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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    84Timon 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
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