APEM. If thou could'st please me with speaking to me, thou might'st have hit upon it here: The commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts.

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 else to do, I'll fee 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 the cap of all the fools alive.

TIM. 'Would thou wert clean enough to fpit upon. APEM. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to curfe. TIM. All villains, that do ftand by thee, are pure. APEM. There is no leprofy, but what thou speak'st. TIM. If I name thee.

I'll beat thee, but I should infect

my

hands.

APEM. I would, my tongue could rot them off!

TIM. Away, thou iffue of a mangy dog!

Choler does kill me, that thou art alive;

I fwoon to fee thee.

APEM. 'Would thou would'st burst!

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!

[Throws a flone at him.

[APEMANTUS retreats backward, as going.

I am fick of this falfe world; and will love nought

VOL. V.

E

But even 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 others' lives may laugh.
O thou fweet 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,
Whofe blush doth thaw the confecrated fnow
That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god,
That folder'ft clofe impoffibilities,

And mak'st them kifs! that fpeak'ft with every tongue,

Το every purpose! O thou touch of hearts!
Think, thy flave man rebels; and by thy virtue

Set them into confounding odds, that beafts

May have the world in empire!

APEM. 'Would 'twere fo;

But not till I am dead!—I'll fay, thou haft gold:

Thou will be throng'd to fhortly.

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.—

[Exit APEMAN TUS. More things like men?-Eat, Timon, and abhor them. Enter THIEVES.

I THIEF. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some flender ort of his remainder: The mere want of gold, and the falling-from of his friends, drove him into this melancholy.

2 THIEF. It is nois'd, he hath a mafs of treafure.

3 THIEF. Let us make the affay upon him; if he care not for't, he will supply us easily; If he covetoufly reserve it, how fhall's get it?

2 THIEF. True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid. I THIEF. Is not this he? THIEVES. Where?

2 THIEF. 'Tis his defcription. 3 THIEF. He; I know him. THIEVES. Save thee, Timon. TIM. Now, thieves?

THIEVES. Soldiers, not thieves.

TIM. Both too; and women's fons.

[want.

THIEVES. We are not thieves, but men that much do TIM. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots; Within this mile break forth a hundred fprings: The oaks bear maft, the briars fearlet hips; The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush Lays her full mess before you. Want? why want?

I THIEF. We cannot live on grafs, on berries, water, As beafts, and birds, and fifhes.

TIM. Nor on the beafts themselves, the birds, and fishes; You must eat men. Yet thanks I muft you con,

That

you are thieves profefs'd; that you work not In holier fhapes: for there is boundlefs theft

In limited profeffions. Rafcal thieves,

Here's gold: Go, fuck the fubtle blood of the grape,
Till the high fever feeth your blood to froth,

And fo 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poifon, and he flays

More than you rob take wealth and lives together;
Do villainy, do, fince you profefs to do't,

Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery :
The fun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire fhe fnatches from the fun :
The fea's a thief, whofe liquid furge refolves
The moon into falt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture ftolen
From general excrement: each thing's a thief;
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves; away;
Rob one another. There's more gold: Cut throats;
All that you meet are thieves: To Athens, go,
Break open shops; nothing can you steal,
But thieves do lose it: Steal not lefs, for this
I give you; and gold confound you howfoever!
[TIMON retires to his cave.
3 THIEF. He has almost charm'd me from my pro-
feffion, by perfuading me to it.

Amen.

I 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.

1 THIEF. Let us first see peace in Athens: There is no time fo miferable, but a man may be true.

Enter FLAVIUS.

FLAV. O you gods!

[Exeunt THIEVES.

Is yon defpis'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
Defperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth, than friends,

Who can bring nobleft minds to baseft ends!
How rarely does it meet with this time's guife,
When man was wifh'd to love his enemies:
Grant, I may ever love, and rather woo

Those that would mischief me, than those that do!
He has caught me in his eye: I will present
My honeft grief unto him; and, as my lord,
Still ferve him with my life.-My dearest master!
TIMON comes forward from his cave.

TIM. Away! what art thou?

FLAV. Have you forgot me, fir?

TIM. Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men; Then, if thou grant'ft thou'rt man, I have forgot thee. FLAV. An honeft poor fervant of

TIM. Then

yours.

I know thee not: I ne'er had honeft man

About me, I; all that I kept were knaves,
To ferve in meat to villains.

FLAV. The gods are witness,

Ne'er did poor fteward wear a truer grief
For his undone lord, than mine eyes

for you.

TIM. What, doft thou weep?-Come nearer ;-then I

love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st

Flinty mankind; whofe eyes do never give,

But thorough luft, and laughter. Pity's fleeping:
Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weep-
ing!

FLAV. I beg of you to know me, good my lord,

To accept my grief, and, whilft this poor wealth lasts,
To entertain me as your fteward ftill.

TIM. Had I a steward fo true, fo juft, and now
So comfortable? It almoft turns

.