Enter Poet and Painter; TIMON watching them from his cave PAINTER OF S I TOOK NOTE POET. What's to be thought of him? does the rumour hold for true, that he's 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: 't is said he gave unto his steward a mighty sum. POET. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends. 1-2 As I took note . . . abides] The painter had obviously already dis covered Timon's retreat and has learnt of his recent interviews with Alcibiades, the Banditti and the steward. Cf. lines 5-8, infra. Ape 10 PAIN. Nothing else: you shall see him a palm in Athens again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore 't is 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 travail 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. I must serve him so too, tell him of an intent 20 that's coming toward him. PAIN. Good as the best. the time: it is ever the duller for his act; and, but 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 or testament which argues a great sickness in his judgement that makes it. Promising is the very air o' opens the eyes of expectation: performance [Timon comes from his cave, behind. TIM. [Aside] Excellent workman! thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself. mantus' remark: "Yonder comes a poet and a painter" (III, iv, 348, supra, and note) in no way accounts for their actual arrival on the scene. 11 a palm] Cf. Psalm xcii, 12: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree." 15 load our purposes] fill up, thoroughly fulfil, our purposes; purses has been unconvincingly proposed for purposes. 16 his having] his wealth; so II, ii, 145, supra. 24-26 but in the plainer . . . out of use] except among the lower orders the performance of one's promise is quite out of fashion. 30 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. [Aside] 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, TIM. [Aside] 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! "T is 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 meet them. POET. Hail, worthy Timon! [Coming forward. Our late noble master! 32 a personating of himself a presentation of his own case. 42 black-corner'd night] night which is obscure as a dark corner or which creates dark corners. Many changes have been suggested for black-corner'd, e. g., black-curtain'd, black-colour'd, but none carries conviction. 45 at the turn] as you turn in your walk. 40 50 TIM. Have I once lived to see two honest men? Having often of your open bounty tasted, - Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence With any size of words. TIM. 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. PAIN. He and myself Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts, TIM. Ay, you are honest men. 60 PAIN. We are hither come to offer you our service. 70 TIM. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you? Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. BOTH. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service. TIM. Ye're honest men: ye've heard that I have gold; I am sure you have: speak truth; ye're honest men. PAIN. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend nor I. TIM. Good honest men! Thou draw'st a counterfeit 62 I am rapt] I am amazed, I am beside myself. 78 Thou draw'st a counterfeit] Thou canst paint a portrait. "Counterfeit" is often seriously used thus. Cf. Merch. of Ven., III, ii, 115: “Fair Best in all Athens: thou'rt indeed the best; PAIN. TIM. E'en so, sir, as I say. So, so, my lord. And, for thy fiction, Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth But, for all this, my honest-natured friends, Marry, 't is not monstrous in you; neither wish I Вотн. To make it known to us. TIM. 80 Beseech your honour You'll take it ill. Will you, indeed? 90 BOTH. Most thankfully, my lord.. BOTH. Doubt it not, worthy lord. TIм. There's never a one of you but trusts a knave That mightily deceives you. Вотн. Do we, my lord? TIм. Ay, 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-up villain. Portia's counterfeit." But Timon here has an eye to the word's other meaning of "cheat." See line 79, infra. 80 Thou counterfeit❜st most lively] Thou art a thorough imposter. 88 even natural in thine art] A poet by nature, with a quibble on “natural” in the sense of "idiot." 93 cog] cheat. 94 patchery] roguery. Cf. Troil. and Cress., II, iii, 67: "Such patchery... and such knavery!" 96 a made-up villain] probably, a finished villain. |