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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    86Timon of Athens.
    what necessity belong'd too't, and yet was deny'de.
    Luci. How?
    9952 I tell you, deny'de my Lord.
    Luci. What a strange case was that? Now before the
    Gods I am asham'd on't. Denied that honourable man?
    There was verie little Honour shew'd in't. For my owne
    part, I must needes confesse, I haue receyued some small
    1000kindnesses from him, as Money, Plate, Iewels, and such
    like Trifles; nothing comparing to his: yet had hee mi-
    stooke him, and sent to me, I should ne're haue denied his
    Occasion so many Talents.

    Enter Seruilius.
    1005Seruil. See, by good hap yonders my Lord, I haue
    swet to see his Honor. My Honor'd Lord.
    Lucil. Seruilius? You are kindely met sir. Farthewell,
    commend me to thy Honourable vertuous Lord, my ve-
    ry exquisite Friend.
    1010Seruil. May it please your Honour, my Lord hath
    sent---
    Luci. Ha? what ha's he sent? I am so much endeered
    to that Lord; hee's euer sending: how shall I thank him
    think'st thou? And what has he sent now?
    1015Seruil. Has onely sent his present Occasion now my
    Lord: requesting your Lordship to supply his instant vse
    with so many Talents.
    Lucil. I know his Lordship is but merry with me,
    He cannot want fifty fiue hundred Talents.
    1020Seruil. But in the mean time he wants lesse my Lord.
    If his occasion were not vertuous,
    I should not vrge it halfe so faithfully.
    Luc. Dost thou speake seriously Seruilius?
    Seruil. Vpon my soule 'tis true Sir.
    1025Luci. What a wicked Beast was I to disfurnish my
    self against such a good time, when I might ha shewn my
    selfe Honourable? How vnluckily it hapned, that I shold
    Purchase the day before for a little part, and vndo a great
    deale of Honour? Seruilius. now before the Gods I am
    1030not able to do (the more beast I say) I was sending to vse
    Lord Timon my selfe, these Gentlemen can witnesse; but
    I would not for the wealth of Athens I had done't now.
    Commend me bountifully to his good Lordship, and I
    hope his Honor will conceiue the fairest of mee, because
    1035I haue no power to be kinde. And tell him this from me,
    I count it one of my greatest afflictions say, that I cannot
    pleasure such an Honourable Gentleman. Good Seruili-
    us, will you befriend mee so farre, as to vse mine owne
    words to him?
    1040Ser. Yes sir, I shall. Exit Seruil.
    Lucil. Ile looke you out a good turne Seruilius.
    True as you said, Timon is shrunke indeede,
    And he that's once deny'de, will hardly speede. Exit.
    1 Do you obserue this Hostilius?
    10452 I, to well.
    1 Why this is the worlds soule,
    And iust of the same peece
    Is euery Flatterers sport: who can call him his Friend
    That dips in the same dish? For in my knowing
    1050Timon has bin this Lords Father,
    And kept his credit with his purse:
    Supported his estate, nay Timons money
    Has paid his men their wages. He ne're drinkes,
    But Timons Siluer treads vpon his Lip,
    1055And yet, oh see the monstrousnesse of man,
    When he lookes out in an vngratefull shape;
    He does deny him (in respect of his)
    What charitable men affoord to Beggers.
    3 Religion grones at it.
    10601 For mine owne part, I neuer tasted Timon in my life
    Nor came any of his bounties ouer me,
    To marke me for his Friend. Yet I protest,
    For his right Noble minde, illustrious Vertue,
    And Honourable Carriage,
    1065Had his necessity made vse of me,
    I would haue put my wealth into Donation,
    And the best halfe should haue return'd to him,
    So much I loue his heart: But I perceiue,
    Men must learne now with pitty to dispence,
    1070For Policy sits aboue Conscience. Exeunt.

    Enter a third seruant with Sempronius, another
    of Timons Friends.

    Semp. Must he needs trouble me in't? Hum.
    'Boue all others?
    1075He might haue tried Lord Lucius, or Lucullus,
    And now Ventidgius is wealthy too,
    Whom he redeem'd from prison. All these
    Owes their estates vnto him.
    Ser. My Lord,
    1080They haue all bin touch'd, and found Base-Mettle,
    For they haue all denied him.
    Semp. How? Haue they deny'de him?
    Has Ventidgius and Lucullus deny'de him,
    And does he send to me? Three? Humh?
    1085It shewes but little loue, or iudgement in him.
    Must I be his last Refuge? His Friends (like Physitians)
    Thriue, giue him ouer: Must I take th'Cure vpon me?
    Has much disgrac'd me in't, I'me angry at him,
    That might haue knowne my place. I see no sense for't,
    1090But his Occasions might haue wooed me first:
    For in my conscience, I was the first man
    That ere receiued guift from him.
    And does he thinke so backwardly of me now,
    That Ile requite it last? No:
    1095So it may proue an Argument of Laughter
    To th'rest, and 'mong'st Lords be thought a Foole:
    I'de rather then the worth of thrice the summe,
    Had sent to me first, but for my mindes sake:
    I'de such a courage to do him good. But now returne,
    1100And with their faint reply, this answer ioyne;
    Who bates mine Honor, shall not know my Coyne. Exit
    Ser. Excellent: Your Lordships a goodly Villain: the
    diuell knew not what he did, when hee made man Poli-
    ticke; he crossed himselfe by't: and I cannot thinke, but
    1105in the end, the Villanies of man will set him cleere. How
    fairely this Lord striues to appeare foule? Takes Vertu-
    ous Copies to be wicked: like those, that vnder hotte ar-
    dent zeale, would set whole Realmes on fire, of such a na-
    ture is his politike loue.
    1110This was my Lords best hope, now all are fled
    Saue onely the Gods. Now his Friends are dead,
    Doores that were ne're acquainted with their Wards
    Many a bounteous yeere, must be imploy'd
    Now to guard sure their Master:
    1115And this is all a liberall course allowes,
    Who cannot keepe his wealth, must keep his house. Exit.

    Enter Varro's man, meeting others. All Timons Creditors to
    wait for his comming out. Then enter Lucius
    and Hortensius.
    1120Var. man. Well met, goodmorrow Titus & Hortensius
    Titus
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