1508Plucke the graue wrinkled Senate from the Bench,

1509And minister in their steeds, to generall Filthes.

1510Conuert o'th'Instant greene Virginity,

1511Doo't in your Parents eyes. Bankrupts, hold fast

1512Rather then render backe; out with your Kniues,

1513And cut your Trusters throates. Bound Seruants, steale,

1514Large-handed Robbers your graue Masters are,

1515And pill by Law. Maide, to thy Masters bed,

1516Thy Mistris is o'th'Brothell. Some of sixteen,

1517Plucke the lyn'd Crutch from thy old limping Sire,

1518With it, beate out his Braines, Piety, and Feare,

1519Religion to the Gods, Peace, Iustice, Truth,

1520Domesticke awe, Night-rest, and Neighbour-hood,

1521Instruction, Manners, Mysteries, and Trades,

1522Degrees, Obseruances, Customes, and Lawes,

1523Decline to your confounding contraries.

1524And yet Confusion liue: Plagues incident to men,

1525Your potent and infectious Feauors, heape

1526On Athens ripe for stroke. Thou cold Sciatica,

1527Cripple our Senators, that their limbes may halt

1528As lamely as their Manners. Lust, and Libertie

1529Creepe in the Mindes and Marrowes of our youth,

1530That 'gainst the streame of Vertue they may striue,

1531And drowne themselues in Riot. Itches, Blaines,

1532Sowe all th'Athenian bosomes, and their crop

1533Be generall Leprosie: Breath, infect breath,

1534That their Society (as their Friendship) may

1535Be meerely poyson. Nothing Ile beare from thee

1536But nakednesse, thou detestable Towne,

1537Take thou that too, with multiplying Bannes:

1538Timon will to the Woods, where he shall finde

1539Th'vnkindest Beast, more kinder then Mankinde.

1540The Gods confound (heare me you good Gods all)

1541Th'Athenians both within and out that Wall:

1542And graunt as Timon growes, his hate may grow

1543To the whole race of Mankinde, high and low.

1544Amen. Exit.

15461 Heare you M. Steward, where's our Master?

1547Are we vndone, cast off, nothing remaining?

1548Stew. Alack my Fellowes, what should I say to you?

1549Let me be recorded by the righteous Gods,

1550I am as poore as you.

15511 Such a House broke?

1552So Noble a Master falne, all gone, and not

1553One Friend to take his Fortune by the arme,

1554And go along with him.

15552 As we do turne our backes

1556From our Companion, throwne into his graue,

1557So his Familiars to his buried Fortunes

1558Slinke all away, leaue their false vowes with him

1559Like empty purses pickt; and his poore selfe

1560A dedicated Beggar to the Ayre,

1561With his disease, of all shunn'd pouerty,

1562Walkes like contempt alone. More of our Fellowes.

1564Stew. All broken Implements of a ruin'd house.

15653 Yet do our hearts weare Timons Liuery,

1566That see I by our Faces: we are Fellowes still,

1567Seruing alike in sorrow: Leak'd is our Barke,

1568And we poore Mates, stand on the dying Decke,

1569Hearing the Surges threat: we must all part

1570Into this Sea of Ayre.

1571Stew. Good Fellowes all,

1572The latest of my wealth Ile share among'st you.

1573Where euer we shall meete, for Timons sake,

1574Let's yet be Fellowes. Let's shake our heads, and say

1575As 'twere a Knell vnto our Masters Fortunes,

1576We haue seene better dayes. Let each take some:

1577Nay put out all your hands: Not one word more,

1578Thus part we rich in sorrow, parting poore.

1580Oh the fierce wretchednesse that Glory brings vs!

1581Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,

1582Since Riches point to Misery and Contempt?

1583Who would be so mock'd with Glory, or to liue

1584But in a Dreame of Friendship,

1585To haue his pompe, and all what state compounds,

1586But onely painted like his varnisht Friends:

1587Poore honest Lord, brought lowe by his owne heart,

1588Vndone by Goodnesse: Strange vnvsuall blood,

1589When mans worst sinne is, He do's too much Good.

1590Who then dares to be halfe so kinde agen?

1591For Bounty that makes Gods, do still marre Men.

1592My deerest Lord, blest to be most accurst,

1593Rich onely to be wretched; thy great Fortunes

1594Are made thy cheefe Afflictions. Alas (kinde Lord)

1595Hee's flung in Rage from this ingratefull Seate

1596Of monstrous Friends:

1597Nor ha's he with him to supply his life,

1598Or that which can command it:

1599Ile follow and enquire him out.

1600Ile euer serue his minde, with my best will,

1601Whilst I haue Gold, Ile be his Steward still. Exit.

1603Tim. O blessed breeding Sun, draw from the earth

1604Rotten humidity: below thy Sisters Orbe

1605Infect the ayre. Twin'd Brothers of one wombe,

1606Whose procreation, residence, and birth,

1607Scarse is diuidant; touch them with seuerall fortunes,

1608The greater scornes the lesser. Not Nature

1609(To whom all sores lay siege) can beare great Fortune

1610But by contempt of Nature.

1611Raise me this Begger, and deny't that Lord,

1612The Senators shall beare contempt Hereditary,

1613The Begger Natiue Honor.

1614It is the Pastour Lards, the Brothers sides,

1615The want that makes him leaue: who dares? who dares

1616In puritie of Manhood stand vpright

1617And fay, this mans a Flatterer. If one be,

1618So are they all: for euerie grize of Fortune

1619Is smooth'd by that below. The Learned pate

1620Duckes to the Golden Foole. All's obliquie:

1621There's nothing leuell in our cursed Natures

1622But direct villanie. Therefore be abhorr'd,

1623All Feasts, Societies, and Throngs of men.

1624His semblable, yea himselfe Timon disdaines,

1625Destruction phang mankinde; Earth yeeld me Rootes,

1626Who seekes for better of thee, sawce his pallate

1627With thy most operant Poyson. What is heere?

1628Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious Gold?

1629No Gods, I am no idle Votarist,

1630Roots you cleere Heauens. Thus much of this will make

1631Blacke, white; fowle, faire; wrong, right;

1632Base, Noble; Old, young; Coward, valiant.

1633Ha you Gods! why this? what this, you Gods? why this

1634Will lugge your Priests and Seruants from your sides:

1635Plucke stout mens pillowes from below their heads.