The Life Of Timon Of Athens

1 Enter Poet and Painter.
2 PAINTER.
3 As I took note of the place, it cannot be far where he abides.
4 POET.
5 What’s to be thought of him? Does the rumour hold for true that he is
6 so full of gold?
7 PAINTER.
8 Certain. Alcibiades reports it; Phrynia and Timandra had gold of him.
9 He likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quantity. ’Tis
10 said he gave unto his steward a mighty sum.
11 POET.
12 Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends?
13 PAINTER.
14 Nothing else. You shall see him a palm in Athens again, and flourish
15 with the highest. Therefore ’tis not amiss we tender our loves to him
16 in this supposed distress of his. It will show honestly in us and is
17 very likely to load our purposes with what they travail for, if it be a
18 just and true report that goes of his having.
19 POET.
20 What have you now to present unto him?
21 PAINTER.
22 Nothing at this time but my visitation; only I will promise him an
23 excellent piece.
24 POET.
25 I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent that’s coming toward
26 him.
27 PAINTER.
28 Good as the best. Promising is the very air o’ th’ time; it opens the
29 eyes of expectation. Performance is ever the duller for his act and,
30 but in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the deed of saying is
31 quite out of use. To promise is most courtly and fashionable;
32 performance is a kind of will or testament which argues a great
33 sickness in his judgment that makes it.
34 Enter Timon from his cave.
35 TIMON.
36 [_Aside_.] Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so bad as is
37 thyself.
38 POET.
39 I am thinking what I shall say I have provided for him. It must be a
40 personating of himself, a satire against the softness of prosperity,
41 with a discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and
42 opulency.
43 TIMON.
44 [_Aside_.] Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt
45 thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so, I have gold for thee.
46 POET.
47 Nay, let’s seek him.
48 Then do we sin against our own estate
49 When we may profit meet and come too late.
50 PAINTER.
51 True.
52 When the day serves, before black-cornered night,
53 Find what thou want’st by free and offered light.
54 Come.
55 TIMON.
56 [_Aside_.] I’ll meet you at the turn. What a god’s gold,
57 That he is worshipped in a baser temple
58 Than where swine feed!
59 ’Tis thou that rigg’st the bark and plough’st the foam,
60 Settlest admired reverence in a slave.
61 To thee be worship, and thy saints for aye
62 Be crowned with plagues, that thee alone obey!
63 Fit I meet them.
64 [_He comes forward._]
65 POET.
66 Hail, worthy Timon!
67 PAINTER.
68 Our late noble master!
69 TIMON.
70 Have I once lived to see two honest men?
71 POET.
72 Sir,
73 Having often of your open bounty tasted,
74 Hearing you were retired, your friends fall’n off,
75 Whose thankless natures—O abhorred spirits!
76 Not all the whips of heaven are large enough—
77 What, to you,
78 Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence
79 To their whole being? I am rapt and cannot cover
80 The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude
81 With any size of words.
82 TIMON.
83 Let it go naked. Men may see’t the better.
84 You that are honest, by being what you are,
85 Make them best seen and known.
86 PAINTER.
87 He and myself
88 Have travailed in the great shower of your gifts,
89 And sweetly felt it.
90 TIMON.
91 Ay, you are honest men.
92 PAINTER.
93 We are hither come to offer you our service.
94 TIMON.
95 Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you?
96 Can you eat roots and drink cold water? No?
97 BOTH.
98 What we can do we’ll do, to do you service.
99 TIMON.
100 Ye’re honest men. Ye’ve heard that I have gold,
101 I am sure you have. Speak truth, you’re honest men.
102 PAINTER.
103 So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore
104 Came not my friend nor I.
105 TIMON.
106 Good honest men! [_To Painter_.] Thou draw’st a counterfeit
107 Best in all Athens. Thou’rt indeed the best,
108 Thou counterfeit’st most lively.
109 PAINTER.
110 So so, my lord.
111 TIMON.
112 E’en so, sir, as I say. [_To the Poet_.] And for thy fiction,
113 Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth
114 That thou art even natural in thine art.
115 But for all this, my honest-natured friends,
116 I must needs say you have a little fault.
117 Marry, ’tis not monstrous in you, neither wish I
118 You take much pains to mend.
119 BOTH.
120 Beseech your honour
121 To make it known to us.
122 TIMON.
123 You’ll take it ill.
124 BOTH.
125 Most thankfully, my lord.
126 TIMON.
127 Will you indeed?
128 BOTH.
129 Doubt it not, worthy lord.
130 TIMON.
131 There’s never a one of you but trusts a knave
132 That mightily deceives you.
133 BOTH.
134 Do we, my lord?
135 TIMON.
136 Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,
137 Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,
138 Keep in your bosom, yet remain assured
139 That he’s a made-up villain.
140 PAINTER.
141 I know not such, my lord.
142 POET.
143 Nor I.
144 TIMON.
145 Look you, I love you well. I’ll give you gold.
146 Rid me these villains from your companies,
147 Hang them or stab them, drown them in a draught,
148 Confound them by some course, and come to me,
149 I’ll give you gold enough.
150 BOTH.
151 Name them, my lord, let’s know them.
152 TIMON.
153 You that way, and you this, but two in company.
154 Each man apart, all single and alone,
155 Yet an arch-villain keeps him company.
156 [_To one_.] If where thou art, two villians shall not be,
157 Come not near him. [_To the other_.] If thou wouldst not reside
158 But where one villain is, then him abandon.
159 Hence, pack! There’s gold. You came for gold, ye slaves.
160 [_To one_.] You have work for me, there’s payment, hence!
161 [_To the other_.] You are an alchemist; make gold of that.
162 Out, rascal dogs!
163 [_Timon drives them out and then retires to his cave_]