THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS

Act 3 Scene 7

(Enter divers of Timon's friends, amongst them Lucullus, Lucius, Sempronius, and other Lords and Senators, at several doors)
l1l	First Lord	 The good time of day to you, sir.
l2l	Second Lord	I also wish it to you. I think this honourable
l3l		lord did but try us this other day.
l4l	First Lord	Upon that were my thoughts tiring when we
l5l		encountered. I hope it is not so low with him as he
l6l		made it seem in the trial of his several friends.
l7l	Second Lord	It should not be, by the persuasion of his
l8l		new feasting.
l9l	First Lord	I should think so. He hath sent me an earnest
l10l		inviting, which many my near occasions did urge me
l11l		to put off, but he hath conjured me beyond them, and
l12l		I must needs appear.
l13l	Second Lord	In like manner was I in debt to my
l14l		importunate business, but he would not hear my
l15l		excuse. I am sorry when he sent to borrow of me that
l16l		my provision was out.
l17l	First Lord	I am sick of that grief too, as I understand
l18l		how all things go.
l19l	Second Lord	Every man hears so. What would he have
l20l		borrowed of you?
l21l	First Lord	A thousand pieces.
l22l	Second Lord	A thousand pieces?
l23l	First Lord	What of you?
l24l	Second Lord	He sent to me, sir—
		(Loud music. Enter Timon and attendants)
l25l		Here he comes.
l26l	Timon	With all my heart, gentlemen both# and how fare
l27l		you?
l28l	First Lord	Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship.
l29l	Second Lord	The swallow follows not summer more
l30l		willing than we your lordship.
l31l	Timon	(aside)
		 Nor more willingly leaves winter, such
l32l		summer birds are men.—Gentlemen, our dinner will
l33l		not recompense this long stay. Feast your ears with
l34l		the music a while, if they will fare so harshly o’ th’
l35l		trumpets’ sound# we shall to ’t presently.
l36l	>
First Lord	I hope it remains not unkindly with your
l37l		lordship that I returned you an empty messenger.
l38l	Timon	O sir, let it not trouble you.
l39l	Second Lord	My noble lord—
l40l	Timon	Ah, my good friend, what cheer?
		(A table and stools are brought in)
l41l	Second Lord	 My most honourable lord, I am e’en sick of
l42l		shame that when your lordship this other day sent to
l43l		me I was so unfortunate a beggar.
l44l	Timon	Think not on ’t, sir.
l45l	Second Lord	If you had sent but two hours before—
l46l	Timon	Let it not cumber your better remembrance.—
l47l		Come, bring in all together.
		(Enter Servants with covered dishes)
l48l	Second Lord	 All covered dishes.
l49l	First Lord	Royal cheer, I warrant you.
l50l	Third Lord	Doubt not that, if money and the season can
l51l		yield it.
l52l	First Lord	How do you? What’s the news?
l53l	Third Lord	Alcibiades is banished. Hear you of it?
l54l	First And Second Lords	Alcibiades banished?
l55l	Third Lord	’Tis so, be sure of it.
l56l	First Lord	How, how?
l57l	Second Lord	I pray you, upon what?
l58l	Timon	My worthy friends, will you draw near?
l59l	Third Lord	I’ll tell you more anon. Here’s a noble feast
l60l		toward.
l61l	Second Lord	This is the old man still.
l62l	Third Lord	Will ’t hold, will ’t hold?
l63l	Second Lord	It does# but time will—and so—
l64l	Third Lord	I do conceive.
l65l	Timon	Each man to his stool with that spur as he would
l66l		to the lip of his mistress. Your diet shall be in all places
l67l		alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool
l68l		ere we can agree upon the first place. Sit, sit. The gods
l69l		require our thanks.
		(They sit)
l70l		You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with
l71l		thankfulness. For your own gifts make yourselves
l72l		praised# but reserve still to give, lest your deities be
l73l		despised. Lend to each man enough that one need not
l74l		lend to another# for were your godheads to borrow of
l75l		men, men would forsake the gods. Make the meat be
l76l		beloved more than the man that gives it. Let no
l77l		assembly of twenty be without a score of villains. If
l78l		there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them
l79l		be as they are. The rest of your foes, O gods—the
l80l		senators of Athens, together with the common tag of
l81l		people—what is amiss in them, you gods, make suitable
l82l		for destruction. For these my present friends, as they
l83l		are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them# and to
l84l		nothing are they welcome.—Uncover, dogs, and lap.
		(The dishes are uncovered, and seen to be full of steaming water and stones)
l85l	Some Lords	 What does his lordship mean?
l86l	Other Lords	I know not.
l87l	Timon	May you a better feast never behold,
l88l		You knot of mouth-friends. Smoke and lukewarm water
l89l		Is your perfection. This is Timon’s last,
l90l		Who, stuck and spangled with your flattery,
l91l		Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces
l92l		Your reeking villainy.
		(He throws water in their faces)
		 Live loathed and long,
l93l		Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites,
l94l		Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
l95l		You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time’s flies,
l96l		Cap-and-knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks!
l97l		Of man and beast the infinite malady
l98l		Crust you quite o’er.
		(A Lord is going)
		 What, dost thou go?
l99l		Soft, take thy physic first. Thou too, and thou.
		(He beats them)
l100l		Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.
		(Exeunt Lords, leaving caps and gowns)
l101l		What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast
l102l		Whereat a villain’s not a welcome guest.
l103l		Burn house! Sink Athens! Henceforth hated be
l104l		Of Timon man and all humanity!
		(Exit)
l105l	>
	(Enter the Senators and other Lords)
		First Lord	 How now, my lords?
l106l	Second Lord	Know you the quality of Lord Timon’s fury?
l107l	Third Lord	Push! Did you see my cap?
	Fourth Lord	I have lost my gown.
l108l	First Lord	 He’s but a mad lord, and naught but humours
l109l		sways him. He gave me a jewel th’ other day, and now
l110l		he has beat it out of my hat.
l111l		Did you see my jewel?
	[Third] Lord	Did you see my cap?
l112l	[Second] Lord	Here ’tis.
	Fourth Lord	Here lies my gown. 
	First Lord	Let’s make no stay.
l113l	Second Lord	Lord Timon’s mad.
	Third Lord	I feel ’t upon my bones.
l114l	Fourth Lord	One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.
		( 114 Exeunt)
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