I'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still. AS TROILUS is going out, enter, from the other side, PANDARUS. Pan. But hear you, hear you! Tro. Hence, broker lackey! ignomy and shame Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name! [Exit TROILUS. Pan. A goodly med'cine for my aching bones!O world! world! world! thus is the poor agent despised! O traitors and bawds, how earnestly are you set a'work,and how ill requited! Why should our endeavor be so loved, and the performance so loathed what verse for it? what instance for it ?Let me see: • Ignominy, As many as be here of panders' hall, Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar's fall: Or, if you cannot weep, yet give some groans, Though not for me, yet for your aching bones. Brethren and sisters, of the hold-door trade, Some two months hence my will shall here be made: It should be now, but that my fear is this,— Some galled goose of Winchester would hiss: Till then I'll sweat, and seek about for cases; And, at that time, bequeath you my diseases. [Exit. Canvass hangings for rooms, painted with emblems and mottoes. 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 conjur'd to attend. I know the merchant. Pain. I know them both; t'other's a jeweller. Mer. O, 'tis a worthy lord! Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd,' as it were, To an untirable and contin late2 goodness: Jew. I have a jewel here. Mer. O, pray, let's see't: For the lord Timon, sir? It stains the glory in that happy verse 'Tis a good form. [Looking at the jewel. Jew. And rich: here is a water, look you. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication To the great lord. Inured by constant practice. Provokes itself, and, like the current, flies Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Poet. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shaped out a man, Pain. How shall I understand you? As soon as my book has been presented to Timon. • My design does not stop at any particular character. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, To climb his happiness, would be well express'd Poet. Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him Pain. Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants, A thousand moral paintings I can show, Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, attended; the His means most short, his creditors most strait: To those have shut him up; which, failing to him, Tim. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me To build his fortune, I will strain a little, mise. Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship; Never may [Exeunt LUCILIUS and old Athenian. Poet. Vouchsafe my labor, and long live your lordship! Tim. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon: Go not away. What have you there, my friend? Pain. A piece of painting, which I do beseech Your lordship to accept. Tim. Painting is welcome. Pain. Jew. What, my lord? dis praise? My lord, 'tis rated And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me: Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee. Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius! Enter LUCILIUS. Luc. Here, at your lordship's service. Tim. Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the common Mer. Apem. Till I be gentle, stay for thy good mnor row; Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this thy When thou art Timon's dog, and these Knaves Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus. Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon. Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. Tim. How lik'st thou this picture, Apemantus? Apem. The best, for the innocence. Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? Apem. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You are 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 should'st, thou'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies. Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. labor. Mer. Ay, Apemantus. Apem. Trafic 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! Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. Tim. What trumpet's that? Serv. 'Tis Alcibiades, and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me:-Go not you hence, Till I have thank'd you; and when dinner's done, Show me this piece.-I am joyful of your sights. us. Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company. Most welcome, sir! [They salute. Apem. So, so; there!Aches contract and starve your supple joints!That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves, And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey. Alcib. Sir, you have say'd my longing, and I feed Most hungrily on your sight. Tim. Right welcome, sir: Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in. [Exeunt all but APEMANTUS. Enter two Lords. 1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Apem. Time to be honest. Alluding to the proverb: Plain dealing is a jewel, but they who use it beggars. O, by no means, Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; I gave it freely ever; and there's none If our betters play at that game, we must not dare [They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown; But where there is true friendship, there needs Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome. Apem. You shall not make me welcome; No, I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; I come to observe; I give thee warning on't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should 2 Meed here means desert. i.e. All the customary returns made in discharge of obligations. Anger is a short madness. Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number I wonder men dare trust themselves with men: Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd. Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest theyshouldspymywindpipe's dangerous notes: Great men should drink with harness on their throats. Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;-and to all That of his bounties taste!-The five best senses Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely To gratulate thy plenteous bosom: The ear, Tim. My lord, in heart;7 and let the health go Taste, touch, smiell, all pleas'd from thy table rise; round. 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. Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like them; I could wish my best friend at such a feast. Apem. 'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; and then thou might'st kill 'em, and bid me to 'em. 1 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. 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 you not 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 never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for them; 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 benetits: 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 it 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. 2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up. Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. They only now come but to feast thine eyes. Tim. They are welcome all; let them have kind admittance: Music, make their welcome. [Exit CUPID. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd. Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a Masque of Ladies as Amazons, with Lutes in their Hands, dancing, and playing. Apem. Hey day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way! They dance! they are mad women. Like madness is the glory of this life, As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root. With poisonous spite, and envy. Who lives, that's not Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears 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, 1 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 [Exeunt CUPID, and Ladies. Tim. Flavius,— Flav. My lord. Tim. The little casket bring me hither. Flav. Yes, my lord.-More jewels yet! There is no crossing him in his humor; [Aside. Else I should tell him,-Well,-i'faith, I should, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd' then, an re could. 'Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind; That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. [Exit, and returns with the Casket. 1 Lord. Where be our men? Serv. 2 Lord. Our horses. Tim. Here, my lord, in readiness. O my friends, I have one word To say to you:-Look you, my good lord, I Entreat you, honor me so much, as to Advance this jewel; Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,All. So are we all. Enter a Servant. must Serv.My lord,there are certain nobles of the senate Newly alighted, and come to visit you. 9 Much, was formerly an expression of contemptuous admiration. 1 Shakspeare plays on the word crossed; alluding t the piece of silver money called a cross. 2 For his nobleness of soul. |