Paint. Nothing at this time but my visitation; only I will promise him an excellent piece. Poet. I must serve him so too; tell him of an intent that's coming toward him. Paint. Good as the best. Promising is the very air o' the time; it opens the eyes of expectation : performance is ever the duller for his act; and, but in the plainer and simpler kind of people, the deed of saying 1 is quite out of use. To promise is most courtly and fashionable: performance is a kind of will, or testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it. 1 Timon. Excellent workman! Thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself. Poet. I am thinking, what I shall say I have provided for him: it must be a personating of himself, a satire against the softness of prosperity; with a discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency. Timon. Must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work? Wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men? Do so; I have gold for thee. Poet. Nay, let's seek him: Then do we sin against our own estate, When the day serves, before black-corner'd night, 1 i. e. the doing of that which we said we would do. Come. Timon. I'll meet you at the turn. What a god's gold, That he is worshipp'd in a baser temple, Than where swine feed! "Tis thou that rigg'st the bark, and plough'st the foam ; Settlest admired reverence in a slave. To thee be worship; and thy saints for aye Poet. Hail, worthy Timon! Paint. [advancing. Our late noble master. Timon. Have I once lived to see two honest men? Poet. Sir, Having often of your open bounty tasted, Hearing you were retired, your friends fallen off, Whose thankless natures- O abhorred spirits! Not all the whips of heaven are large enough— What? to you, Whose star-like nobleness gave life and influence To their whole being! I'm rapt, and cannot cover The monstrous bulk of this ingratitude With any size of words. Timon. Let it go naked, men may see 't the better. You, that are honest, by being what you are, Make them best seen and known. Paint. He and myself Have travell❜d in the great shower of your gifts, And sweetly felt it. Timon. Ay, you are honest men. Paint. We are hither come to offer you our service. Timon. Most honest men! Why, how shall I requite you? Can you eat roots, and drink cold water? no. vice. Timon. You are honest men. You have heard that I have gold; I am sure, you have: speak truth: you are honest men. Paint. So it is said, my noble lord; but therefore Came not my friend nor I. Timon. Good honest men!-Thou draw'st a counterfeit 1 Best in all Athens: thou art, indeed, the best; Paint. So, so, my lord. [to the Poet. Timon. Even so, sir, as I say:-and, for thy fiction, Why, thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth, That thou art even natural in thine art. But, for all this, my honest-natured friends, I must needs say, you have a little fault : 1 A portrait was so called in our author's time. Both. Doubt it not, worthy lord. Timon. There's ne'er a one of you but trusts a knave, That mightily deceives you. Both. Do we, my lord? Timon. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dis semble, Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him, Keep in your bosom: yet remain assured, That he's a made-up1 villain. Paint. I know none such, my lord. Poet. Nor I. Timon. Look you, I love you well: I'll give you gold, Rid me these villains from your companies: Hang them, or stab them, drown them in a draught, Confound them by some course, and come to me, I'll give you gold enough. Both. Name them, my lord; let's know them. Timon. You that way, and you this, but two in company. Each man apart, all single and alone, Yet an arch-villain keeps him company. 1 Complete. If, where thou art, two villains shall not be, [to the Painter. Come not near him.-If thou wouldst not reside [to the Poet. But where one villain is, then him abandon. slaves! You have done work for me; there's payment. Hence! You are an alchymist; make gold of that. Out, rascal dogs! [Exit, beating and driving them out. SCENE II. The same. Enter FLAVIUS and two SENATORS. Flav. It is in vain that you would speak with For he is set so only to himself, That nothing but himself, which looks like man, 1 Se. Bring us to his cave. It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, To speak with Timon. At all times alike 2 Se. Men are not still the same. "Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him. Bring us to him, |