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Timon of Athens (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
Timon of Athens.
83
Tim. Nay, and you begin to raile on Societie once, I
am sworne not to giue regard to you. Farewell, & come
610with better Musicke.
Exit
Aper. So: Thou wilt not heare mee now, thou shalt
not then. Ile locke thy heauen from thee:
Oh that mens eares should be
To Counsell deafe, but not to Flatterie.
Exit
615
Enter a Senator.
Sen. And late fiue thousand: to Varro and to Isidore
He owes nine thousand, besides my former summe,
Which makes it fiue and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold, it will not.
620If I want Gold, steale but a beggers Dogge,
And giue it Timon, why the Dogge coines Gold.
If I would sell my Horse, and buy twenty moe
Better then he; why giue my Horse to Timon.
Aske nothing, giue it him, it Foles me straight
625And able Horses: No Porter at his gate,
But rather one that smiles, and still inuites
All that passe by. It cannot hold, no reason
Can sound his state in safety. Caphis hoa,
Caphis I say.
630
Enter Caphis.
Ca. Heere sir, what is your pleasure.
Sen. Get on your cloake, & hast you to Lord Timon,
Importune him for my Moneyes, be not ceast
With slight deniall; nor then silenc'd, when
635Commend me to your Master, and the Cap
Playes in the right hand, thus: but tell him,
My Vses cry to me; I must serue my turne
Out of mine owne, his dayes and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
640Haue smit my credit. I loue, and honour him,
But must not breake my backe, to heale his finger.
Immediate are my needs, and my releefe
Must not be tost and turn'd to me in words,
But finde supply immediate. Get you gone,
645Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand: for I do feare
When euery Feather stickes in his owne wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a Phoenix, get you gone.
650Ca. I go sir.
Sen. I go sir?
Take the Bonds along with you,
And haue the dates in. Come.
Ca. I will Sir.
655Sen. Go.
Exeunt
Enter Steward, with many billes in his hand.
Stew. No care, no stop, so senselesse of expence,
That he will neither know how to maintaine it,
Nor cease his flow of Riot. Takes no accompt
660How things go from him, nor resume no care
Of what is to continue: neuer minde,
Was to be so vnwise, to be so kinde.
What shall be done, he will not heare, till feele:
I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting.
665Fye, fie, fie, fie.

Enter Caphis, Isidore, and Varro.
Cap. Good euen Varro: what, you come for money?
Var. Is't not your businesse too?
Cap. It is, and yours too, Isidore?
670Isid. It is so.
Cap. Would we were all discharg'd.
Var. I feare it,
Cap. Heere comes the Lord.

Enter Timon, and his Traine.
675Tim. So soone as dinners done, wee'l forth againe
My Alcibiades. With me, what is your will?
Cap. My Lord, heere is a note of certaine dues.
Tim. Dues? whence are you?
Cap. Of Athens heere, my Lord.
680Tim. Go to my Steward.
Cap. Please it your Lordship, he hath put me off
To the succession of new dayes this moneth:
My Master is awak'd by great Occasion,
To call vpon his owne, and humbly prayes you,
685That with your other Noble parts, you'l suite,
In giuing him his right.
Tim. Mine honest Friend,
I prythee but repaire to me next morning.
Cap. Nay, good my Lord.
690Tim. Containe thy selfe, good Friend.
Var. One Varroes seruant, my good Lord.
Isid. From Isidore, he humbly prayes your speedy pay-
ment.
Cap. If you did know my Lord, my Masters wants.
695Var. 'Twas due on forfeyture my Lord, sixe weekes,
and past.
Isi. Your Steward puts me off my Lord, and I
Am sent expressely to your Lordship.
Tim. Giue me breath:
700I do beseech you good my Lords keepe on,
Ile waite vpon you instantly. Come hither: pray you
How goes the world, that I am thus encountred
With clamorous demands of debt, broken Bonds,
And the detention of long since due debts
705Against my Honor?
Stew. Please you Gentlemen,
The time is vnagreeable to this businesse:
Your importunacie cease, till after dinner,
That I may make his Lordship vnderstand
710Wherefore you are not paid.
Tim. Do so my Friends, see them well entertain'd.
Stew. Pray draw neere.
Exit.
Enter Apemantus and Foole.
Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the Foole with Apeman-
715tus, let's ha some sport with 'em.
Var. Hang him, hee'l abuse vs.
Isid. A plague vpon him dogge.
Var. How dost Foole?
Ape. Dost Dialogue with thy shadow?
720Var. I speake not to thee.
Ape. No 'tis to thy selfe. Come away.
Isi. There's the Foole hangs on your backe already.
Ape. No thou stand'st single, th'art not on him yet.
Cap. Where's the Foole now?
725Ape. He last ask'd the question. Poore Rogues, and
Vsurers men, Bauds betweene Gold and want.
Al. What are we Apemantus?
Ape. Asses.
All. Why?
730Ape. That you ask me what you are, & do not know
your selues. Speake to 'em Foole.
Foole. How do you Gentlemen?
All. Gramercies good Foole:
How does your Mistris?
Foole.