| ACT III SCENE VI | The same. A banqueting-room in Timon's house. | |
| [
Music. Tables set out: Servants attending.
Enter divers Lords, Senators and others, at
several doors
] |
| First Lord | The good time of day to you, sir. |
| Second Lord | I also wish it to you. I think this honourable lord |
| did but try us this other day. |
| First Lord | Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we |
| encountered: I hope it is not so low with him as | 5 |
| he made it seem in the trial of his several friends. |
| Second Lord | It should not be, by the persuasion of his new feasting. |
| First Lord | I should think so: he hath sent me an earnest |
| inviting, which many my near occasions did urge me |
| to put off; but he hath conjured me beyond them, and | 10 |
| I must needs appear. |
| Second Lord | In like manner was I in debt to my importunate |
| business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am |
| sorry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my |
| provision was out. | 15 |
| First Lord | I am sick of that grief too, as I understand how all |
| things go. |
| Second Lord | Every man here's so. What would he have borrowed of |
| you? |
| First Lord | A thousand pieces. | 20 |
| Second Lord | A thousand pieces! |
| First Lord | What of you? |
| Second Lord | He sent to me, sir,--Here he comes. |
| [Enter TIMON and Attendants] |
| TIMON | With all my heart, gentlemen both; and how fare you? |
| First Lord | Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship. | 25 |
| Second Lord | The swallow follows not summer more willing than we |
| your lordship. |
| TIMON | [Aside] Nor more willingly leaves winter; such
|
| summer-birds are men. Gentlemen, our dinner will not |
| recompense this long stay: feast your ears with the | 30 |
| music awhile, if they will fare so harshly o' the |
| trumpet's sound; we shall to 't presently. |
| First Lord | I hope it remains not unkindly with your lordship |
| that I returned you an empty messenger. |
| TIMON | O, sir, let it not trouble you. | 35 |
| Second Lord | My noble lord,-- |
| TIMON | Ah, my good friend, what cheer? |
| Second Lord | My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of shame, |
| that, when your lordship this other day sent to me, |
| I was so unfortunate a beggar. | 40 |
| TIMON | Think not on 't, sir. |
| Second Lord | If you had sent but two hours before,-- |
| TIMON | Let it not cumber your better remembrance. |
[The banquet brought in] |
| Come, bring in all together. |
| Second Lord | All covered dishes! | 45 |
| First Lord | Royal cheer, I warrant you. |
| Third Lord | Doubt not that, if money and the season can yield |
| it. |
| First Lord | How do you? What's the news? |
| Third Lord | Alcibiades is banished: hear you of it? | 50 |
| Second Lord | Alcibiades banished! |
| Third Lord | 'Tis so, be sure of it. |
| First Lord | How! how! |
| Second Lord | I pray you, upon what? |
| TIMON | My worthy friends, will you draw near? | 55 |
| Third Lord | I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble feast toward. |
| Second Lord | This is the old man still. |
| Third Lord | Will 't hold? will 't hold? |
| Second Lord | It does: but time will--and so-- |
| Third Lord | I do conceive. | 60 |
| TIMON | Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to |
| the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all |
| places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let |
| the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: |
| sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. | 65 |
| You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with |
| thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves |
| praised: but reserve still to give, lest your |
| deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that |
| one need not lend to another; for, were your | 70 |
| godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the |
| gods. Make the meat be beloved more than the man |
| that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without |
| a score of villains: if there sit twelve women at |
| the table, let a dozen of them be--as they are. The | 75 |
| rest of your fees, O gods--the senators of Athens, |
| together with the common lag of people--what is |
| amiss in them, you gods, make suitable for |
| destruction. For these my present friends, as they |
| are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to | 80 |
| nothing are they welcome. |
| Uncover, dogs, and lap. |
| [
The dishes are uncovered and seen to be full of
warm water
] |
| Some Speak | What does his lordship mean? |
| Some Others | I know not. |
| TIMON | May you a better feast never behold, | 85 |
| You knot of mouth-friends I smoke and lukewarm water |
| Is your perfection. This is Timon's last; |
| Who, stuck and spangled with your flatteries, |
| Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces |
| Your reeking villany. | 90 |
[Throwing the water in their faces] |
| Live loathed and long, |
| Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites, |
| Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears, |
| You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies, |
| Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks! | 95 |
| Of man and beast the infinite malady |
| Crust you quite o'er! What, dost thou go? |
| Soft! take thy physic first--thou too--and thou;-- |
| Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none. |
[Throws the dishes at them, and drives them out] |
| What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast, | 100 |
| Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest. |
| Burn, house! sink, Athens! henceforth hated be |
| Of Timon man and all humanity! |
| [Exit] |
| [Re-enter the Lords, Senators, &c] |
| First Lord | How now, my lords! |
| Second Lord | Know you the quality of Lord Timon's fury? | 105 |
| Third Lord | Push! did you see my cap? |
| Fourth Lord | I have lost my gown. |
| First Lord | He's but a mad lord, and nought but humour sways him. |
| He gave me a jewel th' other day, and now he has |
| beat it out of my hat: did you see my jewel? | 110 |
| Third Lord | Did you see my cap? |
| Second Lord | Here 'tis. |
| Fourth Lord | Here lies my gown. |
| First Lord | Let's make no stay. |
| Second Lord | Lord Timon's mad. | 115 |
| Third Lord | I feel 't upon my bones. |
| Fourth Lord | One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones. |
| [Exeunt] |
Sources for Timon of Athens