Page images
PDF
EPUB

Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd ;` If not, I would it were.

Apem. What would'st thou have to Athens? Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have. Apem. Here is no use for gold.

The best, and truest:

Tim.
For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm.
Apem. Where ly'st o'nights, Timon?

Tim.

Under that's above me.

Where feed'st thou o'days, Apemantus?
Apem. Where

where I eat it.

my stomach finds meat; or, rather,

Tim. 'Would poison were obedient, and knew my mind!

Apem. Where would'st thou send it?

Tim. To sauce thy dishes.

Apem. The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the extremity of both ends: When thou wast in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity 48; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art despised for the contrary. There's a medlar for thee, eat it.

Tim. On what I hate, I feed not.
Apem. Dost hate a medlar?

Tim. Ay, though it look like thee.

Apem. An thou hadst hated medlers sooner, thou should'st have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know unthrift, that was beloved after his means?

Tim. Who, without those means thou talkest of, didst thou ever know beloved?

48 Curiosity is scrupulous exactness, finical niceness. Baret explains it picked diligence, Accuratus corporis cultus. A waiting gentlewoman should flee affection or curiosity,' (i. e. affectation or overniceness.)-Castiglione's Courtier, by Sir Thomas Hobby, 1556. It sometimes means scrupulous anxiety, precision.

Apem. Myself.

Tim. I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a dog.

Apem. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers?

Tim. Women nearest; but men, men are the things themselves. What would'st thou do with the world, Apemantus, if it lay in thy power?

Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men.

Tim. Would'st thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts? Apem.. Ay, Timon.

Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee to attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox would beguile thee: if thou wert the lamb, the fox would eat thee: if thou wert the fox, the lion would suspect thee, when, peradventure, thou wert accused by the ass if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would torment thee; and still thou livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou should'st hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self the conquest of thy fury 49: wert thou a bear, thou wouldst be kill'd by the horse: wert thou a horse, thou would'st be seized by the leopard: wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion5o, and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life: all thy safety were remotion 51, and thy defence, absence. What beast could'st thou be, that

49 Alluding to the unicorn's being sometimes overcome from striking his horn into a tree in his furious pursuit of an enemy. See Gesner's History of Animals, and Julius Cæsar, Act ii. Sc. 1, note 24.

50 This seems to imply that the lion' bears, like the Turk, no brother near the throne.'

51 Both Steevens and Malone are wrong in their explanation VOL. VIII. K

were not subject to a beast? and what a beast art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transformation?

Apem. If thou could'st please me with speaking to me, thou might'st have hit upon it here: The commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts.

Tim. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city?

Apem. Yonder comes a poet, and a painter: The plague of company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it, and give way: When I know not what else to do, I'll see thee again.

Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog, than Apemantus.

Apem. Thou art the cap 52 of all the fools alive. Tim. 'Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon. Apem. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to curse. Tim. All villains, that do stand by thee, are pure 53. Apem. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st. Tim. If I name thee,—

I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands.

---

Apem. I would, my tongue could rot them off! Tim Away, thou issue of a mangy dog! Choler does kill me, that thou art alive;

I swoon to see thee.

Apem.

Tim.

'Would thou would'st burst!

Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry, I shall lose

A stone by thee.

Apem.

[ocr errors]

Beast!

[ocr errors]

Away,

[Throws a stone at him.

[ocr errors]

of remotion here; which is neither removing from place to place,' nor remoteness;' but removing away, removing afar off. Remotio.'

52 i. e. the top, the principal. 53 See Act iii. Sc. 4, note 4.

[blocks in formation]

Rogue, rogue, rogue!

[APEMANTUS retreats backward, as going. I am sick of this false world; and will love nought But even the mere necessities upon it. Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave; Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat Thy grave-stone daily: make thine epitaph, That death in me at others' lives may laugh. O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce

[Looking on the gold. 'Twixt natural son and sire 54! thou bright defiler Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars! Thou ever young, fresh, lov'd, and delicate wooer, Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow That lies on Dian's lap 55! thou visible god, That solder'st close impossibilities,

And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every tongue,

To every purpose! O thou touch 56 of hearts!
Think, thy slave man rebels; and by thy virtue
Set them into confounding odds, that beasts
May have the world in empire!

Apem.

'Would 'twere so;

But not till I am dead!--I'll say thou hast gold: Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly.

[blocks in formation]

Throng'd to?

Ay.

Anacreon.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Apem.

Live, and love thy misery!

Tim. Long live so, and so die!—I am quit.— [Exit APEMANTUS. More things like men?-Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

Enter Thieves 57.

1 Thief. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some slender ort of his remainder The mere want of gold, and the fallingfrom of his friends, drove him into this melancholy.

2 Thief. It is noised, he hath a mass of treasure. 3 Thief. Let us make the assay upon him; if he care not for't, he will supply us easily; If he covetously reserve it, how shall's get it?

2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid.

1 Thief. Is not this he?

Thieves. Where?

2 Thief. 'Tis his description. 3 Thief. He; I know him. Thieves. Save thee, Timon. Tim. Now, thieves?

Thieves. Soldiers, not thieves.

Tim. Both too; and women's sons.

Thieves. We are not thieves, but men that much

do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of

men 58

[ocr errors]

57 The old copy reads Enter the Banditti,'

58 The old copy reads:

'Your greatest want is, you want much of meat.'

Theobald proposed 'you want much of meet,' i. e. much of what you ought to be, much of the qualities befitting you as human creatures. Steevens says, perhaps we should read:

'Your greatest want is, you want much of me.'

Your greatest want is that you expect supplies from me, of whom you can reasonably expect nothing. Your necessities are

« PreviousContinue »