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Tim. O blessed breeding sun, draw from the With man's blood paint the ground, gules,

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Raise me this beggar, and denude that lord;
The senator shall bear contempt hereditary,
The beggar native honour.

It is the pasture lards the brother's sides,

The want that makes him lean. Who dares, who dares,

In purity of manhood stand upright,
And say, This man's a flatterer? if one be,
So are they all; for every grize ‡ of fortune
Is smoothed by that below the learned pate
Ducks to the golden fool: All is oblique ;
There's nothing level in our cursed natures,
But direct villany. Therefore, be abhorr'd
All feasts, societies, and throngs of men !
His semblable, yea, himself, Timon disdains!
Destruction fang mankind!—Earth, yield me
[Digging.

roots!

Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate With thy most operant poison! What is here ? Gold? yellow, glittering, precious gold? No, gods, [vens !

I am no idle votarist. Roots, you clear heaThus much of this, will make black white; foul, fair;

Wrong, right; base, noble; old, young; coward, valiant.

Ha, you gods! why this? What this, you gods? Why this

Will lug your priests and servants from your

sides;

Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads : This yellow slave

Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd;

Make the hoar leprosy ador'd; place thieves,
And give them title, knee, and approbation,
With senators on the bench: this is it,
That makes the wappen'd widow wed again;
She, whom the spital-house, and ulcerous sores
Would cast the gorge at, this embalms and
spices

To the April day again. ** Come, damned earth, Thou common whore of mankind, that put'st odds

Among the rout of nations, I will make thee Do thy right nature.—[March afar off.]-Ha! a drum ?-Thou'rt quick,

But yet I'll bury thee: Thou'lt go, strong thief, When gouty keepers of thee cannot stand :Nay, stay thou out for earnest.

[Keeping some gold.

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Alcib. I have heard in some sort of thy miseries.

Tim. Thou saw'st them, when I had prosperity.

Alcib. I see them now; then was a blessed

time.

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Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust.
Make use of thy salt hours: season the slaves
For tubs, and baths; bring down rose-cheeked
To the tub-fast, and the diet. •
[youth

Timan. Hang thee, monster!
Alcib. Pardon bim, sweet Timandra; for his
wits

Are drown'd and lost in his calamities.-
I have but little gold of late, brave Timon
The want whereof doth daily make revolt
In my penurious band: I have heard and
griev'd,

How cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth,
Forgetting thy great deeds, when neighbour states,
But for thy sword and fortune, trod upon them,—
Tim. I pr'ythee, beat thy drum, and get thee

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had rather be alone.

Alcib. Why, fare thee well: Here's some gold for thee.

Tim. Keep't, I cannot eat it.

Alcib. When I have laid proud Athens on a heap,

Tim. Warr'st thou 'gainst Athens ?
Alcib. Ay, Timon, and have cause.

Tim. The gods confound them all i'thy conquest; and

Thee after, when thou hast conquer'd!
Alcib. Why me, Timon?

Tim. That,

By killing villains, thou wast born to conquer

• Used in the cure of a peculiar disorder

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Pat up thy gold. Go on,-here's gold,-go on;
Be as a planetary plague, when Jove
Will o'er some high-vic'd city hang his poison
In the sick air: Let not thy sword skip one:
Pity not honour'd age for his white beard,
He's a usurer. Strike me the counterfeit matron;
It is her habit only that is honest,
Herself's a bawd.

Let not the virgin's cheek
Make soft thy trenchant sword; for those milk-

paps,

That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes,
Are not within the leaf of pity writ,

Set them down horrible traitors. Spare not the
[mercy;
babe,
Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their
Think it a bastard, whom the oracle
Hath doubtfully pronounc'd thy throat shall cut,
And mince it sans remorse. Swear against ob-
jects; §

Put armour on thine ears, and on thine eyes;
Whose proof, nor yells of mothers, maids, nor
babes,

Nor sight of priests in holy vestments bleeding,
Shall pierce a jot. There's gold to pay thy sol-

diers;

Make large confusion: and, thy fury spent,
Confounded be thyself! Speak not, be gone.
Alcib. Hast thou gold yet? I'll take the gold
thoa giv’st me,

Tim. More whore, more mischief first; I have
given you earnest.

Alcib. Strike up the drum towards Athens.
Farewell, Timon;

If I thrive well, I'll visit thee again.

Tim. If I hope well, I'll never see thee more.
Alcib. I never did thee harm.

Tim. Yes, thou spok'st well of me.
Alcib. Call'st thou that harm?
Tim. Men daily find it such.
And take thy beagles with thee.
Alcib, We but offend him.-

Strike.

Get thee away

[Drum beats. Exeunt ALCIBIADES.
PHRYNIA, and TIMANDRA.
Tim. That nature, being sick of man's unkind-
ness,
(Digging.
Should yet be hungry !-Common mother, thou,
Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast,
Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle,
puff'd,
Whereof thy proud child, arrogant man, is

Engenders the black toad, and adder blue,
With all the abhorred births below crisp
The gilded newt, and eyeless venom'd worn, †

heaven

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Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine;
From forth thy plenteous bosom one poor root !
Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate,
Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb,
Go great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and bears;
Let it no more bring out ingrateful man!
Phr. & Timan. Give us some gold, good Ti-Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward

Not all thy counsel.

Tim. Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse upon thee !

mon: Hast thou more ?

Tim. Enough to make a whore forswear her
[sluts,
trade,
Hold up, you
And to make whores, a bawd.
Yar aprons mountant: You are not oathable,-
Although, I know, you'll swear, terribly swear,
Izo strong shudders, and to heavenly agues,
The immortal gods that hear you,-spare your

oaths,

It trast to your conditions. Be whores still;
And be whose pious breath seeks to convert you,
Be strong in whore, allure him, burn him up;
Let your close fire predominate his smoke,
And be no turncoats: Yet may your pains, six
[roofs
months,
quite contrary: And thatch your poor thin
With burdens of the dead;-some that were
hang'd,

No matter wear them, betray with them: whore
still:

Paint till a horse may mire upon your face:
A pex of wrinkles!

Pr. & Timan.

then !

Well, more gold ;-What

Believ't, that we'll do any thing for gold.

Tim. Consumptions sow

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Apem. This is in thee a nature but affected!
Whom I would imitate: Consumption catch thee!
A poor unmanly melancholy, sprung
place?
From change of fortune. Why this spade? this

That ever Timon was.

This slave-like habit? and these looks of care?
Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft,
Shame not these woods,
Hug their diseas'd perfumes, and have forgot
By putting on the cunning of a carper. ||
Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive
By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee,
And let his very breath, whom thou'lt observe,
Blow off thy cap; praise this most vicious strain,
And call it excellent. Thou wast told thus :
the Thou gav'st thine ears, like tapsters, that bid

In bellow bones of man; strike their sharp shins,
Crack the lawyer's
And mur men's spurring.
voice,

That be may never more false title plead,
Nor sound his quillets shrilly: hoar

flamen,

That scoids against the quality of flesh,
And not believes himself: down with the nose,
I wn with it flat; take the bridge quite away
him, that his particular to foresee,

Suzeils from the general weal: make curl'd-pate

ruffians bald;

And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war
Derive some pain from you: Plague all;
That your activity may defeat and quell
The source of all erection.-There's more gold:-
I so damn others, and let this damn you,
And ditches grave++ you all!

Ph. & Timan. More counsel with more money,

bounteous Timon.

Alluding to Jocasta, the wife of
Œdas, who murdered her incestuous offspring.
Agaust objects of compassion.
Give him
Subtilties.
tt Entomb.

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the Leary leprosy.

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Tim. Were I like thee, I'd throw away myself.

Apem. Thou hast cast away thyself, being like

thyself;

A madman so long, now a fool: What think'st
Will put thy shirt on warm? Will these moss'd
That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain,

trees,

That have outliv'd the eagle, page thy heels,
And skip when thou point'st out? Will the cold

brook,
Candied with ice, candle thy morning taste,
↑ The serpent called the
Their diseased
1 Bent.
1 Finding fault.

• Bonndless surface.
blind worm.
perfumed mistresses

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Apem. Ay.

Tim. What! a knave too?

Apem. If thou didst put this sour cold habit on
To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou
Dost it enforcedly; thou'dst courtier be again,
Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery
Outlives incertain pomp, is crown'd before :*
The one is filling still, never complete ;
The other, at high wish: Best state, contentless,
Hath a distracted and most wretched being,
Worse than the worst, content.

Thou should'st desire to die, being miserable.
Tim. Not by his breath, that is more mise-
rable.

Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm
With favour never clasp'd; but bred a dog.
Hadst thou, like us, from our first swath,
proceeded

The sweet degrees that this brief world affords
To such as may the passive drugs of it
Freely command, thou would'st have plung'd
thyself

In general riot; melted down thy youth
In different beds of lust; and never learn'd
The icy precepts of respect, but follow'd
The sugar'd game before thee. But myself,
Who had the world as my confectionary ;
The mouths, the tongues, the eyes, and hearts

of men

At duty, more than I could frame employment;
That numberless upon me stuck, as leaves
Do on the oak, have with one winter's brush
Fell from their boughs, and left me open, bare
For every storm that blows. I, to bear this,
That never knew but better, is some burden :
Thy nature did commence in sufferance, time
Hath made thee hard in't. Why should'st thou
hate men?

They never flatter'd thee: What hast thou given?
If thou wilt curse,-thy father, that poor rag,
Must be thy subject; who, in spite, put stuff
To some she beggar, and compounded thee
Poor rogue hereditary. Hence !*be gone !—
If thou hadst not been born the worst of men,
Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer.

Apem. Art thou proud yet?

Tim. Ay, that I am not thee.
Apem. I, that I was

No prodigal.

Tim. 1, that I am one now;

Were all the wealth I have, shut up in thee,
I'd give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone.-
That the whole life of Athens were in this!
Thus would I eat it.

[Eating a root.
Apem. Here; I will mend thy feast.
[Offering him something.

Tim. Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou
will,

Tell them there I have gold: look, so I have.
Apem. Here is no use for gold.

Tim. The best and truest:

For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm.
Apem. Where liest o'nights, Timon?

Tim. Under that's above me.

Where feed'st thou o'days, Apemantus ?
Apem. Where my stomach finds meat; or,
rather, where I eat it.

Tim. 'Would poison were obedient, and knew my mind!

Apem. Where would'st thou send it?
Tim. To sauce thy dishes.

Apem. The middle of humanity thou never
knewest, but the extremity of both ends: When
thou wast in thy gilt, and thy perfume, they
mocked thee for too much curiosity; in thy
rags thou knowest none, but are despised for the
contrary. There's a medlar for thee, eat it.
Tim. On what I hate, I feed not.
Apem. Dost hate a medlar?

Tim. Ay, though it look like thee.

Apem. An thou had'st hated medlers sooner, thou should'st have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou ever know unthrift, that was beloved after his means?

Tim. Who, without those means thou talkest of, didst thou ever know beloved ? Apcm. Myself.

Tim. I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a dog.

Apem. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers !

Tim. Women nearest; but men, men are the things themselves. What would'st thou do with the world, Apemautus, if it lay in thy power?

Apem. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the

men.

Tim. Would'st thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men, and remain a beast with the beasts ?

Apem. Ay, Timon:

Tim. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee to attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox would beguile thee: if thou wert the lamb, the for would eat thee: if thou wert the fox, the lion would suspect thee, when, peradventure, thou wert accused by the ass: if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would torment thee: and still thou livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee, and make thine own self the conquest of thy fury: wert thou a bear, thou would'st be killed by the horse; wert thou a horse, thou would'st be seized by the leopard ; wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion, and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life all thy safety were remotion; and thy defence, absence. What beast could'st thou be, that were not subject to a beast? and what a beast art thou already, that seest not thy loss in transformation ?

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

Tim. How has the ass 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 Tim. First mend my company, take away thy-fear to catch it, and give way: When I know not

self.

Apem. So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of thine.

Tim. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; If not, I would it were.

Apem. What would'st thon have to Athens ?

• Arrives sooner at the completion of its wishes.
By his sentence.
From infancy.
The cold admonitions of prudence.

what else to do, I'll see thee again.

Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog, than Apemantus.

Apem. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive.

For too much finical delicacy.

1 I. e. In being placed at a distance from the lion. The top.

ATHENS

Tim. 'Would thou wert clean enough to spit проп.

Apem. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to

curse.

Tim. All villains, that do stand by thee, are pure.

Apem. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st.

Tim. If I name thee.

I'd beat thee,-but I should infect my hands.
Apem. I would my tongue could rot them off!
T. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog!
Choler doth kill me that thou art alive;

I swoon to see thee.

Apem. 'Would thou would'st burst!
Tim. Away,

Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry I shall lose
[Throws a stone at him.

A stone by thee.

Apem. Beast!

Than. Slave!

Apem. Toad!

Tim. Rogue, rogue, rogue!
[APEMANTUS retreats backwards, as going.
I am sick of this false world; and will love
Bought

But even the mere necessities upon it.
Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave;
Lie where the light foam of the sea may beat
Thy grave-stone daily make thine epitaph,
That death in me at others' lives may laugh.
O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce
[Looking on the gold.
Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler
Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars!
Thou ever young, fresh, lov'd, and delicate

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Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow
That bes on Dian's lap! thou visible god,
That solder'st close impossibilities,
And mak'st them kiss! that speak'st with every
tongue,

To every purpose! O thou touch of hearts!
Think, thy slave man rebels; and by thy virtue
Set them into confounding odds; that beasts
May have the world in empire!

Apem. 'Would 'twere so ;

But not till I am dead!—I'll say, thou hast gold:
The wilt he throng'd to shortly.

Tim. Throng'd to!

Apem. Ay.

7. Thy back, I pr’ythee.
Apem. Live, and love thy misery!

this mile break forth a hundred springs
The oaks bear mast, the briars scarlet hips;
Want? why
The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush
Lays her full mess before you.

want?

Thief. We cannot live on grass, on berries,
[water,
As beasts, and birds, and fishes.
Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds,
[con,
and fishes;
Yet thanks I must you

You must eat men.
That you are thieves profess'd; that you work

not

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In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft
In limited ⚫ professions. Rascal thieves,
Here's gold: Go, seek the subtle blood of the

grape,

Till the high fever seeth your blood to froth,
(gether;
And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician;
His antidotes are poison, and he slays
More than you rob: take wealth and lives to-
Do villany, do, since you profess to do't,
Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery :
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun :
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture + stolen
From general excrement: each thing's a thief:
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough
[away;
power
Have uncheck'd theft. Love not yourselves:
There's more gold: Cut
Rob one another.
throats;
All that you meet are thieves: To Athens, go,
Freak open shops; nothing can you steal,
But thieves do lose it: Steal not less, for this
I give you; and gold confound you howsoever!
[TIMON retires to his Cave.
Amen.
3 Thief. He has almost charmed me from my
profession, by persuading 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 o'er my trade.

1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens; There is no time so miserable, but a man may [Exeunt THIEVES. be true.

T. Long live so, and so die !-I am quit.-Is [Exit APEMANTUS. More things like men ?-Eat, Timon, and abhor

them.

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Enter FLAVIUS.

Flav. O you gods!

yon despis'd and ruinous man my lord?
Full of decay and failing? O monument
And wonder of good deeds evilly bestowld!
What an alteration of honour has
Desperate want made!

What viler thing upon the earth, than friends,
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!
guise,
How rarely does it meet with this time's

[do ! When man was wish'd to love his enemies: Graut, 1 may ever love, and rather woo

2 Thief. It is noised, he hath a mass of trea-Those that would mischief me, than those that

Thief. Let us make the assay upon him: if be care not for't, he will supply us easily; If he CLIPINESly reserve it, how shall's get it?

Thief. True; for he bears it not about him

1 Trief. Is not this he? Protes. Where?

2 Tef. Tis his description.
3 Thur. He; I know him.
Ther. Save thee, Timon.
7. Now thieves?

T.NEERS. Soldiers, not thieves.
Ta. Both too; and women's sons.
Tauter.

We are not thieves, but men that
much do want.

T.. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat,

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He has caught me in his eye: I will present
My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord,
Still serve him with

master!

my life. My dearest

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Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief
For his undone lord, than mine eyes for you.
Tim. What, dost thou weep 1-Come nearer;
-then I love thee,

Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st
Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give,

Poet. What's to be thought of him? Does the rumour hold for true, that he is so full of gold?

Pain. Certain : Alcibiades reports it; Phrynla and Timandra had gold of him: he likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great

But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleep-quantity: 'Tis said, he gave unto his steward a ing:

Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping!

Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my [lasts, lord, To accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth To entertain me as your steward still.

Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and [now So comfortable? It almost turns

My dangerous nature wild. Let me behold
Thy face. Surely, this man was born of wo-

man.

Forgive my general and exceptless rashness,
Perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim
One honest man,-mistake me not,-but one :
No more, I pray,-and he is a steward.-
How fain would I have hated all mankind,
And thou redeem'st thyself: but all save thee,
I fell with curses.
[wise,
Methinks, thou art more honest now, than
For, by oppressing and betraying me,
Thou might'st have sooner got another service:
For many so arrive at second masters,
But tell me true,
Upon their first lord's neck.
(For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,)
Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,
If not a usuring kindness; and as rich men deal
gifts,

Expecting in return twenty for one?

Flau. No, my most worthy master, in whose

breast

Doubt and suspect, alas, are plac'd too late:
You should have fear'd false times, when you
did feast:

Suspect still comes where an estate is least.
That which I show, heaven knows, is merely
love,

Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind,

Care of your food and living: and, believe it,
My most honour'd lord,

For any benefit that points to me,
Either in hope, or present, I'd exchange

mighty sum.

Poet. Then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends.

Pain. Nothing else: you shall see him a palm in Athens again, and flourish with the highest. Therefore, 'tis not amiss, we tender our loves to him, in this supposed distress of his: it will show honestly in us; and is very likely to load our purposes with what they 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.

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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 and testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it.

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,

For this one wish, That you had power and Find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light.

wealth

To requite me, by making rich yourself.

Tim. Look thee, 'tis so!-Thou singly honest
Here take-the gods out of my misery [man,
Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich, and
happy:
[men; •
But thus condition'd; Thou shall build from
Hate all, curse all show charity to none;
But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone,
Ere thou relieve the beggar: give to dogs
What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow
them,

Debts wither them: Be men like blasted woods,
And may diseases lick up their false bloods!
And so, farewell, and thrive.

Flar. O let me stay,

And comfort you, my master.
Tim. If thou hat'st

Curses, stay not: fly, whilst thou'rt bless'd and
free:

Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. [Exeunt severally.

ACT V.

SCENE 1.-The same.-Before TIMON's Cave.
Enter POET and PAINTER; TIMON behind, un-

seen,

Come.

Tim. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's gold,

That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple,
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 !
[Advancing.
'Fit I do meet them.

Poet. Hail, worthy Timon!
Pain. Our late noble master.

Tim. Have I once liv'd to see two honest men ?

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You, that are honest, by being what you are,
Make them best seen, and known.
Pain. He, and myself,

Pain. As I took note of the place, it cannot Have travell'd in the great shower of your gifts be far where he abides.

And sweetly felt it.

• Away from the abodes of men,

• The doing of what we have said we would do.

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