The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 501

TIMON. Love you the maid?

LUCILIUS. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it.

OLD ATHENIAN. If in her marriage my consent be missing, I call the G.o.ds to witness I will choose Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world, And dispossess her all.

TIMON. How shall she be endow'd, If she be mated with an equal husband?

OLD ATHENIAN. Three talents on the present; in future, all.

TIMON. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me long;.

To build his fortune I will strain a little, For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter: What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, And make him weigh with her.

OLD ATHENIAN. Most n.o.ble lord, p.a.w.n me to this your honour, she is his.

TIMON. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise.

LUCILIUS. Humbly I thank your lords.h.i.+p. Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping Which is not owed to you!

Exeunt LUCILIUS and OLD ATHENIAN POET. [Presenting his poem] Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lords.h.i.+p!

TIMON. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon; Go not away. What have you there, my friend?

PAINTER. A piece of painting, which I do beseech Your lords.h.i.+p to accept.

TIMON. Painting is welcome.

The painting is almost the natural man; For since dishonour traffics with man's nature, He is but outside; these pencill'd figures are Even such as they give out. I like your work, And you shall find I like it; wait attendance Till you hear further from me.

PAINTER. The G.o.ds preserve ye!

TIMON. Well fare you, gentleman. Give me your hand; We must needs dine together. Sir, your jewel Hath suffered under praise.

JEWELLER. What, my lord! Dispraise?

TIMON. A mere satiety of commendations; If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd, It would unclew me quite.

JEWELLER. My lord, 'tis rated As those which sell would give; but you well know Things of like value, differing in the owners, Are prized by their masters. Believe't, dear lord, You mend the jewel by the wearing it.

TIMON. Well mock'd.

Enter APEMANTUS

MERCHANT. No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue, Which all men speak with him.

TIMON. Look who comes here; will you be chid?

JEWELLER. We'll bear, with your lords.h.i.+p.

MERCHANT. He'll spare none.

TIMON. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apemantus!

APEMANTUS. Till I be gentle, stay thou for thy good morrow; When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves honest.

TIMON. Why dost thou call them knaves? Thou know'st them not.

APEMANTUS. Are they not Athenians?

TIMON. Yes.

APEMANTUS. Then I repent not.

JEWELLER. You know me, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS. Thou know'st I do; I call'd thee by thy name.

TIMON. Thou art proud, Apemantus.

APEMANTUS. Of nothing so much as that I am not like Timon.

TIMON. Whither art going?

APEMANTUS. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains.

TIMON. That's a deed thou't die for.

APEMANTUS. Right, if doing nothing be death by th' law.

TIMON. How lik'st thou this picture, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS. The best, for the innocence.

TIMON. Wrought he not well that painted it?

APEMANTUS. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work.

PAINTER. Y'are a dog.

APEMANTUS. Thy mother's of my generation; what's she, if I be a dog?

TIMON. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS. No; I eat not lords.

TIMON. An thou shouldst, thou'dst anger ladies.

APEMANTUS. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

TIMON. That's a lascivious apprehension.

APEMANTUS. So thou apprehend'st it take it for thy labour.

TIMON. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS. Not so well as plain dealing, which will not cost a man a doit.

TIMON. What dost thou think 'tis worth?

APEMANTUS. Not worth my thinking. How now, poet!

POET. How now, philosopher!

APEMANTUS. Thou liest.

POET. Art not one?

APEMANTUS. Yes.

POET. Then I lie not.

APEMANTUS. Art not a poet?

POET. Yes.

APEMANTUS. Then thou liest. Look in thy last work, where thou hast feign'd him a worthy fellow.

POET. That's not feign'd- he is so.

APEMANTUS. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour. He that loves to be flattered is worthy o' th' flatterer.

Heavens, that I were a lord!

TIMON. What wouldst do then, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS. E'en as Apemantus does now: hate a lord with my heart.

TIMON. What, thyself?

APEMANTUS. Ay.

TIMON. Wherefore?

APEMANTUS. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.- Art not thou a merchant?

MERCHANT. Ay, Apemantus.

APEMANTUS. Traffic confound thee, if the G.o.ds will not!

MERCHANT. If traffic do it, the G.o.ds do it.

APEMANTUS. Traffic's thy G.o.d, and thy G.o.d confound thee!

Trumpet sounds. Enter a MESSENGER

TIMON. What trumpet's that?

MESSENGER. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse, All of companions.h.i.+p.

TIMON. Pray entertain them; give them guide to us.

Exeunt some attendants You must needs dine with me. Go not you hence Till I have thank'd you. When dinner's done Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest

Most welcome, sir! [They salute]

APEMANTUS. So, so, there!

Aches contract and starve your supple joints!

That there should be small love amongst these sweet knaves, And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.

ALCIBIADES. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Most hungerly on your sight.

TIMON. Right welcome, sir!

Ere we depart we'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.

Exeunt all but APEMANTUS

Enter two LORDS