The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Pain. I saw them speak together. Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill 64 Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: the base o' the mount

Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, That labour on the bosom of this sphere

To propagate their states: amongst them all, 68 Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd, One do I personate of Lord Timon's frame, Whom Fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her;

Noble Ventidius! Well; 100 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.

104

Mess. Your lordship ever binds him.
Tim. Commend me to him. I will send his

ransom;

And being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me. 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up,

Whose present grace to present slaves and But to support him after. Fare you well. servants

Translates his rivals.

Pain.

'Tis conceiv'd to scope.

This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks,

With one man beckon'd from the rest below,
Bowing his head against the steepy mount 76
To climb his happiness, would be well express'd
In our condition.

Poet.
Nay, sir, but hear me on.
All those which were his fellows but of late,

108

Mess. All happiness to your honour. [Exit.

Enter an Old Athenian.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
Tim.
Freely, good father.
Old Ath. Thou hast a servant nam'd Lucilius.
Tim. I have so: what of him?
113
Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man
before thee.

On whom I may confer what I have got:
The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride, 124
And I have bred her at my dearest cost
In qualities of the best. This man of thine
Attempts her love: I prithee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her resort;
Myself have spoke in vain.

Tim.

128

The man is honest.
Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon:
His honesty rewards him in itself;

It must not bear my daughter.

Tim.

Your lordship to accept.
Tim.

Painting is welcome.
The painting is almost the natural man;
For since dishonour traffics with man's nature,
He is but outside: these pencil'd figures are 160
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.
Pain.
The gods preserve you!
Tim. Well fare you, gentleman: give me
your hand;

164

We must needs dine together. Sir, your jewel
Hath suffer'd under praise.

Jew.
What, my lord! dispraise?
Tim. A mere satiety of commendations.
If I should pay you for 't as 'tis extoll'd, 168
It would unclew me quite.
Jew.

My lord, 'tis rated
As those which sell would give: but you well
know,

Does she love him? 132 Things of like value, differing in the owners,
Are prized by their masters. Believe 't, dear

Old Ath. She is young and apt:
Our own precedent passions do instruct us
What levity's in youth.

Tim. [TO LUCILIUS.] Love you the maid?
Luc. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it.
Old Ath. If in her marriage my consent be
missing,

137

I call the gods to witness, I will choose
Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world,
And dispossess her all.

Tim.
How shall she be endow'd,
If she be mated with an equal husband? 141
Old Ath. Three talents on the present; in
future, all.

Tim. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me
long:

lord,

You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
Tim. Well mock'd.

172

Apem. Thou know'st I do; I call'd thee by thy name.

188

Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus.
Apem. Of nothing so much as that I am not

like Timon.

Tim. Whither art going?

192

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.

197

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes not!

Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

Apem. Traffic's thy god, and thy god confound thee!

Trumpet sounds. Enter a Servant. Tim. What trumpet's that?

The very heart of kindness.

249

Sec. Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but his steward: no meed but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him But breeds the giver a return exceeding All use of quittance.

288

291

252

First Lord. The noblest mind he carries That ever govern'd man.

Serv. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse, All of companionship.

Sec. Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 295

First Lord. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. A Room of State in TIMON'S House.

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and Others attending: then enter LORD TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, and Senators, VENTIDIUS and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS discontentedly, like himself. Ven. Most honour'd Timon,

It hath pleas'd the gods to remember my father's age,

And call him to long peace.

He is gone happy, and has left me rich:
Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound

To your free heart, I do return those talents, Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help

I deriv'd liberty.