With senators on the bench: this is it, But yet I'll bury thee! Thou 'lt go, strong thief, Nay, stay thou out for earnest. [keeping some gold. Enter ALCIBIADES, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; PHRYNIA, and TIMANDRA. For showing me again the eyes of man! Alc. What is thy name? Is man so hateful to thee, That art thyself a man? Timon. I am misanthropos, and hate mankind. For thy part, I do wish thou wert a dog, That I might love thee something. 1 Sorrowful. 2 i. e. restores to all the freshness of youth. Alc. I know thee well; But in thy fortunes am unlearn'd and strange. Timon. I know thee too; and more, than that I know thee, I not desire to know. Follow thy drum; Then what should war be? This fell whore of thine For all her cherubin look. Phry. Thy lips rot off! Timon. I will not kiss thee; then the rot returns To thine own lips again. Alc. How came the noble Timon to this change? Timon. As the moon does, by wanting light to give; But then renew I could not, like the moon : There were no suns to borrow of. Timon. Promise me friendship, but perform none: if thou wilt not promise, the gods plague thee, for thou art a man! if thou dost perform, confound thee, for thou art a man! Alc. I have heard in some sort of thy miseries. 1 Red: a term of heraldry. Timon. Thou saw'st them, when I had prosperity. Alc. I see them now: then was a blessed time. Timon. As thine is now, held with a brace of harlots. Timan. Is this the Athenian minion, whom the world Voiced so regardfully? Timon. Timan. Yes. Art thou Timandra? Timon. Be a whore still! they love thee not, that use thee: Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust. Timan. Hang thee, monster! Alc. Pardon him, 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 grieved, How cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth, Forgetting thy great deeds, when neighbor states, But for thy sword and fortune, trod upon them,Timon. I pr'ythee, beat thy drum, and get thee gone. Alc. I am thy friend, and pity thee, dear Timon. Timon. How dost thou pity him, whom thou dost trouble? I had rather be alone. Alc. Why, fare thee well: Here's some gold for thee. Timon. Keep 't; I cannot eat it. Alc. When I have laid proud Athens on a By killing villains, thou wast born to conquer Put up thy gold; go on,-here's gold,―go on : Will o'er some high-viced city hang his poison In the sick air. Let not thy sword skip one: Pity not honor'd age for his white beard; He's an 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 trenchant1 sword; for those milk paps, That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes, Are not within the leaf of pity writ; But set them down horrible traitors: spare not the babe, Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their mercy; ¡ Sharp. Think it a bastard, whom the oracle Hath doubtfully pronounced thy throat shall cut, And mince it sans remorse: 1 swear against objects; 2 Put armour on thine ears and on thine eyes; Make large confusion; and, thy fury spent, Not all thy counsel. Timon. Dost thou, or dost thou not, Heaven's curse upon thee! Phry. and Timan. Give us some gold, good Timon. Hast thou more? Timon. Enough to make a whore forswear her trade, And to make whores a bawd. Hold up, you sluts, Your aprons mountant. You are not oathable,— Although, I know, you'll swear, terribly swear, Into strong shudders, and to heavenly agues, oaths ; I'll trust to your conditions. Be whores still; Without pity. 2 i. e. of compassion. 3 Vocation. |