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Timon of Athens (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
84
Timon of Athens.
735Foole. She's e'ne setting on water to scal'd such Chic-
kens as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth.
Ape. Good, Gramercy.

Enter Page.
Foole. Looke you, heere comes my Masters Page.
740Page. Why how now Captaine? what do you in this
wise Company.
How dost thou Apermantus?
Ape. Would I had a Rod in my mouth, that I might
answer thee profitably.
745Boy. Prythee Apemantus reade me the superscripti-
on of these Letters, I know not which is which.
Ape. Canst not read?
Page. No.
Ape. There will litle Learning dye then that day thou
750art hang'd. This is to Lord Timon, this to Alcibiades. Go
thou was't borne a Bastard, and thou't dye a Bawd.
Page. Thou was't whelpt a Dogge, and thou shalt
famish a Dogges death.
Answer not, I am gone.
Exit
755Ape. E'ne so thou out- runst Grace,
Foole I will go with you to Lord Timons.
Foole. Will you leaue me there?
Ape. If Timon stay at home.
You three serue three Vsurers?
760All. I would they seru'd vs.
Ape. So would I:
As good a tricke as euer Hangman seru'd Theefe.
Foole. Are you three Vsurers men?
All. I Foole.
765Foole. I thinke no Vsurer, but ha's a Foole to his Ser-
uant. My Mistris is one, and I am her Foole: when men
come to borrow of your Masters, they approach sadly,
and go away merry: but they enter my Masters house
merrily, and go away sadly. The reason of this?
770Var. I could render one.
Ap. Do it then, that we may account thee a Whore-
master, and a Knaue, which notwithstanding thou shalt
be no lesse esteemed.
Varro. What is a Whoremaster Foole?
775Foole. A Foole in good cloathes, and something like
thee. 'Tis a spirit, sometime t'appeares like a Lord, som-
time like a Lawyer, sometime like a Philosopher, with
two stones moe then's artificiall one. Hee is verie often
like a Knight; and generally, in all shapes that man goes
780vp and downe in, from fourescore to thirteen, this spirit
walkes in.
Var. Thou art not altogether a Foole.
Foole. Nor thou altogether a Wise man,
As much foolerie as I haue, so much wit thou lack'st.
785Ape. That answer might haue become Apemantus.
All. Aside, aside, heere comes Lord Timon.

Enter Timon and Steward.

Ape. Come with me (Foole) come.
Foole. I do not alwayes follow Louer, elder Brother,
790aad Woman, sometime the Philosopher.
Stew. Pray you walke neere,
Ile speake with you anon.
Exeunt.
Tim. You make me meruell wherefore ere this time
Had you not fully laide my state before me,
795That I might so haue rated my expence
As I had leaue of meanes.
Stew. You would not heare me:
At many leysures I propose.
Tim. Go too:
800Perchance some single vantages you tooke,
When my indisposition put you backe,
And that vnaptnesse made your minister
Thus to excuse your selfe.
Stew. O my good Lord,
805At many times I brought in my accompts,
Laid them before you, you would throw them off,
And say you sound them in mine honestie,
When for some trifling present you haue bid me
Returne so much, I haue shooke my head, and wept:
810Yea 'gainst th' Authoritie of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did indure
Not sildome, nor no slight checkes, when I haue
Prompted you in the ebbe of your estate,
And your great flow of debts; my lou'd Lord,
815Though you heare now (too late) yet nowes a time,
The greatest of your hauing, lackes a halfe,
To pay your present debts.
Tim. Let all my Land be sold.
Stew. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeyted and gone,
820And what remaines will hardly stop the mouth
Of present dues; the future comes apace:
What shall defend the interim, and at length
How goes our reck'ning?
Tim. To Lacedemon did my Land extend.
825Stew. O my good Lord, the world is but a word,
Were it all yours, to giue it in a breath,
How quickely were it gone.
Tim. You tell me true.
Stew. If you suspect my Husbandry or Falshood,
830Call me before th' exactest Auditors,
And set me on the proofe. So the Gods blesse me,
When all our Offices haue beene opprest
With riotous Feeders, when our Vaults haue wept
With drunken spilth of Wine; when euery roome
835Hath blaz'd with Lights, and braid with Minstrelsie,
I haue retyr'd me to a wastefull cocke,
And set mine eyes at flow.
Tim. Prythee no more.
Stew. Heauens, haue I said, the bounty of this Lord:
840How many prodigall bits haue Slaues and Pezants
This night englutted: who is not Timons,
What heart, head, sword, force, meanes, but is L. Timons:
Great Timon, Noble, Worthy, Royall Timon:
Ah, when the meanes are gone, that buy this praise,
845The breath is gone, whereof this praise is made:
Feast won, fast lost; one cloud of Winter showres,
These flyes are coucht.
Tim. Come sermon me no further.
No villanous bounty yet hath past my heart;
850Vnwisely, not ignobly haue I giuen.
Why dost thou weepe, canst thou the conscience lacke,
To thinke I shall lacke friends: secure thy heart,
If I would broach the vessels of my loue,
And try the argument of hearts, by borrowing,
855Men, and mens fortunes could I frankely vse
As I can bid thee speake.
Ste. Assurance blesse your thoughts.
Tim. And in some sort these wants of mine are crown'd,
That I account them blessings. For by these
860Shall I trie Friends. You shall perceiue
How you mistake my Fortunes:
I am wealthie in my Friends.
Within there, Flauius, Seruilius?
Enter