marbled Mansion all above Never presented. Oh, a Root, deer thanks: Dry up thy Marrows, Vines, and Plough-torne Leas, Whereof ingrateful man with Licourish draughts And Morsels Unctious, greases his pure mind, That from it all Consideration slips — More man? Plague, plague. It's then, because thou dost not keep a dog Whom I would imitate. Consumption catch thee. Were I Like thee, I'de throw away my self. A Fool of thee: depart. I hate thee worse. Thou flatterest misery. Why dost thou seek me out? Always a Villains Office, or a Fools. Dost please thy self in't? What, a Knave too? Not by his breath, that is more miserable. Thou art a Slave, whom Fortune's tender arm With favour never clasped: but bred a Dog. Hadst thou Like us from our first swath proceeded, The sweet degrees that this brief world affords, To such as may the passive drug of it Freely commandest: thou wouldst have plunged thy self In general Riot, melted down thy youth In different beds of Lust, and never learned The Icy precepts of respect, but followed The Sugared game before thee. But my self, Who had the world as my Confectionary, The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts of men, At duty more then I could frame employment; That numberless upon me stuck, as leaves Do on the Oak, have with one Winter's brush Fell from their boughs, and left me open, bore, For every storm that blows. I to bear this, That never knew but better, is some burden: Thy Nature, did commence in sufferance, Time Hath made thee hard in't. Why shouldst y u hate Men? They never flattered thee. What hast thou given? If thou wilt curse; thy Father (that poor rag) Must be thy subject; who in spite put stuff To some shee-Begger, and compounded thee Poor Rogue, hereditary. Hence, be gone, If thou hadst not be born the worst of men, Thou hadst be a Knave and Flatterer. I, that I am not thee. I, that I am one now. Were all the wealth I have shut up in thee, I'd give thee leave to hang It. Get thee gone: That the whole life of Athens were in this, Thus would I eat it. First mend thy company, take away thy self. It's not well mended so, it is but botched; If not, I would it were. Thee thither in a whirlwind: if thou wilt, Tell them there I have Gold, look, so I have. The best, and truest: For here it sleeps, and do's no hired harm. Under that's above me. Where feedest thou adais Apemantus? Would poison were obedient, & knew my mind To sauce thy dishes. On what I hate, I feed not. I, though it look Like thee. Who without those means thou talkest of, didst thou ever know beloved? I understand thee: thou hadst some means to keep a Dog. Women nearest, but men: men are the things themselves. What wouldst thou do with the world A pemantus, if it lay in thy power? Wouldst thou have thy self fallen in the confu sion of men, and remain a Beast with the Beasts. A beastly Ambition, which the Gods grant thee to attain to. If thou Wertenberg the Lion, the Fox would beguile thee if thou Wertenberg the Lamb, the Fox would eat thee: if thou Wertenberg the Fox, the Lion would suspect thee, when peradventure thou Wertenberg accused by the Ass: If thou Wertenberg the Ass, thy dulness would torment thee; and still thou livedst but as a Breakfast to the Wolf. If thou Wertenberg the Wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, & oft thou shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner. Wertenberg thou the Unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self the conquest of thy fury. Wertenberg thou a Bear, thou wouldst be killed by the Horse: Wertenberg thou a Horse, thou wouldst be seized by the Leo pard: Wertenberg thou a Leopard, thou Wertenberg Germane to the Lion, and the spots of thy Kindred, were Jurors on thy life. All thy safety were remotion, and thy defence ab sense. What Beast couldst thou be, that were not sub iect to a Beast: and what a Beast art thou already, that seest not thy lose in transformation. How ha the Ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the City. When there is nothing living but thee, Thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a Beggars Dog, Then Apemantus. Would thou Wertenberg clean enough To spit upon. All Villains That do stand by thee, are pure. If I name thee, I'll beat thee; But I should infect my hands. Away thou issue of a mangy dog, Choler does kill me, That thou art alive, I swooned to see thee. Away thou tedious Rogue, I am sorry I shall loose a stone by thee. Slave. Rogue, Rogue, Rogue. I am sick of this false world, and will love nought But even the mere necessities vpon't: Then Timon presently prepare thy graven: Lie where the light Foam of the Sea may beat Thy graven stone daily, make thine Epitaph, That death in me, at others lives may laugh. Oh thou sweet King-killer, and deer divorce Betwixt natural Sun and fire: thou bright defilet of Himens purest bed, thou valiant Mars, Thou ever, young, fresh, loved, and delicate wooer, Whose blush does thaw the consecrated Snow That lies on Dians lap. Thou visible God, That souldrest close Impossibilities, And makest them kiss; that speakest with every Tongue To every purpose: Oh thou touch of hearts, Think thy slaue-man rebels, and by thy virtue Set them into confounding odds, that Beasts May have the world in Empire. Thronged too? Thy back I prithee. Long live so, and so die. I am quit. Now Thieves. Both too, and women's Sons. 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 Oaks bear Mast, the Briers Scarlet Heps, The bounteous Huswife Nature, on each bush, Lays her full Mess before you. Want? why Want? Away: what art thou? Why dost ask that? I have forgotten all men. Then, if thou grunt'st, the art a man. I have forgotten thee. Then I know thee not: I never had honest man about me, I all I kept were Knaves, to serve in meat to Villains. What, dost thou weep? Come nearer, then I love thee Because thou art a woman, and dischargest Flinty mankind: whose eyes do never give, But thorough Lust and Laughter: pity's sleeping: Strange times y to weep with laughing, not with weeping. Had I a Steward So true, so joust, and now so comfortable? It almost turns my dangerous Nature wild. Let me behold thy face: Surely, this man Was born of woman. Forgive my general, and exceptlesse rashness You perpetual sober Gods. I do proclaim One honest man: Mistake me not, but one: No more I pray, and he's a Steward. How feign would I have hated all mankind, And thou redeemest thy self. But all save thee, I fell with Curses. Me thinks thou art more honest now, then wise: For, by oppressing and betraying me, Thou mightest have sooner God another Service: For many so arrive at second Master's, Upon their first Lords neck. But tell me true, (For I must ever doubt, though never 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? Look thee, it's so: thou singly honest man, Here take: the Gods out of my misery Ha sent thee Treasure. Go, live rich and happy, But thus conditioned: Thou shalt built from men: Hate all, curse all, show Charity to none, But let the famished flesh slide from the Bone, Ere thou relieve the Beggar. Give to dogs What thou deniest to men. Let Prisons swallow they, Debts wither'em to nothing, be men Like blasted woods And may Diseases lick up their false bloods, And so farewell, and thrive. If thou hatest Curses Stay not: fly, whilst thou art blessed and free: Never see thou man, and let me never see thee. I'll meet you at the turn: What a Gods Gold, that he is worshipped In a baser Temple, then where Swine feed? It's thou that riggest the Bark, and plowest the Foam, Settlest admired reverence in a Slave, To thee be worshipped, and thy Saints for aye: Be crowned with Plagues, that thee alone obey. Fit I meet them. you are honest men, you have herd that I have Gold, I am sure you have, speak truth, you are honest men. E'ne so sir as I say. And for thy fiction, Why thy Verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth, That thou art even Natural in thine Art. But for all this (my honest Natured friends) I must needs say you have a little fault, Marry it's not monstrous in you, neither wish I You take much pains to mend. You'll take it ill. There's never a one of you but trusts a Knave, That mightily deceives you. I, and you hear him cog, See him dissemble, Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Keep in your bosom, yet remain assured That he's a made-vp-Villaine. You that way, and you this: But two in Company: Each man a partly, all single, and alone, Yet and arch Villain keeps him company: If where thou art, two Villains shall not be, Come not near him. If thou wouldst not recide But where one Villain is, then him abandon. Hence, pack, there's Gold, you came for Gold you slaves: You have work for me; there's payment, hence, You are and Alcumist, make Gold of that: Out Rascal dogs. Thou Sun that comforts burn, Speak and be hanged: For each true word, a blister, and each false Be as a Cantherizing to the root of the Tongue, Consuming it with speaking. Of none but such as you, And you of Timon. I thank them, And would send them back the plague, Could I but catch it for them. You witch me in it; Surprise me to the very brink of tears; Lend me a Fools heart, and a woman's eyes, And I'll be weep these comforts, worthy Senators. Well sir, I will: therefore I will sir thus: If Alcibiades kill my Countrymen, Let Alcibiades know this of Timon, That Timon cares not. But if he sack fair Athens, And take our goodly aged men by' the Beards, Giving our holy Virgins to the stain Of contumelious, beastly, madbrained war: Then let him know, and tell him Timon speaks it, In pity of our aged, and our youth, I cannot choose but tell him that I care not, And let him tak't at worst: For their Knives care not, While you have throats to answer. For my self, There's not a whittle, in the unruly Camp, But I do prize it at my love, before The reverends Throat in Athens. So I leave you To the protection of the prosperous Gods, As Thieves to Keepers. 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. But yet I love my Country, and am not One that reioyces in the common wrack, As common bruit does put it. Commend me to my loving Countrymen. 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 throws That Nature's fragile Vessel does sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them, I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades wrath. 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 who so please To stop Affliction, let him take his haste; Come hither ere my Tree hath felt the Axe, And hang himself. I pray you do my greeting. Come not to me again, but say to Athens, Timon hath made his everlasting Mansion Upon the Beached Verge of the salt Flood, Who once a day with his embossed Froth The turbulent Surge shall cover; thither come, And let my gravestone be your Oracle: Lips, let four 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. Oh Apermantus, you are welcome. They're wecome all, let they have kind admit tance. Music make their welcome. 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 my self, then you can with modesty speak in your own behalf. And thus far I confirm you. O you Gods (think I,) what needs we have any Friends; if we should never have needs of' em? They were the most needless Creatures living; should we never have use for they? And would most resemble sweet Instruments hung up in Cases, that keeps there sounds to them selves. Why I have often wished my self poorer, that I might come nearer to you: we are born to do be fits. And what better or properer can we call our own, then the richer of our Friends? O what a precious come fort it's, to have so many Like Brother's commanding one another's Fortune's. O joys, e'ne made away er't can be born: mine eyes cannot hold out wate me thinks to forget their Faults. I drink to you. They have e'ene put my breath from me the slaves. Creditors? Devils. May you a better Feast never behold You knot of Mouth-Friends: Smoke, & lukewarm water Is your perfection. This is Timon's last, Who stuck and spangled you with Flatteries, Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces Your reeking villainy. Live loathed, and long Most smiling, smooth, detested Parasites, Courteous Destroyers, affable Wolves, meek Bears: You Fools of Fortune, Trencher-friends, Times Flies, Cap and knee-Slaues, vapours, and Minute Jacks. Of Man and Beast, the infinite Malady Crust you quite over. What dost thou go? Soft, take thy Physic first; thou too, and thou: Stay I will lend thee money, borrow none. What? All in Motion? Henceforth be no Feast, Whereat a Villain's not a welcome Guest. Burn house, sink Athens, henceforth hated be Of Timon Man, and all Humanity. Excellent Workman, Thou canst not paint a man so bad As is thy self. 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. Have I once lived To see two honest men? Let it go, Naked men may see't the better: You that are honest, by being what you are, Make them best seen, and known. I, you are honest man. Most honest men: Why how shall I requite you? Can you eat Roots, and drink cold water, no? Good honest men: Thou drawest a counterfeit Best in all Athens, the art indeed the best, Thou counterfet'st most lively. Will you indeed? 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, Confound them by some course, and come to me, I'll give you Gold enough. What, are my doors opposed against my passage? Have I been ever free, and must my house Be my retentive Enemy? My Gaol? The place which I have Feasted, does it now (Like all Mankind) show me and Iron heart? Nor on the Beasts themselves, the Birds & Fish, You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, That you are Thieves professed: that you work not In holier shapes: For there is boundless Theft In limited Professions. Rascal Thieves Here's Gold. Go, suck the subtle blood of the Grape, Till the high Favour sees your blood to froth, And so escape hanging. Trust not the Physician, His Antidotes are poison, and he slays More then you Rob: Take wealth, and lives together, Do Villain do, since you protest to doo't. Like Workmen, I'll example you with Thievery: The Suns a Thief, and with his great attraction Robs the vast Sea. The Moons and arrant Thief, And her pale fire, she snatches from the Sun. The Sea 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 Ha unchecked Theft. Love not your selves, away, 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 less, for this I give you, And Gold confound you howsoever: Amen.