home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare
/
Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso
/
shakes
/
text
/
36
/
01_02
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1991-04-10
|
13KB
|
372 lines
A Room of State in Timon's House.
Hautboys playing loud music.
A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and other SERVANTS attending;
and then enter LORD TIMON, the STATES, the Athenian LORDS,
VENTIDIUS, which Timon redeemed from prison, ALCIBIADES, and LUCULLUS.
Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like himself.
Ventidius Most honoured Timon,
It hath pleased the gods to remember my father's age,
And call him to long peace.
He is gone happy, and has left me rich.
Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound
To your free heart, I do return those talents,
Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help
I derived liberty.
Timon O, by no means,
Honest Ventidius; you mistake my love.
I gave it freely ever; and there's none
Can truly say he gives if he receives.
If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them; faults that are rich are fair.
Ventidius A noble spirit!
Timon Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devised at first
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;
But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes
Than my fortunes to me.
[They sit.
1st Lord My lord, we always have confessed it.
Apemantus Ho, ho, confessed it! Hanged it, have you not?
Timon O, Apemantus, you are welcome.
Apemantus No,
You shall not make me welcome;
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.
Timon Fie, thou'rt a churl! Ye've got a humour there
Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame.
They say, my lords, Ira furor brevis est;
But yond man is ever angry.
Go, let him have a table by himself;
For he does neither affect company
Nor is he fit for't indeed.
Apemantus Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon.
I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.
Timon I take no heed of thee: thou'rt an Athenian, therefore
welcome. I myself would have no power; prithee let my meat
make thee silent.
Apemantus I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should ne'er
flatter thee. O you gods, what a number of men eats Timon,
and he sees 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their
meat in one man's blood; and all the madness is, he cheers
them up too.
I wonder men dare trust themselves with men.
Methinks they should invite them without knives:
Good for their meat, and safer for their lives.
There's much example for't. The fellow that sits next him,
now parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a
divided draught, is the readiest man to kill him. 'T'as
been proved. If I were a huge man I should fear to drink at
meals,
Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes.
Great men should drink with harness on their throats.
Timon [Drinking a toast to a Lord.]
My lord, in heart! And let the health go round.
2nd Lord Let it flow this way, my good lord.
Apemantus Flow this way? A brave fellow! He keeps his tides well.
Those healths will make thee and thy state look ill, Timon.
Here's that which is too weak to be a sinner-
Honest water, which ne'er left man i'th' mire.
This and my food are equals; there's no odds.
Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.
Apemantus' Grace.
Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself.
Grant I may never prove so fond
To trust man on his oath or bond,
Or a harlot for her weeping,
Or a dog that seems a-sleeping,
Or a keeper with my freedom,
Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't;
Rich men sin, and I eat root.
[Eats and drinks.
Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!
Timon Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now.
Alcibiades My heart is ever at your service, my lord.
Timon You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than a dinner
of friends.
Alcibiades So they were bleeding new, my lord, there's no meat like
'em; I could wish my best friend at such a feast.
Apemantus Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then, that
then thou mightst kill 'em, and bid me to 'em.
1st Lord Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would
once use our hearts, whereby we might express some part of
our zeals, we should think ourselves for ever perfect.
Timon O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have
provided that I shall have much help from you - how had you
been my friends else? Why have you that charitable title
from thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I
have told more of you to myself than you can with modesty
speak in your own behalf; and thus far I confirm you. O you
gods, think I, what need we have any friends if we should
ne'er have need of 'em? They were the most needless
creatures living should we ne'er have use for 'em, and
would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases,
that keeps their sounds to themselves. Why, I have often
wished myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We
are born to do benefits, and what better or properer can we
call our own than the riches of our friends? O what a
precious comfort 'tis to have so many like brothers
commanding one another's fortunes! O, joy's e'en made away
ere't can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water,
methinks. To forget their faults, I drink to you.
Apemantus Thou weep'st to make them drink, Timon.
2nd Lord Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
And at that instant like a babe sprung up.
Apemantus Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard.
3rd Lord I promise you, my lord, you moved me much.
Apemantus Much!
[Sound tucket.
Timon What means that trump?
Enter SERVANT.
How now!
Servant Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous
of admittance.
Timon Ladies? What are their wills?
Servant There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears
that office to signify their pleasures.
Timon I pray, let them be admitted.
Enter CUPID.
Cupid Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all
That of his bounties taste! The five best senses
Acknowledge thee their patron, and come freely
To gratulate thy plenteous bosom. Th' ear,
Taste, touch, smell, all, pleased from thy table rise;
They only now come but to feast thine eyes.
Timon They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance.
Music, make their welcome!
[Exit CUPID.
Lucullus You see, my lord, how ample y'are beloved.
Music.
Re-enter CUPID, with a Masque of LADIES as Amazons, with lutes
in their hands, dancing and playing.
Apemantus Hoy-day! What a sweep of vanity comes this way!
They dance? They are madwomen.
Like madness is the glory of this life
As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools to disport ourselves,
And spend our flatteries to drink those men
Upon whose age we void it up again
With poisonous spite and envy.
Who lives that's not depravd or depraves?
Who dies that bears not one spurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?
I should fear those that dance before me now
Would one day stamp upon me. 'T'as been done.
Men shut their doors against a setting sun.
The LORDS rise from table with much adoring of TIMON,
and to show their loves, each singles out an AMAZON, and all dance,
men with women, a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease.
Timon You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies,
Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
You have added worth unto't and lustre,
And entertained me with mine own device.
I am to thank you for't.
1st Lady My lord, you take us even at the best.
Apemantus Faith, for the worst is filthy, and would not hold taking,
I doubt me.
Timon Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you;
Please you to dispose yourselves.
All Ladies Most thankfully, my lord.
[Exeunt CUPID and LADIES.
Timon Flavius!
Flavius My lord?
Timon The little casket bring me hither.
Flavius Yes, my lord. [Aside.] More jewels yet!
There is no crossing him in's humour,
Else I should tell him well, i'faith I should,
When all's spent, he'd be crossed then, an he could.
'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind,
That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.
[Exit.
1st Lord Where be our men?
Servant Here, my lord, in readiness.
2nd Lord Our horses!
Re-enter FLAVIUS, with the casket.
Timon O, my friends, I have one word
To say to you. Look you, my good lord,
I must entreat you honour me so much
As to advance this jewel; accept it and wear it,
Kind my lord.
1st Lord I am so far already in your gifts-
All Lords So are we all.
Enter 1st SERVANT.
1st Servant My lord, there are certain nobles of the Senate
Newly alighted and come to visit you.
Timon They are fairly welcome.
[Exit 1st SERVANT.
Flavius I beseech your honour,
Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near.
Timon Near? Why, then another time I'll hear thee. I prithee,
let's be provided to show them entertainment.
Flavius [Aside.] I scarce know how.
Enter 2nd SERVANT.
2nd Servant May it please your honour, Lord Lucius,
Out of his free love, hath presented to you
Four milk-white horses trapped in silver.
Timon I shall accept them fairly. Let the presents
Be worthily entertained.
[Exit 2nd SERVANT.
Enter 3rd SERVANT.
How now, what news?
3nd Servant Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord
Lucullus, entreats your company tomorrow to hunt with him,
and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds.
Timon I'll hunt with him; and let them be received
Not without fair reward.
[Exit 3rd SERVANT.
Flavius [Aside.] What will this come to?
He commands us to provide and give great gifts,
And all out of an empty coffer;
Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this,
To show him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good.
His promises fly so beyond his state
That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes
For every word. He is so kind that he now
Pays interest for't; his land's put to their books.
Well, would I were gently put out of office
Before I were forced out!
Happier is he that has no friend to feed
Than such that do e'en enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.
[Exit.
Timon You do yourselves much wrong;
You bate too much of your own merits.
Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.
2nd Lord With more than common thanks I will receive it.
3rd Lord O, he's the very soul of bounty!
Timon And now I remember, my lord, you gave good words the other
day of a bay courser I rode on. 'Tis yours, because you
liked it.
3rd Lord O, I beseech you pardon me, my lord, in that.
Timon You may take my word, my lord, I know no man
Can justly praise but what he does affect.
I weigh my friends' affection with mine own,
I'll tell you true. I'll call to you.
All Lords O none so welcome!
Timon I take all and your several visitations
So kind to heart 'tis not enough to give.
Methinks I could deal kingdoms to my friends,
And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,
Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich.
It comes in charity to thee, for all thy living
Is 'mongst the dead, and all the lands thou hast
Lie in a pitched field.
Alcibiades Ay, defiled land, my lord.
1st Lord We are so virtuously bound-
Timon And so am I to you.
2nd Lord So infinitely endeared-
Timon All to you. Lights, more lights!
1st Lord The best of happiness, honour, and fortunes, keep with you,
Lord Timon!
Timon Ready for his friends.
[Exeunt all but TIMON and APEMANTUS.
Apemantus What a coil's here,
Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums!
I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums
That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs.
Methinks false hearts should never have sound legs.
Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on curtsies.
Timon Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen,
I would be good to thee.
Apemantus No, I'll nothing; for if I should be bribed too, there
would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst
sin the faster. Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me thou
wilt give away thyself in paper shortly. What needs these
feasts, pomps, and vainglories?
Timon Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn not
to give regard to you. Farewell; and come with better
music.
[Exit.
Apemantus So; thou wilt not hear me now, thou shalt not then. I'll
lock thy heaven from thee.
O that men's ears should be
To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!
[Exit.