Timon of Athens
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] |
Timon of Athens, Act 4, Scene 1