Tim. Both too; and women's sons.
Banditti. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.
Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. 42 i
Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath

roots;

Within this mile break forth a hundred springs;

The oaks bear mast, the briers scarlet hips;
The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush
Lays her full mess before you.

Want! why want? First Ban. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water, As beasts and birds and fishes.

Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds and fishes;
You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con 430
That you are thieves profess'd, 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 o' the grape,
Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth,
And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poison, and he slays

Moe than you rob: take wealth and lives together;

Do villany, do, since you protest to do 't,
Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery: 440
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun :
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture stol'n
From general excrement: each thing's a thief:
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves; 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 not less for this

I give you; and gold confound you howsoe'er !
Amen.
Third Ban. Has almost charmed me from my profes-

sion by persuading me to it.

First Ban. 'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

Sec. Ban. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade.

451

460

First Ban. Let us first see peace in Athens: there is no time so miserable but a man may be true. [Exeunt Banditti.

Flav. O you gods!

Enter Flavius.

Is yond despised and ruinous man my lord?
Full of decay and failing? O monument
And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd!
What an alteration of honour
Has desperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth than friends
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!
How rarely does it meet with this time's guise,
When man was wish'd to love his enemies!
Grant I may ever love, and rather woo

Those that would mischief me than those that do!
Has caught me in his eye: I will present

My honest grief unto him, and, as my lord,

Still serve him with my life. My dearest master!

470

Tim. Away! what art thou?

Flav.

Have you forgot me, sir? 480

Tim. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men ;

Then, if thou grant'st thou 'rt a man, I have forgot

thee.

Flav. An honest poor servant of yours.

Tim. Then I know thee not:

I never had honest man about me, I; all

I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains.

Flav. The gods are witness,

Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief

For his undone lord than mine eyes for you.

Tim. What, dost thou weep? come nearer; then I love thee, Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st

Flinty mankind, whose eyes do never give

491

But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping: Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping!

Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my lord,

To accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth lasts
To entertain me as your steward still.

Tim. Had I a steward.

So true, so just, and now so comfortable?
It almost turns my dangerous nature mild.
Let me behold thy face. Surely this man
Was born of woman.

Forgive my general and exceptless 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 fain would I have hated all mankind!
And thou redeem'st thyself: but all, save thee,

500

I fell with curses.

Methinks thou art more honest now than wise; 510
For, by oppressing and betraying me,

Thou mightst have sooner got another service:

For many so arrive at second masters,

Upon their first lord's neck.

But tell me true

For I must ever doubt, though ne'er 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?

520 did feast:

Flav. No, my most worthy master; in whose breast
Doubt and suspect, alas, are placed too late:
You should have fear'd false times when you
Suspect still comes where an estate is least.
That which I show, heaven knows, is merely love,
Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind,

Care of your food and living; and, believe it,

My most honour'd lord,

For any benefit that points to me,

Either in hope or present, I'ld exchange

For this one wish, that you had power and wealth
To requite me by making rich yourself.

530

Tim. Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly honest man,
Here, take the gods, out of my misery,

Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich and happy;
But thus condition'd: thou shalt build from men,
Hate all, curse all, show charity to none,

But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone

Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs

What thou deniest to men; let prisons swallow 'em,
Debts wither 'em to nothing: be men like blasted

woods,

Flav.

Tim.

their false bloods!

And may diseases lick up
And so farewell, and thrive.

O, let me stay

And comfort you, my master.

If thou hatest curses
Stay not: fly, whilst thou art blest and free :
Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee.

540

[Exeunt severally.

ACT FIFTH.

Scene I.

The woods. Before Timon's cave.

Enter Poet and Painter; Timon watching them from

his cave.

Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot be far
where he abides.

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:
'tis said he gave unto his steward a mighty sum.
Poet. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for
his friends.
Pain. Nothing else: you shall see him a palm in

Athens again, and flourish with the highest.
Therefore 'tis 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

ΙΟ