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  • Title: Timon of Athens (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Timon of Athens (Folio 1, 1623)

    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.
    630Enter 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.
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