faft to the wolf. If thou wert the wolf, thy greedinefs would afflict thee; and oft thou fhouldft hazard thy life for thy dinner. Wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own felf the conqueft of thy fury. Wert thou a bear, thou wouldst be kill'd by the horse; wert thou a horse, thou wouldst be feiz'd by the leopard; wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion, and the fpots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life. All thy fafety were remotion, and thy defence abfence. What beaft couldft thou be, that were not fubject to a beast? and what a beast art thou already, and seest not thy lofs in transfor mation! Apem. If thou couldst pleafe me with speaking to me, thou might'ft have hit upon it here. The Commonwealth of Athens is become a foreft of beafts. Tim. How has the afs broke the wall, that thou art out of the City? Apem. Yonder comes a Poet, and a Painter. The Plague of Company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it, and give way. When I know not what elfe to do, I'll see thee again. Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou fhalt be welcome. I had rather be a Beggar's dog, than Apemantus. Apem. Thou art too bad to curse. Tim. All villains, that do ftand by thee, are pure. Apem. There is no leprofy but what thou speak'ft. Tim. If I name thee. I'll beat thee; but I should infect my hands. -- Apem. I would my tongue could rot them off! Choler does kill me, that thou art alive: I fwoon to fee thee. Apem. Apem. 'Would, thou wouldst burft! Tim. Away, thou tedious rogue, I am forry I fhall lofe a ftone by thee. Apem. Beaft! Tim. Slave! Apem. Toad! Tim. Rogue! rogue! rogue! [Apem. retreats backward, as going. I am fick of this falfe world, and will love nought But ev'n the mere neceffities upon it. Then, Timon, prefently prepare thy grave; Lie where the light foam of the fea may beat Thy grave-ftone daily; make thine epitaph; That death in me at other's lives may laugh. O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce [Looking on the gold. 'Twixt natural fon and fire! thou bright defiler. Of Hymen's pureft bed! thou valiant Mars! Thou ever young, fresh, lov'd, and delicate wooer, That fouldreft clofe impoffibilities, And mak'ft them kifs! that fpeak'ft with every tongue, To every purpose! Oh, thou Touch of hearts! Apem. 'Would 'twere fo, But not 'till I am dead! I'll fay, thou haft gold: Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly. Tim. Throng'd to? Apem. Ay. Tim. Thy back, I pr'ythee. Apem. Live, and love thy mifery! Tim. Long live fo, and fo die! I am quit. Apem. More things like men abhor them. -Eat, Timon, and [Exit Apem. SCENE 1 Thief. WHERE fhould he have this gold? it is fome poor fragment, fome flender ort of his remainder: the mere want of gold, and the falling off of friends, drove him into this melancholy. 2 Thief. It is nois'd, he hath a mafs of treasure. 3 Thief. Let us make the affay upon him; if he care not for't, he will fupply us eafily: if he covetoully referve it, how fhall's get it? 2 Thief. True; for he bears it not about him: 'tis hid. 1 Thief. Is not this he? 2 Thief. Tis his description. All. Soldiers; not thieves. Tim. Both too, and women's fons. All. We are not thieves, but men that much do want. Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meet. Why fhould you want? behold, the earth hath roots; Tim. Nor on the beafts themselves, the birds and fishes; You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, In In limited profeffions. Rafcals, thieves, Here's gold. Go, fuck the fubtle blood o'th' grape, More than you rob, takes wealth and life together, Like workmen; I'll example you with thievery. That feeds and breeds by a compofture ftoll'n fteal [Exit. 3 Thief. H'as almost charm'd me from my profesfion, by perfuading me to it. 1 Thief. 'Tis in the malice of mankind, that he thus advises us, not to have us thrive in our mystery. 2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy; and give over my trade. *The Sea's a Thief, whofe liquid furge refolves The Moon into falt Tears.-] The Sea melting the Moon into Tears, is, I believe, a Secret in Philofophy, which no body but Shakespear's deep Editors ever dream'd of. There is another Opinion, which 'tis more reasonable to believe that our Author may allude to; viz. that the Saltness of the Sea is caused by feveral Ranges, or Mounds of Rock-falt under Water, with which refolving Liquid the Sea was impregnated. This I think a fufficient Authority for changing Moon into Mounds. I 5 Warburton. 1 Thief. 1 Thief. * Let us firft fee peace in Athens. 2 Thief. There is no time so miserable, but a man may be true. [Exeunt. A C T V. SCENE I. The Woods, and Timon's Cave. OH, you Göds! Enter Flavius. FLAVIUS. Is yon defpis'd and ruinous man my lord? Full of decay and failing? oh, monument And wonder of good deeds, evilly bestow'd! What change of humour defp'rate want has made? What viler thing upon the earth, than friends, Who can bring nobleft minds to basest ends? How rarely does it meet with this time's guife, When man was will'd to love his enemies: Grant, I may ever love, and rather too, Thofe that would mischief me, than those that woo! H'as caught me in his eye, I will present My honeft grief to him; and, as my lord, Still ferve him with my life. My dearest mafter! Timon comes forward from his Cave. Tim. Away! what art thou? Flav. Have you forgot me, Sir? Tim. Why doft thou ask That? I have forgot all men. Then, if thou granteft that thou art a man, I have forgot thee. Let us first fee peace in Athens, &c.] This and the concluding little Speech have in all the Editions been placed to one Speaker: But, 'tis Evident, the latter Words ought to be put in the Mouth of the fecond Thief, who is repenting, and leaving off his Trade. Flav. |