ACT II.
Scene I. A Senator's house.[1933]
Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand.[1934]
He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog 5
And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold:
If I would sell my horse and buy twenty moe[1936]
Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon;
Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me straight[1937]
And able horses: no porter at his gate,[1938] 10
[Pg 228] But rather one that smiles and still invites[1939]
All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason[1940]
Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho![1941]
Caphis, I say!
Enter Caphis.
Importune him for my moneys; be not ceased[1942]
With slight denial; nor then silenced, when—[1943]
'Commend me to your master'—and the cap[1943]
Plays in the right hand, thus: but tell him,[1944]
My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn 20
Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates[1945][1946]
Have smit my credit: I love and honour him,[1945]
But must not break my back to heal his finger:
Immediate are my needs; and my relief 25
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing, 30
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phœnix. Get you gone.[1947]
[Pg 229]
And have the dates in compt.
Scene II. A hall in Timon's house.[1950]
Enter Flavius, with many bills in his hand.[1951]
That he will neither know how to maintain it,
Nor cease his flow of riot: takes no account
How things go from him; nor resumes no care[1952]
Of what is to continue: never mind 5
Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.[1953]
What shall be done? he will not hear till feel:[1954]
I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting.
Fie, fie, fie, fie![1955]
Enter Caphis, with the Servants of Isidore and Varro.
Enter Timon, Alcibiades, Lords, and others.
My Alcibiades. With me? what is your will?[1961]
To the succession of new days this month:
My master is awaked by great occasion
To call upon his own, and humbly prays you 25
That with your other noble parts you'll suit
In giving him his right.
I prithee but repair to me next morning.
Am sent expressly to your lordship.[1968]
[Pg 231]
I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;
I'll wait upon you instantly. [Exeunt Alcibiades, Lords, &c.
[To Flav.] Come hither: pray you,[1969]40
How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd
With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds,[1970]
And the detention of long-since-due debts,[1971]
Against my honour?
The time is unagreeable to this business: 45
Your importunacy cease till after dinner,[1972]
That I may make his lordship understand
Wherefore you are not paid.
Enter Apemantus and Fool.
let's ha' some sport with 'em.[1976][1977]
[Pg 232]
usurers' men! bawds between gold and want![1983]
know yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool.
as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth!
Enter Page.
you in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?[1989][1990]
answer thee profitably.
of these letters: I know not which is which.
[Pg 233]
art hang'd. This is to Lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. 85
Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd.[1992]
a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone.[1993] [Exit.
my mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to 100
borrow of your masters, they approach sadly and go away
merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily and[1987][1998]
go away sadly: the reason of this?
and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be
no less esteemed.
'Tis a spirit: sometime 't appears like a lord; sometime like[2000]110
a lawyer; sometime like a philosopher, with two stones[2001]
moe than 's artificial one: he is very often like a knight;[2002]
and, generally, in all shapes that man goes up and down in
from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.
[Pg 234]
as I have, so much wit thou lack'st.
Re-enter Timon and Flavius.
[Exeunt Apemantus and Fool.
[Exeunt Servants.[2007]
Had you not fully laid my state before me, 125
That I might so have rated my expense
As I had leave of means?
Perchance some single vantages you took,
When my indisposition put you back; 130
And that unaptness made your minister,[2011]
Thus to excuse yourself.
At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you; you would throw them off,[2012]
And say, you found them in mine honesty.[2013] 135
When for some trifling present you have bid me
Return so much, I have shook my head and wept;[2014]
Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners pray'd you
[Pg 235] To hold your hand more close: I did endure
Not seldom nor no slight checks, when I have 140
Prompted you in the ebb of your estate
And your great flow of debts. My loved lord,[2015]
Though you hear now, too late!—yet now's a time—[2016]
The greatest of your having lacks a half[2017]
To pay your present debts.[2017][2018]
And what remains will hardly stop the mouth
Of present dues: the future comes apace:[2019]
What shall defend the interim? and at length
How goes our reckoning?[2020] 150
Were it all yours to give it in a breath,
How quickly were it gone!
Call me before the exactest auditors,
And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,
When all our offices have been oppress'd
With riotous feeders, when our vaults have wept
With drunken spilth of wine, when every room 160
Hath blazed with lights and bray'd with minstrelsy,
I have retired me to a wasteful cock,[2023]
And set mine eyes at flow.[2023]
[Pg 236]
How many prodigal bits have slaves and peasants 165
This night englutted! Who is not Timon's?[2024]
What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is Lord Timon's?[2025]
Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon![2026]
Ah, when the means are gone that buy this praise,
The breath is gone whereof this praise is made: 170
Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter showers,[2027]
These flies are couch'd.
No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;[2028]
Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.
Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack,[2029] 175
To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the vessels of my love
And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,[2030]
Men and men's fortunes could I frankly use
As I can bid thee speak.
Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and other Servants.[2034]
to Lord Lucullus you: I hunted with his honour[2036]
to-day: you to Sempronius: commend me to their loves;[2036]
and, I am proud, say, that my occasions have found time to[2036] 190
use 'em toward a supply of money: let the request be fifty[2036][2037]
talents.[2036]
Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have[2040]
Deserved this hearing—bid 'em send o' the instant
A thousand talents to me.
For that I knew it the most general way,
To them to use your signet and your name, 200
But they do shake their heads, and I am here
No richer in return.
That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot[2042]
Do what they would; are sorry—you are honourable,— 205
But yet they could have wish'd—they know not—[2043]
Something hath been amiss—a noble nature
May catch a wrench—would all were well—'tis pity:—
And so, intending other serious matters,
After distasteful looks and these hard fractions, 210
With certain half-caps and cold-moving nods[2044]
They froze me into silence.
[Pg 238]
Prithee, man, look cheerly. These old fellows[2045]
Have their ingratitude in them hereditary:[2046]
Their blood is caked, 'tis cold, it seldom flows; 215
'Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.
[To a Serv.] Go to Ventidius. [To Flav.] Prithee, be not sad;[2047]
Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak,[2048] 220
No blame belongs to thee. [To Serv.] Ventidius lately[2049]
Buried his father, by whose death he's stepp'd
Into a great estate: when he was poor,
Imprison'd, and in scarcity of friends,
I clear'd him with five talents: greet him from me; 225
Bid him suppose some good necessity
Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With those five talents. [Exit Serv.] [To Flav.] That had, give't these fellows[2050]
To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak or think[2051]
That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.[2052] 230
Being free itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt.
FOOTNOTES:
[1933] Act ii. Scene i.] Rowe. om. Ff.
A Senator's house.] Capell, substantially. A publick Place in the City. Rowe.
[1934] with ... hand.] Capell. om. Ff.
[1935] thousand: to] Ff. thousand to Steevens.
[1936] twenty] Ff. ten Pope. twain Farmer conj. two Singer conj.
moe] F1. more F2 F3 F4.
[1937] me] 'em Malone conj.
[1938] And able horses] F1 F2. An able horse F3 F4. Ten able horse Theobald. Ten able horses Hanmer. Ay, able horses Jackson conj. A stable o' horses Collier (Collier MS.). Two able horses Singer conj.
porter] grim porter Staunton conj.
gate] After this Johnson conjectures that a line is lost.
[1939] rather one that] one that rathen Becket conj.
[1940] by] by it Theobald.
[1941] found ... in] Hanmer. sound ... in Ff. found ... on Capell. find ... in Capell conj.
[1942] my] om. Pope.
[1943] when—'Commend] when Commend F1. then Commend F2 F3 F4. with—Commend Rowe.
[1944] Plays] Play'ng Hanmer.
hand, thus: but] Ff. hand,—thus but Pope.
him] F1. him sirrah F2 F3 F4.
[1945] reliances ... Have] reliance ... Has Pope.
[1946] on his] on's S. Walker conj.
[1947] Which] Who Pope.
[1948] 'I go, sir!'] I go sir? F1. I goe sir? F2 F3. I go, sir? F4. Ay, go, sir: Pope. Omitted by Dyce and Staunton.
I ... you,] One line in Pope. Two in Ff.
[1949] in compt.] Theobald. in. Come. Ff. in count. Hanmer.
[1950] Scene II.] Rowe. om. Ff.
A hall....] Timon's Hall. Rowe.
[1951] Flavius,] Rowe. Steward, Ff (and elsewhere).
[1952] nor resumes] Rowe. nor resume Ff. and resumes Pope. no reserve, Collier MS. no reserves, Collier (ed. 2).
[1953] Was to be] Was, to be Hanmer. Was made to be Heath conj. Was Long MS. Was formed Mason conj. Was truly Singer MS. Was surely Collier (Collier MS.).
[1954] hear] here F2.
feel] he feel Keightley.
[1955] Enter....] Johnson. Enter Caphis, Isidore, and Varro. Ff.
[1956] Good even, Varro] Good evening, Varro Rowe (ed. 2). Good, even Varro Anon. conj. (Gent. Mag. Vol. LX. p. 127).
money?] money. Pope (ed. 2).
[1957] Good ... lord.] As in Ff. As verse in Capell, ending line 10 at what.
[1958] Var. Serv.] Malone. Var. Ff (and throughout the scene).
[1959] Isid. Serv.] Malone. Isid. Ff (and throughout the scene).
[1960] Enter....] Capell, substantially. Enter Timon, and his Traine. Ff.
[1961] With me? what is] Capell. With me, what is Ff. Well what's Pope.
[1962] [They present their Bills. Rowe.
[1963] lord,—] lord— Rowe. lord. Ff.
[1964] One ... past.] Prose in Ff. Verse in Capell.
[1965] humbly] om. Pope, reading From ... payment, as one line.
your] your lordship's Steevens conj. you S. Walker conj.
[1966] payment] payment of Keightley.
[1967] wants,—] wants— Rowe. wants. Ff.
[1968] Your ... lordship.] As in Ff. Malone ends line 36 at lord.
[1970] demands] claims Pope.
date-broke] Steevens (1793). date-broken Malone. debt, broken, Ff. debt, of broken Pope. broken Hanmer.
[1971] detention of] F1. detention F2. detention, F3 F4.
[1972] importunacy] importunity Pope.
[1973] Do ... entertain'd] As in Ff.
[Exit.] Exit Tim. Pope. om. Ff.
[1974] Pray] Pray you Capell, reading Wherefore ... near as two lines, the first ending friends. I pray Steevens (1793), following Capell's arrangement.
[1975] Scene III. Pope. Johnson conjectures that a scene is lost here.
[1976] Stay ... 'em,] Prose in Ff. Verse by Steevens (Capell conj. MS.).
[1977] ha'] ha F1 F2 F3. have F4.
[1978] [To the Fool] Steevens. om. Ff.
[1979] [To Var. Steevens. om. Ff.
[1980] thou'rt] Collier. th' art F1. thou art F2 F3 F4.
him] Ff. it Hanmer.
[1981] Where's] Who's Lettsom conj.
[1982] He] He that S. Walker conj.
rogues] rogues' Theobald (ed. 2).
[1983] Poor ... want!] Transferred to follow yourselves, line 75, Johnson conj.
[1984] All Serv.] All. Ff.
[1985] Gramercies] Gramercy Hanmer.
[1986] Gramercies ... mistress?] Prose in Pope. Two lines in Ff.
[1987] mistress'] mistress's Theobald. masters F1 F2 F3. master's F4.
[1988] [To the Fool] Johnson. om. Ff.
[1989] wise] wife F2.
[1990] Apemantus] F4. Apermantus F1 F2 F3.
[1991] Page.] F4. Boy. F1 F2 F3.
[1992] thou'lt] F4. thou't F1 F2 F3.
[1993] famish a] famish, a Rowe.
[1994] See note (VIII).
[1995] home.] home— Pope.
[1996] Ay; would] Capell. I would Ff.
[1997] I,—as] I—as Rowe. I: As Ff.
[1998] merry] F1 F2. merrily F3 F4.
[1999] Apem.] Fool. Hanmer.
[2000] sometime 't] F3 F4. sometime t' F1 F2. sometime it Pope. sometimes it Theobald.
sometime] sometimes F4.
[2001] sometime] sometimes Pope.
[2002] moe] F1. more F2 F3 F4.
[2003] Re-enter ...] Capell. Enter ... Ff.
[2004] I ... philosopher] Prose in Ff. Two lines, the first ending brother, in Ff.
[2005] [Exeunt ...] Exeunt Fool and Apemantus. Capell. om. Ff.
[2006] Pray you ... anon.] As in Pope. Two lines in Ff.
[2007] [Exeunt Servants.] Capell. Exeunt. Ff. Exeunt Creditors, Apemantus, and Fool. Theobald.
[2008] Scene IV. Pope.
marvel; wherefore] Rowe. mervell wherefore F1 F2. marvel wherefore F3 F4.
[2009] me,] Capell. me: Ff.
[2010] proposed] propos'd F2 F3 F4. propose F1.
[2011] your] F1. you F2 F3 F4.
[2012] you; you] Rowe. you, you Ff.
[2013] found] sound F1.
[2014] I have] I've Pope.
[2015] loved] lov'd F1. deare lov'd F2. dear lov'd F3 F4. belov'd S. Walker conj.
[2016] hear] heare F1. here F2 F3 F4.
too ... time] yet now's too late a time Hanmer. yet now's a time too late Collier MS.
[2017] The ... To pay your] Your greatest having lacks a half to pay Your Steevens conj.
[2018] your] you F2.
[2019] comes] come Hanmer.
[2020] How goes] Make good Hanmer. Hold good Warburton.
[2021] world is but a word] world's but as a word Becket conj.
word] F1. world F2 F3 F4.
[2022] or falsehood] or truth Seymour conj. of falsehood Edd. conj.
[2023] retired ... cock, And] retir'd me, and like a wasteful cock, Have Anon. apud Rann. conj. retired me, like a wasteful cock, And Mitford conj. retir'd (me too a wasteful cock,) And Staunton conj.
to] from Knight conj.
wasteful cock] lonely room Pope. wasteful nook Collier (Collier MS.). wakeful cock Jackson conj. wakeful couch Jervis conj.
[2024] Who] who now Pope.
Timon's] lord Timon's Steevens conj.
[2025] Lord] Rowe. L. Ff.
[2026] Timon ... Timon] F1. Timon ... Timons F2 F3. Timon ... Timon's F4. Timon's ... Timon's Hanmer.
[2027] Feast-won] Pope. Feast won Ff. Fast won Becket conj.
fast-lost] Theobald. fast lost Ff.
[2028] heart] hand or hands S. Walker conj.
[2029] the] all Hanmer.
[2030] argument] arguments Rowe.
[2031] I can] om. Steevens conj.
[2032] Mistake ... friends] As in Capell. One line in Pope, reading in my friends I'm wealthy. In Ff Shall ... friends is printed as three lines, ending perceive ... fortunes ... friends.
I am] I'm Johnson.
[2033] Flaminius] Rowe. Flavius Ff. Ho Flaminius Pope.
[2034] Enter ...] Rowe. Enter three Servants. Ff.
[2035] Scene V. Pope.
[2036] I will ... talents.] Prose in Ff. Seven lines of verse in Capell.
[2037] 'em] them Capell.
[2038] [Aside] First marked by Capell. om. Ff.
Lucullus] lord Lucullus Steevens (1793).
[2039] [To Flavius. Rowe. To another Serv. Malone (Capell conj.).
senators] senators of Athens Steevens conj.
[2040] health,] F3 F4. health; F1. health? F2.
[2041] I have] I've Pope.
[2042] treasure] Treature F1.
[2043] not—] not—but Hanmer. not, but Capell. not what— Dyce (ed. 2).
[2044] cold-moving] Theobald. cold moving Ff.
[2045] Prithee] I pr'ythee Pope.
[2046] in them] om. Hanmer.
[2047] [To a Serv.] Malone (Capell conj.). om. Ff.
[To Flav.] Malone. om. Ff.
[2049] [To Serv.] Malone. om. Ff.
[2051] Ne'er] Nev'r Ff.
[2052] 'mong] 'mongst Boswell.
[2053] I would ... think it] Would I could not Pope. I would, I could not Steevens conj.
thought is] thought's Steevens conj.
I would ... foe] One line in Capell. Two in Ff.
foe;] foe? F2.
