TIM.

Beast!

Slave!

Toad!

Rogue, rogue, rogue! [APEMANTUS retreats backward, as going. I am sick of this false world; and will love nought But even the mere necessities upon it. Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave; Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat Thy grave-stone daily: make thine epitaph, That death in me at others' lives may laugh. O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce

[Looking on the gold. "Twixt natural son and sire!* thou bright defiler Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars! Thou ever young, fresh, lov'd, and delicate wooer, Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god, That solder'st close impossibilities,

And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every

2 BAN. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid.

1 BAN. Is not this he? BANDITTI. Where?

2 BAN. "T is his description.

3 BAN. He; I know him.
BANDITTI. Save thee, Timon.
TIM. Now, thieves !

BANDITTI. Soldiers, not thieves.
TIM. Both too; and women's sons.
BANDITTI. We are not thieves, but men that
much do want.

meat.

TIM. Your greatest want is, you want much of [roots: Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath Within this mile break forth a hundred springs; The oaks bear mast, the briars scarlet hips; The bounteous housewife, Nature, on each bush Lays her full mess before you. Want! why want? 1 BAN. We cannot live on grass, on berries,

water,

As beasts, and birds, and fishes.

TIM. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes;

You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con,
That you are thieves profess'd; that you work not
In holier shapes for there is boundless theft
In limited professions. Rascal thieves,

:

Here's gold: go, suck the subtle blood o' the grape,

Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth, And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician; His antidotes are poison, and he slays

More than you rob: take wealth and lives together;

Do villainy,† do, since you protest to do't,
Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery:
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon 's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun:
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture stol'n
From general excrement: each thing's a thief;(4)
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough

(*) Old text, Moe.

is assigned to Apemantus.

(f) Old text, Vilaine.

b Steal not less,-] Not, which is omitted in the old copies, was first supplied by Rowe.

3 BAN. H'as almost charmed me from my profession, by persuading me to it.

1 BAN. "Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

2 BAN. I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade.

1 BAN. Let us first see peace in Athens: there is no time so miserable but a man may be true." [Exeunt Banditti.

Enter FLAVIUS.

FLAV. O you gods!

Is yond despis'd and ruinous man my lord?
Full of decay and failing? O monument
And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd!
What an alteration of honour
Has desperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth, than friends
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!
How rarely does it meet with this time's guise,
When man was wish'd to love his enemies :
Grant I may ever love, and rather woo
Those that would mischief me, than those that do!
H'as caught me in his eye: I will present
My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord,
Still serve him with my life.-My dearest master!

a True.] That is, honest.

FLAV. An honest poor servant of yours.

TIM. Then I know thee not:

I ne'er had honest man about me, I ;

All I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains.
FLAV. The gods are witness,

Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief
For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you.
TIM. What, dost thou weep?-Come nearer
then;-I love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st
Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give,
But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping:
Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with
weeping!

FLAV. I beg of you to know me, good my lord, To accept my grief, and, whilst this poor wealth lasts,

To entertain me as your steward still.
TIM. Had I a steward

So true, so just, and now so comfortable?

(*) Old text, grunt'st.

It almost turns my dangerous nature wild."
Let me behold thy face.-Surely, this man
Was born of woman.-

Forgive my general and exceptless rashness,
You perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim
One honest man,-mistake me not,-but one;"
No more, I pray, and he's a steward.-
How fain would I have hated all mankind,
And thou redeem'st thyself: but all, save thee,
I fell with curses.

Methinks thou art more honest now than wise;
For, by oppressing and betraying me,
Thou mightst have sooner got another service:
For many so arrive at second masters,
Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true,
(For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,)
Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,

If not a usuring kindness, and, as rich men deal gifts,

Expecting in return twenty for one?

FLAV. No, my most worthy master; in whose breast

Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late : You should have fear'd false times, when you did feast:

Suspect still comes where an estate is least.

a Wild.] Hanmer and Warburton read mild, and the same word is suggested by Mr. Collier's annotator.

in Athens again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore 't is not amiss we tender our loves to him, in this supposed distress of his : it will show honestly in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with what they travail for, if it be a just and true report that goes of his having.

POET. What have you now to present unto him? PAIN. Nothing at this time but my visitation: only I will promise him an excellent piece.

POET. I must serve him so too,-tell him of an intent that's coming toward him.

PAIN. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o'the time; it opens the eyes of expectation: performance is ever the duller for his act; and, but in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the

K K