travel 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 deed of saying is quite out of use. To promise is most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will, or testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it. 3 Tim. Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself. Poet. I am thinking, what I shall say I have provided for him: It must be a personating of himself: a satire against the softness of prosperity; with a discovery of the infinite flatteries, that follow youth and opulency. Tim. Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so, I have gold for thee. Poet. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, When we may profit meet, and come too late. Pain. True; When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, What a god's gold, Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. 3 the deed of saying is quite out of use.] The doing of that which we have said we would do, the accomplishment and performance of our promise, is, except among the lower classes of mankind, quite out of use. Than where swine feed! 'Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the foam; Settlest admired reverence in a slave : To thee be worship! and thy saints for aye Be crown'd with plagues, that thee alone obey! 'Fit I do meet them. Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! Pain. [Advancing. Our late noble master. Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men? Having often of your open bounty tasted, Hearing you were retir'd, your friends fall'n off, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence With any size of words. Tim. Let it go naked, men may see't the better: You, that are honest, by being what you are, Make them best seen, and known. Pain. He, and myself, Have travell❜d in the great shower of your gifts, Tim. Ay, you are honest men. Pain. We are hither come to offer you our service. Tim. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you? Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. Both. What we can do, we'll do, to do you service. have gold; I am sure, you have: speak truth: you are honest men. Pain. So it is said, my noble lord: but therefore Came not my friend, nor I. Tim. Good honest men: Thou draw'st a counter feit 4 -- Best in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best; Pain. So, so, my lord. Tim. Even so, sir, as I say:-And, for thy fiction, [To the Poet. Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth, That thou art even natural in thine art.But, for all this, my honest-natur'd friends, I must needs say, you have a little fault: Marry, 'tis not monstrous in you; neither wish I, You take much pains to mend. Both. To make it known to us. Tim. Beseech your honour, You'll take it ill. Will you, indeed? Both. Most thankfully, my lord. Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. Tim. There's ne'er a one of you but trusts a knave, That mightily deceives you. Both. Do we, my lord? Tim Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble, Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Keep in your bosom: yet remain assur'd, That he's a made-up villain.5 Pain. I know none such, my lord. Poet. Nor I. Tim. Look you, I love you well; I'll give you gold, Rid me these villains from your companies: Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught," 4 — a counterfeit -] A portrait was so called in our author's time. 5- a made-up villain.] That is, a villain that adopts qualities and characters not properly belonging to him; a hypocrite; or a made-up villain may mean, a complete, a finished villain. 6 in a draught,] That is, in the jakes. Confound them by some course, and come to me, Both. Name them, my lord, let's know them. Tim. You that way, and you this, but two in com Each man apart, all single and alone, Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. If where thou art, two villains shall not be, [To the Painter. Come not near him.—If thou would'st not reside [To the Poet. - But where one villain is, then him abandon.- Out, rascal dogs! [Exit, beating and driving them out. SCENE II. The same. Enter FLAVIUS, and Two Senators. Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with Timon; For he is set so only to himself, That nothing but himself, which looks like man, Is friendly with him. 1 Sen. Bring us to his cave: It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, To speak with Timon. At all times alike 2 Sen. The former man may make him: Bring us to him, Flav. Here is his cave.— Peace and content be here! Lord Timon! Timon! Enter TIMON. Tim. Thou sun, that comfort'st, burn!-Speak, and be hang'd: For each true word, a blister! and each false 1 Sen. Worthy Timon, Tim. Of none but such as you, and you of Timon. 2 Sen. The senators of Athens greet thee, Timon. Tim. I thank them; and would send them back the plague, Could I but catch it for them. O, forget 1 Sen. The senators, with one consent of love, 7 For thy best use and wearing. 2 Sen. They confess, Toward thee, forgetfulness too general, gross: Which now the publick body, which doth seldom A lack of Timon's aid, hath sense withal Of its own fall, restraining aid to Timon; And send forth us, to make their sorrowed render, Than their offence can weigh down by the dram;9 8 7 8 with one consent of love,] With one united voice of affection. sorrowed render,] Render is confession. 9 Than their offence can weigh down by the dram;] The speaker means, a recompense that shall more than counterpoise their offences, though weighed with the most scrupulous exactness. |